How to Remotely Access Your PC With Remote Desktop

This question submitted by Al Swanson, CeCe Johnson, Gerald Clor, Janet Transk and numerous others

Last week we talked about setting up Remote Desktop under WindowsXP. Now, if you're trying to connect to your desktop from a remotelocation that's only half of the equation. Today we'll fill in theblanks and tell you how to connect remotely to your "remote desktop."

To be able to connect to that remote desktop that we set up last week,you'll need to make some changes on the "client" computer. Remember, theclient is the computer that connects to the host. Inorder to do this under Windows XP you have to install what is called the"Remote Desktop Web Connection." Generally, this option is notinstalled by default. First, make sure you're signed onto the computeras the administrator or with administrator rights.

To install this option just click on:

Start - Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs -- Add/Remove Windows Components.

Under the Windows Components look for Internet Information Services , highlight it, and then click "Details." Now look for World Wide Web Service, and once again click "Details." Almost there. Just click on Remote Desktop Web Connection and click "OK". Now, just a couple more things.

In Control Panel click on Administrative Tools and then on Internet Information Services. You'll see the computer name, like"Home (local computer)". You'll also see that this list can expand andcontract. Expand it and you'll see "Web Sites". Expand that and you'llsee "Default Web Site." Expand that and you'll see a number of folders, but the one you want is called TSWEB. Just right-click on this folder and select Properties. You'll see some tabs and one of those is a Directory Security tab -- click on that. There you'll areas for Anonymous access and authentication. Click Edit. Then all you have to do is make sure the check mark is checked for both Anonymous Access and Authentication Methods. You're done. Click OK, and OK again and you're out of there.

You now have your client set up and ready to connect to your"Remote Desktop" host. Using this system you have to have a password in order to connect. If you have to connect to the host through a router you'll need to make a few other configuration changes, but we'll get to those next week. I want to make sure that all these steps are clear and easy and I don't want to take too many steps at once. That just leads to confusion.

Click here to read the companion article on Setting Up Remote Desktop

I'd like to thank Al Swanson, CeCe Johnson, Gerald Clor, JanetTransk, and numerous others for asking this question.

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