Win7 Remote Desktop help

[Clippy]

I have installed Windows 7 Pro onto an old PC in the spare room.

I've added the PC to the small Homegroup I have (via my ADSL router) and I can see it from my main laptop when I browse the network.

However, when I try to connect to the spare PC from my main laptop via a Remote Desktop connection it fails.

I have allowed remote desktop connections on the spare PC, setup the Admin account with a password (required to connect) but still can't connect.

Connectivity is fine as I can connect to my main laptop from the spare PC via Remote Desktop so there is a (simple) setting I seem to be overlooking on the spare PC which is preventing me from connecting to it but, for the life of me, can't seem to think what it could be.

Any thoughts?

 

[Spacecadet]

windows firewall?

I cannot use Remote Desktop to access another computer.
This happens when Windows Firewall blocks incoming traffic through TCP port 3389 on the computer you are trying to access. To use Remote Desktop to communicate with a remote computer, you must enable the predefined exception for Remote Desktop on the remote computer, which will dynamically allow incoming traffic on TCP port 3389.

To enable the Remote Desktop exception
On the remote computer, open Windows Firewall, and then click the Exceptions tab.

Select the Remote Desktop check box.

from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc739791(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_7

 

[Clippy]

windows firewall?



from Windows Firewall Quick Fixes: Windows Firewall (WF)

Good thinking but it already seems to be enabled.

 

[Spacecadet]

Good thinking but it already seems to be enabled.

have you tried just turning the firewall off, might as well rule it out completely

 

[Clippy]

have you tried just turning the firewall off, might as well rule it out completely

Will give it a try tomorrow - have given up for tonight.

Strange thing is, after my previous post, I rebooted my main laptop to see if that would make a difference.

Once it had re-booted, fired up Remote Desktop to connect to the spare PC and bingo, the login box came up.

Typed the password and it paused and then eventually came back with the same 'cannot connect' error message.

Most strange.


BTW, thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Spacecadet]

Will give it a try tomorrow - have given up for tonight.

Strange thing is, after my previous post, I rebooted my main laptop to see if that would make a difference.

Once it had re-booted, fired up Remote Desktop to connect to the spare PC and bingo, the login box came up.

Typed the password and it paused and then eventually came back with the same 'cannot connect' error message.

Most strange.


BTW, thanks for the suggestions.

Check that the user your logging in with has remote desktop rights

 

[Zippy]

As Spacecadet said, the specific port(s) need to be enabled (incoming and outgong)

 

[doodab]

What OS is the computer you are connecting from using?

XP (and perhaps Vista?) cannot to connect to a windows 7 box by default, although it works the other way around. I believe you can get the latest remote desktop client here, that will allow the older OS to remote into windows 7.

 

[Clippy]

What OS is the computer you are connecting from using?

XP (and perhaps Vista?) cannot to connect to a windows 7 box by default, although it works the other way around. I believe you can get the latest remote desktop client here, that will allow the older OS to remote into windows 7.

Both units are on Win7.

My main laptop, the unit I connect from, is Win7 Ultimate and the spare PC is now Win7 Pro.

Will take a look again at this tonight.

 

[CheeseSlice]

on the old Win7 pc, try going into:

Start button,
right click 'computer', select 'properties',
remote settings, remote desktop - select "allow connections only from computers running remote desktop with Network Level Authentication (more secure)".

Sometimes I find this setting is turned off on new installations.

[edit] looks like you may have done this already... in which case ignore