Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection allows you to access a Windows computer from a different location as if you were sitting in front of it. Remote Desktop Connection comes pre-installed on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and is available for free through the iOS and Mac App Store.
You can also use this method to connect to a remote computer through the EWA Remote Desktop Gateway.
Enable Remote Desktop
To set up the computer to which you would like to connect:
- Enable the Remote Desktop feature on the computer you wish to access [the host]:
- Select your options for allowing connections from other computers.
- To choose which users will have remote access, click . Typically, all administrators of the computer will have access by default. Each user must have a password before you can allow remote access.
- Click .
- Find your host computer's machine name. To do so, on the machine to which you are connecting, click the Windows search icon [the magnifying glass next to the Windows icon]. Enter PC name, and then click . The name will be listed next to "Device name."
- Enable Remote Desktop inbound rules in Windows Firewall:
- Search for Windows Firewall, and click to open it.
- On the left, click .
- From the left pane of the resulting window, click .
- In the right pane, locate the following rules:
- Remote Desktop - Shadow [TCP-In]
- Remote Desktop - User Mode [TCP-In]
- Remote Desktop - User Mode [UDP-In]
- Right-click each rule and choose .
Connect to your machine
On Windows
- Click the Windows search icon [the magnifying glass next to the Windows icon]. Enter mstsc or Remote Desktop Connection, and then select in the search results.
- To adjust connection settings such as screen size, login information, availability of local hard drives and printers, or keyboard and sound behavior, click . If you need to use audio, be sure to go to and select and .
- In the "Computer:" field, type the entire name or IP address of your host computer [you can find it in your computer or system properties].
- Click .
- Log into the host computer if needed. The credentials for an IU machine will be ads\username [where username is your IU username] and your IU passphrase.
- When you are finished, in the "Remote Desktop Connection" window, select , click the person icon on the left, and then click .
On Mac
- On your Mac, go to the App Store and install Microsoft Remote Desktop 10. On an IU-managed machine, you may also be able to open Self Service [click the magnifying glass at the top right of your screen, then type self service] and install Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 from there.
- Click the [plus sign] at the top of the window and select . [Alternatively, click .]
- In the "PC Name" field, enter your computer name. At the end of the computer name, add .ads.iu.edu.
- Click .
- Click , and then check the local devices to which you will need access when using your remote computer. You can also click and customize display settings as desired.
- Double-click the newly saved desktop.
- When prompted for your credentials, enter ads\username [using your IU username] and your IU passphrase.
- If you see a warning about connecting to the RDP host, click .
Connect via EWA Remote Desktop Gateway
Follow the appropriate steps below to connect to a computer using the EWA Remote Desktop Gateway. You do not need a VPN connection for these steps.
All RDP connections made through the EWA RDP Gateway require Two-Step-Login [Duo]. If you haven't configured your account for use with Duo, the connection will silently fail. You can manage Duo settings in the IU Security Center.
On Windows
- Follow the steps above to open a Remote Desktop Connection and configure the workstation connection and other settings, but do not connect.
- Select . Click the tab, and then click .
- Select .
- By "Server name:", enter admin-rdgw.eas.iu.edu. You can also check .
- Click , and then . If you are prompted with a security warning about the gateway, click .
- Authenticate to the gateway using your IU credentials [enter ads.iu.edu\username and your passphrase]; a Duo push will also be sent to your phone [unless you do not have a smartphone enrolled, in which case you will receive a phone call]. Note that the interface will not indicate that a Duo notification was sent; the connection will simply hang until you approve it.
On Mac
- Follow the steps above to configure the workstation connection and other settings.
- Open Microsoft Remote Desktop. Click the gear at the top, and then click .
- Click , and then click the [plus sign].
- Beside "Gateway name:", enter admin-rdgw.eas.iu.edu, and then click .
- Create an RDP connection for your workstation [or edit an existing one], select the gateway connection that you created beside "Gateway:", and then click . For details on creating a connection, see the instructions above.
- Double-click the connection to connect to it.
- Authenticate using ads.iu.edu\username and your IU passphrase. A Duo push will also be sent to your phone [unless you do not have a smartphone enrolled, in which case you will receive a phone call]. Note that the interface will not indicate that a Duo notification was sent; the connection will simply hang until you approve it. If you are then prompted with a security warning about the gateway, click .
How to make off-campus remote desktop connections at IU
I moved this for you to Networking and Remote Desktop instead of Spiceworks Support.
Have you checked your firewall settings?
Have you checked your DNS settings, hosts or lmhosts.sam files for erroneous entries for that hostname or try to add the hostname to hosts/lmhosts.sam to force the computer to point to the correct IP address.
Is the VM setup for a Static IP or Dynamic? Is there a DHCP reservation for that VM on the DHCP server?
What VM environment and version are you using?
I have checked the Firewall settings and its fine.
DNS is fine, i have checked LMHOSTS is fine its enabled and its default. IP already added.
VM have dynamic IP and its reserved in DHCP.
Windows 2012 we are using.
I assume an nslookup of the hostname returns the IP address correctly? Sorry, just trying to rule out the basics.
I know you said you've got the IP in your hosts file, but I'm not 100% certain RDP actually uses your hosts file.
Also, try to work out what's different with the VM that doesn't work compared to the others that do.
Is the VM on the domain? This is clearly a DNS issue, check you have the correct name on the domain and in DNS.
Hi Team,
Issue is resolved after re-joining the domain and restarted the VM.