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I want to setup one of my computers (on Home network / Windows XP) to be available for access from my laptop in the office ( Windows 7 and obviously on another network).

Can anyone please help me out detailing the steps needed in terms of setup + security?

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    which version of XP? home has no RDP server functionality
    – Journeyman Geek
    Feb 15, 2012 at 7:32

2 Answers 2

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You should first enable Remote Desktop to XP machine:

  • Right click the My Computer and click Properties
  • On the Remote tab there is a group box that includes a checkbox to enable or disable remote desktop and a button to select users which will have the accessing permission.
  • Read this window carefully. It says "remote accessing user must have a password"
  • If there is a firewall on that XP machine other than Windows Firewall, you should also create an Allow Rule to localhost on port 3389 (port number is by default) incoming. (I wouldn't know the firewall specs, if you have). If you're using Windows Firewall, then just enabling Remote Desktop on that window will create proper access rule.

Then you should make a port forwarding on your internet gateway at home, assuming it is basicly a common modem. Login to your modem's administration page and find the NAT configuration. There should be a group or a sub-menu about Port Forwarding. After that type that port number 3389 to WAN TCP and LAN TCP editboxes (can't give you specifics, you have to determine what is what when you in there) and that XP machine's IP address to IP address involved editbox.

That way you are saying your modem:

"Take all the TCP packets coming to my WAN IP address, port 3389, which is Remote Desktop application's port number and it uses TCP, then forward all those packets to my internal XP machine's 3389 port, which is RDP is listening."

By doing those you actually set up two different listeners for RDP application, first one is your modem, which is now configured to forward what it listens and second one is the actual application on specific machine.

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The best solution really depends on how you define "access." If you just need to be able to run programs remotely and view the screen, the free version of LogMeIn will probably fit the bill.

I have a need to be able to push and pull files and to print locally from remote in addition to remote control when I'm on the road (or in a random location without even my laptop), and I've used LogMeIn Pro for several years with great success. It's very economical and secure.

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  • How can I disable all the shortcuts that are applied by LogMeln? like, when I hit small letter e, the target machine opens up an Windows explorer. I want to disable all these shortcuts Feb 27, 2012 at 18:00

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