Is Remote Desktop overkill for a home user?

I need to dependably control three remote MACs. The home MACs are local and the other is in another state. I may also need to control any of these while on the road.
logmein.com seems to have connection problems from time to time and Mesh doesn't seem to be a viable solution (plus I don't like MS).
I don't mind paying higher price for Apple's product and believe that ARD would be the most reliable solution.
I realize that using Apple's solution would limit me to MAC to MAC connections (couldn't PC to MAC) using ARD...
What are your thoughts?

ARD could be a bit of overkill, it all depends on what you need to do.
We use LogMeIn for connecting to laptops out of the office, and for connecting to home machines from work/road when ARD fails to connect. Which, depending on the version, could be often.
ARD can have issues depending on your home setup. Because of my hardware at home and Comcast as my provider, I can only reach the machine that my router has to spoof in order to be able to even be online.

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Create a 1-click setup for a Remote Desktop session for non-tech users

Hi everyone,
I know how to configure a VPN or use port forwarding for VNC, ARD, etc. and know about iChat's Screen Sharing feature and sites like LogMeIn. But I'm looking for something special here. This is the situation:
• A user calls me for help and I would prefer a Remote Desktop session
• He's usually behind a NAT router which hasn't been set up to allow remote access
• He's absolutely NOT tech savy
So I'd like to have an easy way to allow me to initiate a Remote Desktop session (ARD/VNC) with as little user interaction needed as possible. I don't want to walk him through reconfiguring his router on the phone!
I was thinking of using iChat's Screen Sharing first. But I'd need to create a jabber account, save iChat's preference file, maybe pack it into a little "Installer" and mail it to him. So all he needs to do is double-click it and run iChat afterwards and accept me.
But this is a little too much for my taste and I'm wondering if there isn't already a "best practice" or something like that. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks a lot!
Björn

I've recently started using TeamViewer. If you can walk a person through going to http://www.teamviewer.com and clicking on "Start Full Version" and getting them to download it and run it, then you're good to go. It's cross-platform both ways so you can control a Mac from a PC and a PC from a Mac in addition to M-M and P-P. If they're on a PC, the download is an executable which when they double-click it, asks them if they'd like to run it or install it. Just have them run it and in a few seconds they will have an ID number and random password generated that they can tell you over the phone. Then you type it into your TeamViewer app and you're controlling their screen. If they're on a Mac, the download is a disk image so you have them mount it and then just run the app directly from the disk image. Once you're connected you can fully install the app for future use or just help them out. It's pretty much the simplest cross-platform control system I've found to deal with situations where it's not already setup for me to support. On top of all that, it's free for personal use!
Jeff

A simple network setup solution for a home user!

Hi, I currently have a Power book PC g4 it has x2 external drives connected to it via time capsule and I have an old G4 clunky desktop downstairs that is connected via Ethernet but some previous owner must've doctored it because it can't run safari or itunes. I want to upgrade to an Imac and use my old powerbook PC g4 basically as a screen and keyboard downstairs to access my main new computer which is upstairs. I'm sick of duplicate files because the two computers currently are run as completely separate but on the same network!! I also have an iphone and itunes which I want to be able to sync and use from either computer so in other words I want all the same programs etc on each computer two screens two keyboards but ideally only one hard drive which is backed up by time capsule. How do I do this easily? Remote Desktop? Currently I have terrible time syncing and numerous software issues because I am trying to run the same software on each computer and they don't like it. I ought to have two licenses to do that but it is too expensive for the home user! I know I'm a bit stupid regarding these matters but geekology doesn't come naturally I'm sorry.

