how do i setup my win XP machine so that i can remotely access via a cable connection?

[Lifer]

winXP SP1 on a cable connection.
how do i set it so that I can access it remotely?

not interested in 3rd party software like PC anywhere. can I do it with RDP or use winXP's built in remote assistance/desktop?

 

[loup garou]

Right click My Computer>Remote Tab>Check off allow remote connections, select users you want to be able to connect (they require passwords). If you have a router, make sure that 3389 is forwarded to the PC you want to access. If you have a network, use your internal IP address to access it from another PC on the network. To access it across the internet, if you have static IP cable, you just have to type the IP into the client. If not, you can use a dynamic dns service such as http://www.dyndns.org and use the hostname you choose.

 

[Lifer]

Originally posted by: werk
Right click My Computer>Remote Tab>Check off allow remote connections, select users you want to be able to connect (they require passwords). If you have a router, make sure that 3389 is forwarded to the PC you want to access. If you have a network, use your internal IP address to access it from another PC on the network. To access it across the internet, if you have static IP cable, you just have to type the IP into the client. If not, you can use a dynamic dns service such as http://www.dyndns.org and use the hostname you choose.

thanks for the great info.

but i'm still a little fuzzy on the static/dynamic IP part. is it the CLIENT or the HOST that needs a STATIC IP?
i'm on dynamic on BOTH client and host, will it work? although i am dynamic, i have been on the SAME IP for awhile now, so do i still need to worry about the static part?

thanks for the help.

also, is www.dyndns.org a free service? i went through the FAQ and it sounds like it's free. it's awesome that they could provide such a service for free.

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help.

Link: DNS - Domain Name System.

Link: Microsoft - Remote Desktop in Windows XP.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Lifer

Originally posted by: werk
Right click My Computer>Remote Tab>Check off allow remote connections, select users you want to be able to connect (they require passwords). If you have a router, make sure that 3389 is forwarded to the PC you want to access. If you have a network, use your internal IP address to access it from another PC on the network. To access it across the internet, if you have static IP cable, you just have to type the IP into the client. If not, you can use a dynamic dns service such as http://www.dyndns.org and use the hostname you choose.

thanks for the great info.

but i'm still a little fuzzy on the static/dynamic IP part. is it the CLIENT or the HOST that needs a STATIC IP?
i'm on dynamic on BOTH client and host, will it work? although i am dynamic, i have been on the SAME IP for awhile now, so do i still need to worry about the static part?

thanks for the help.

also, is www.dyndns.org a free service? i went through the FAQ and it sounds like it's free. it's awesome that they could provide such a service for free.

You only need the host to be "static." Of course, you could just punch in the ip your host gets from ISP. As a matter of fact, it's a good idea to test Remote Desktop with your IP before doing any Dynamic DNS stuff, so you can make sure the connection works before throwing another variable in the mix. I'd definitely use a dynamic DNS service after that though, because it would suck if your IP changed one day and you really needed something on your PC. DynDNS's Dynamic DNS service is free, they also offer some other pay services. I forgot to mention that after setting up a DynDNS account, you need to download and install one of the update clients. This is what reports your current IP to DynDNS. I use DirectUpdate...very easy to set up and runs wonderfully. If you have a router, it may have a built-in update service, so check that out before installing an updater.

Good luck!

 

[martind1]

is dyndns free?

i used to use dns2go

you could always memorize the IP, and hope it doesnt change to often lol

 

[anandfan]

is dyndns free?

Some are. I use http://www.dyndns.org .

Check out the links JackMDS gives above for more great info!

 

[Lifer]

thanks guys, tried it within my internal network. works like a charm!
will give it a shot across the internet on Tues.

now if I don't use a secure connection such as VPN (i'll be using a cable connection), how safe will it be to leave my PC on with RD enabled?

 

[wlee]

Both sides can be on dynamic IP as long as the host side has ddns bound to it. If the lease should expire on either side, your connect will break on that side, and the other side will timeout after a min. Then you just need to re-connect. If you have your machine on a *REAL* Global Routable IP, then the very LEAST thing you should do is use the WinXP Firewall. A better solution would be to use a hardware firewall/router that has the DYNDNS client built in. Then you only need to forward port 3389 TCP to your machine. You also need to use a complex password. Make it at least 12 characters long and a mix of upper/lower case, numbers and symbols. With the DYNDNS running, then you only need to type the dns name of your machine ( or router ) in the "connect" box of the RDP client. E.G., " mycomputer.dyndns.org " To further protect yourself, you might also change the default port 3389 to something else. Many router support "Port Address Translation" E.G., you could have your router set to forward wan side port 65000 ---> 3389 Lan side.