Step 1) Check if the PC you wish to Control has Remote Desktop installed and enabled
You first need to Setup/Enable the host computer so it can accept remote desktop connections and make sure your client has the remote desktop client application. For more details on setting up Remote Desktop, and using the Remote Desktop client application, click below: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx
Now that you have the "host" (the computer you want to control remotely) computer setup with Remote Desktop, you should then set a STATIC LAN IP address on that system. This ensures that when the host system is restarted, or rebooted, it will always comes up to the same LAN IP address on your router. This is important to make sure the port forwarding works properly.
Step 2) Set a Static LAN IP address on the Remote Desktop Host system
For stability and reliability reasons, on your private LAN you will assign your server a static LAN IP. This is not to be confused with ‘static vs. dynamic' Internet IP addresses. This is a local change made to improve your private network. Assuming your Linksys router is configured at the address 192.168.1.1, you will want to assign your server PC some fixed address. Configure your server with a static LAN IP address 192.168.1.200, which is the address used in our examples. You can of course use another un-used address, but this documentation would no longer match your efforts. This benefit of a static LAN IP is to avoid network-level problems that could happen if you change anything on your network, or lose power, etc.
Need help setting a static IP on your system? - click here
Step 3) Test the Remote Desktop Connection within your LAN
You are now ready for your first test. Your first test will ensure the Remote Desktop host is actually running, and accepting connections from another PC on your same network. This is the easiest possible test, because both systems are inside the same network (and so the connection is less likely to be blocked).
On your test PC, go to Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications , and select Remote Desktop Connection (see screenshot below). Next to the field labeled Computer , type in the TZO DOMAIN NAME that you set in the router in step 2, in this case we used Name.LinksysNet.com – hit connect. You should then be connected with the host system. Use your login just as you would on the host to login. For more detail, click http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx#EMG
Hint: Having trouble with this step? Not Connecting?
If you cannot connect within the LAN, something went wrong with either your server setup or the test PC. Verify both systems are online and can reach each other using another method (such as Network browsing using file Explorer, the ‘ping' command, etc).
This test you just tried does not use TZO. The best things to check are that Remote Desktop is enabled (see step 1). You may need to temporarily suspend or disable software firewalls such as Symantec Internet security, or the Windows Firewall to see if those were the problem areas (if so, contact the firewall vendor support for additional help).
Assuming Remote Desktop is working inside the LAN, you can now configure the router to allow Internet-based Remote Desktop connections to reach your server PC. This means you will be able to Share Files from the Host to the Client, remotely print, and much more.
Step 4 ) Configuring port forwarding in the Applications and Gaming Menu
‘ Opening ports' in your Linksys router is actually quite easy to do. You first need to log into your Linksys router by opening a web browser and requesting the Location/URL of: http://192.168.1.1
This is the standard or default address for administering your router. When prompted by your router, enter your password for the router (if you never set a password, it is probably the factory default: blank username with a password of admin )
The Linksys default username and pw is blank/ admin, as shown in the screenshot below.
Once you log into the router, Find and Click the APPLICATIONS and GAMING link in the top menu as shown circled in the screenshot below. Your router may look slightly different, but most Linksys routers now have all port forwarding within the Applications and gaming menu.
Once you get into the APPLICATIONS and GAMING menu in the router, you will see a list of ports, and IP's as shown in the screenshots below. Keep in mind that your router will look like one of the two screenshots. Newer routers will look like the first screenshot, and older models appear similar to the second screenshot:
Newer Linksys routers - Applications and Gaming screen.
Older Linksys routers - Applications and Gaming screen.
Step 5 ) Adding Ports into the Applications and Gaming Menu in the Linksys Router
In your router, depending on your Applications and Gaming menu, add in the “RDESKTOP” or “RDESK” name within the Application field. You should then type exactly as shown above – Start port is 3389, End port is 3389, TCP or Both for protocol (either will work) and make sure the IP address is set to the Static LAN IP of the host computer we set earlier. In this case, we used 192.168.1.200. Now make sure the port range is enabled. Scroll down and click SAVE SETTINGS to save these settings. You are now done with the port forwarding. Double check your settings before moving to the next step.
Step 6 ) Signing up and Enabling the TZO.COM Dynamic DNS in your Linksys router
Make sure you already have a TZO account, or if not, you are at least signed up with a trial account **If you do not have a TZO Key and Domain Name selected, sign up for a free Linksys branded trial domain at http://Linksys.tzo.com and select “SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL”. You will then see the screenshot shown below.
Enter your email address, and select the the first word of your trial domain (ex: Name), followed by a TZO domain name to go after it.(ex: LinksysNet.com). Other domain choices exist with paid accounts, including the option to use your own registered domain (ex: any.com you have Registered). Click the CREATE MY FREE TRIAL DOMAIN NAME button – TZO will email your TZO domain key.
IMPORTANT: *** CHECK YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS NOW TO GET YOUR TZO KEY ***
After you have your TZO key email, log into your router, then look for the DDNS link under the Setup menu (shown circled in the screenshot below):
This is the DDNS section of the router. Set DDNS Service to TZO , and then input the TZO Domain Name, TZO Key/Password and Email Address/Username. Click Save Settings at the bottom of the page, and you have setup completed TZO setup.
This free TZO Dynamic DNS service expires in 60 days and is fully functional. When upgrading to a paid TZO account, be sure to do so before it expires, and also provide the TZO ordering system with the same domain and email address so credit can be applied. You may place your order at this link: https://www.tzo.com/cgi-bin/Orders.cgi?ref=linksys
What was just accomplished?
The first thing you did was configure you network to allow Remote Desktop traffic into the LAN, from the Internet. This part you managed yourself.
Of course, there is the problem of ‘knowing' your Internet or modem address, and what you configured your TZO settings – that problem was solved.
Step 7 ) Using Remote Desktop via the Internet with TZO
You are now ready to test your efforts. This is a real-word test that verifies everything: that Remote Desktop host is running properly, that your network allows the traffic to get past your routeryou're your server), and finally that your TZO domain is pointed at your router's IP address.
To actually test this, you must also go offsite – you can not test the whole setup from inside the same network or behind the same Internet connection. So for example if your PC you want to control is at Home, go to work and test this step, or go to a friend's house and test from there.
Using your off-site test PC, connect to the Internet. Then go to Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications , and select Remote Desktop Connection (see screenshot below). Next to the field labeled Computer , type in the TZO DOMAIN NAME that you set in the router in step 2, in this case we used Name.LinksysNet.com – hit connect. You should then be connected with the host system. Use your login just as you would on the host to login. For more detail, click http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/getstarted/remoteintro.mspx#EMG
Hint: Having trouble with this step? Not Connecting?
If you cannot connect at this point, something went wrong. Make sure you connected properly in Step 3 (Local LAN testing). Have someone at the remote location check that the host system is power up and that you have the Windows Remote desktop enabled and listening on the host system as described in step 1. You should also check that you are using the proper domain name, and that you check that the ports are opened properly in the router.
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