I want to upgrade to an Imac and use my old powerbook PC g4 basically as a screen and keyboard downstairs to access my main new computer which is upstairs.
Screen sharing lets you sort of do this, but don't expect it to be just like sitting in front of the remote computer. The connection will slow everything down and you won't get sound. Plus I'd be surprised if the PB had nearly as large a screen as any new iMac. This is not a realistic solution for day-to-day use.
I'm sick of duplicate files because the two computers currently are run as completely separate but on the same network!!
Sounds to me like you need to replace the old hardware with a new laptop rather than an iMac. Then you can take it everywhere and not have any sync issues.
I am trying to run the same software on each computer and they don't like it. I ought to have two licenses to do that but it is too expensive for the home user!
That's another reason to get a laptop... you could quit breaking the law and just install on one machine. Note, though, that if your software is as badly outdated as your hardware, it may not all work on the current version of the Mac OS (10.6.4, aka Snow Leopard). Check that before buying anything.

Remote Desktop Connection for Mac - connection lost after a minute idle

Hi There,
I am trying to connect from a Macbook Pro to my work (XP) machine using the latest Remote Desktop Connection for Mac.
It used to work fine, and recently it has been dropping the connection if I've not been 'active' for a minute or so.
What is confusing is that it is not always like this. Some days, I can leave it inactive for hours over lunch etc, and I'll come back and it will be fine. And just the other day, in the morning it dropped me out ever minute or so I was inactive, and then the afternoon was fine, and the evening was troublsome again.
Our administrators had not changed anything during that time, nor had I changed anything on my XP machine at work, or my Mac at home.
I connect via a wireless connection.
These problems occur when running on battery and when plugged in.
Any thoughts?
Thanks,
ThreeIsles

Since RDC is not an Apple product, you should post your question on Microsoft's own forums for their Mac version of RDC:
http://www.officeformac.com/ProductForums/RemoteDesktopConnectionClient/

Downgrade Microsoft Remote Desktop Client for Mac

Is there a way to downgrade to a previous version of the microsoft remote desktop client for mac? We are experiencing issues with one of our published remote apps (regarding window focus i.e. which window of the open application is at the front of the
users screen) since upgrading to 8.0.9. This application was OK in 8.0.5. Can we revert to an older version?

We are also experiencing similar issues regarding window sizes and display settings with our remote resources, since upgrading. We are using remote desktop application for iPhone/iPad. Upon opening of our Remote App, although we have set the command-line
argument to open to full screen, we see the application resizing 3 times before it finally opens - and it does not open in full screen. Please assist.

Remote Desktop Client for Mac and SSO

Hi.
We have RDS Deployment (Windows Server 2012 R2) with RD Connection Brokers, RD Session Hosts and Web Access.
Windows clients log on without any issues, credentials must be entered only once (Single Sign On).
But Mac clients must enter their credentials twice (on CB and SH).
Does Remote Desktop Client for Mac support SSO and if it does, what special settings are required?
Mac users use Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0.13.

Sorry, I have missed important detail. This problem appears when I open .rdp files.
Really, if I create connection and save my credentials, I will not enter credentials. But in this case I can't specify Collection
(loadbalanceinfo:s:tsv://MS Terminal Services Plugin.1.SomeCollection - parameter in .rpd file).
In my case, I open .rdp file, connect to RD Connection Broker, log in to RD CB, RD CB redirects me to RD
Session Host, I log in to RD SH (enter credential second time) and now I connect. In this chain could be a RD Gateway.
When I connect to the same farm with the same .rdp file from Windows client, I have enter credential only once (SSO works).
So my question: Does Remote
Desktop Client for Mac support SSO? I know that SSO require CredSSP, is it implemented in Client for Mac?

Setting up Remote Desktop Apps for access from a Mac with 2FA

Hi
Setting up Remote Desktop Apps for access from a Mac with 2FA.
I have a server 2012 remote access gateway, with remote apps published(which uses single signon), behind a 2FA connection (web based) and want to know if its possible to allow macs to connect to the remote Apps behind it. i cannot permanently remove any
of the above setup as it is a requirement.
When i connect from a mac i can login to both the 2FA and remote access web pages and see all the apps but when i click on any app it downloads it to the mac and when i try to run it using Remote Desktop App for MAC i get an error :
"httpendpointexception: 4, The non-proxy http connection failed to connect with the message: 500 internal Server Error."
I have tried with 2fa turned off for testing and get the same result.Does it support 2012 TSGW server? does it support Remote desktop apps? as i cant find a definitive answer on either.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi,
Thank you for posting in Windows Server Forum.
From Error description it seems to be a communication issue between your Mac and your RD gateway server. If you connect from extranet, you may need Remote Desktop Gateway or a VPN/Direct Access connection to your intranet, or forward port 3389 on your router.
500 Internal Server Error seems to be a HTTP related error.
The HTTP status code in IIS 7.0, IIS 7.5, and IIS 8.0
Also, please double check the settings if you have a RD gateway implemented in you intranet.
http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/12/24/rd-gateway-in-windows-server.aspx
In Windows Server 2012 R2 RD Gateway pluggable authentication is also introduced. This allows custom authentication routines to be used with RD Gateway. For example building a two-factor solution on top of RD Gateway is now possible which allows doing token-authentication
to the RD Gateway which works seamlessly with RD Web Access or RDP file launching.
Please check below article for more information.
Windows Server 2012 R2 is coming what does this add to RDS – VDI
In addition, please provide the log file from the client for further research.
Microsoft Remote Desktop -> About Microsoft Remote Desktop -> Send log via email
Hope it helps!
Thanks.
Dharmesh Solanki
TechNet Community Support

I have Remote desktop connection for my mac running osx 10.6.8 and I have a windows xp laptop, I want to have my mac be able to run the windows xp from my pc, how do I do it?

I have Remote desktop connection for my mac running osx 10.6.8 and I have a windows xp laptop, I want to have my mac be able to run the windows xp from my pc, how do I do it?

Hello Fiona,
Congratulations on your new iPhone! You can sync information to your iPhone from your MacBook Pro using the Info tab in iTunes when your iPhone is connected. Use the steps in the following article:
iOS: Syncing your data with iTunes
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1386
Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.
Best,
Sheila M.

Is there Remote Desktop Software for Lion?

I have been using RDC 2.1.1 to connect to my PC at work. However, after an Exchange server upgrade, it doesn't work anymore. I went looking for a newer version and could only find versions compatible with iOS devices, not computers. Then I looked at Apple discussions under RDC (which I cannot find now) and saw that someone recommended CoRD as not only free (RDC apparently now has a charge) but also better than RDC. I downloaded it but cannot figure out how to connect because it does not seem to have any input areas for usernames, passwords, etc. It's pretty darn bare. Can someone tell me what to do with it?
On another discussion, someone recommended Software Update to get a newer version of the RDC. But when I open RDC, there is no software update option. Unless the person meant Apple's software update, in which case it would have done that automatically during one of the regular updates.
I'm running the latest version of Lion on an iMac.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac shouldn't be affected by an Exchange server upgrade in any way. If RDC no longer connects to your work system, then your network adminstrators have probably made a change to your network, perhaps to a firewall, and you'll need to sort it out with them. RDC 2.1.1 works on my system, though I find it slower than other options for connecting to Windows systems. RDC 2.1.1 is the latest version available, by the way, and is still free.
If you want to try CoRD, though, information how to set it up can be found it it's Help files. You can also ask for help in the CoRD forum:
http://sourceforge.net/apps/phpbb/cord/viewforum.php?f=1
As to Software Update, I think either you or the other person was confused, and was referring to Apple Remote Desktop, a completely different product. You cannot update Microsoft software through Software Update in Mac OS X. n
Regards.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview for WP 8.1 - only for English OS?

Hi
I tried to install the Remote Desktop Preview for Windows Phone 8.1 on my Lumia 930 but got error 80073cf0. Can the preview only be installed on en-US localized devices?
Regards
Markus

Hi,
Please check the product page and you can see that it only support English (United States).
http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/microsoft-remote-desktop-preview/299b09ab-207e-441c-9e8e-c8d66c20b76b
Thanks for your understanding.
Jeremy Wu
TechNet Community Support

TS2072 Remote Desktop Client for MS Windows Server 2003

I need to be able to access my work server to obtain information form our Windows 2003 Server. We have our product prices and other information on servers and today I use the remote desktop client that comes with Windows 7. I was hoping to find a suitable solution to allow me to use my macbook pro with OSX 10.7.4 Software. Does anyone know how to use OSX to make a remote desktop connection as you would through windows 7. I've seen CoRD and Microsoft did have a version but it's for older versions of OSX. I could run W7 but then I would have to purcase another copy and VM if I decided to run it virtual.
Thanks

This is not an Apple Remote Desktop issue - ARD is Apple's software for managing networked Macs - but CoRD and Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac should both work with Windows 2003 and both work on Mac OS X 10.7; I have used both on my systems. iTap Mobile RDP is another option, and the one I use daily since I've found it to be faster than either CoRD or Microsoft RDC, though iTap is not free.
Regards.

Remote desktop client for Android

Dear sir,
Does Microsoft remote desktop client for Android support RDP 7.0 with remote FX.
Using this client can I connect to Remote App publish under remote desktop service in windows server 2012.
In a client device do we need anything else, other than Android 4.0 or above and Microsoft remote desktop client for Android (free) to connect to remote desktop service under windows server 2012.
Thanks
Bihar Networking Solution Patna - 801503

Hi,
Thank you for posting in Windows Server Forum.
Yes, the Remote Desktop client supports RDP 7.1 and all previous versions including: RDP 7, RDP 6.1, RDP 6, RDP 5 and RDP 4.
Note: Support for a specific version of RDP 7 does not include all virtual channels. RemoteFX codecs are not supported in RDP 7.1.
More information.
Remote Desktop Client on Android: FAQ
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn473007.aspx
Yes, RemoteApp can be connected from this RDC version.
Hope it helps!
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Dharmesh Solanki

Windows Remote Desktop Assistant for installation of Portal 7.0

Hi
Can I use Windows Remote Desktop Assistant for installation of NW04s (Portal 7.0) on a Windows Server 2003 (x64)?
SAP recommended earlier not to use the same. But, not aware of any such guidelines now.
I appreciate your views on the same.
Regards
Chandu

The only errors that I've encountered when performing installs over remote desktop were to do with the Oracle installer not finishing correctly. This was particularly evident in oracle 9.2 and I have had no issues with 10g as yet.
Cheers
Craig

Getting Client Name in Remote Desktop Manager for Server 2012 R2

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Does anybody know how to obtain this information in Server 2012 R2? If it's not possible in Server Manager, can it be done with Powershell? A 3rd party application?
So far the only way I have been able to do this is if there is still a 2008 R2 server on the network. I can log into it and use Remote Desktop Manager to connect to the 2012 R2 server. Since a 2008 server can still obtain this information for a 2012 server
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Thanks in advance!
Tom

Hi Tom,
In addition, the PSTerminalServices PowerShell Module might help.
https://psterminalservices.codeplex.com/releases/view/65937
You can run Get-TSSession in PowerShell.
Thanks.
Jeremy Wu
TechNet Community Support

Remote Desktop Client for MAC Broken Pipe! message

Hi there,
One of our clients uses Remote Desktop for MAC. One in a while he gets the message "Broken pipe!". His session has been lost.
I could not find or reproduce the same error. It looks like a connection problem, but this specific message must mean something.
Is there anyone who can explain this explicit error message?
I have not seen the message myself. The only thing I know is it contains "Broken pipe!"

Hi,
I have never seen this error before. The only thing I know about the word “Pipe” is related to SQL Server.
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http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365780(v=vs.85).aspx
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Jeremy Wu
TechNet Community Support

Is Remote Desktop overkill for a home user?

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