Using Remote Desktop advice

[gregbradley]

I use virtual remote to control my observatory computer from inside my house with a separate laptop. The observatory laptop runs Windows 7 pro and the inside laptop runs Windows 10.
It works really well and saves a lot of going outside to the observatory and braving the mossies.

Now I wanted to control my deaktop using the same virtual remote system and it won't work. The desktop runs Windows 10.

I googled this and it came up with a few suggestions and procedures and I followed those and it still fails to connect. I am connecting an Ethernet cable from the laptop's Ethernet jack to the Ethernet jack on the desktop.

Any suggestions?

Greg.

[rally]

The first few things I'd check to give a clue as to whats wrong

1. What are the IP addresses of each PC, if your network relies on there being a DHCP server to automatically assign every PC on your network with an IP address on the same subnet, then by connecting these two directly together (and removng them form the rest of the networl - unless its wireless) you may have unwittingly removed their IP addresses

In which case you'll need to configure the network settings manually
They will usually be 192.168.#.XXX but there are a couple of other private subnetworks that can be used.
192.168..... means its a private internal subnetwork - this simply means that nobody on the internet will use that subnetwork and generally its blocked so even if should accidentally connect directly to the internet it wont actually get out.

The # is your internal subnet number, doesnt matter what it is so long as all other computers are on it that you want to talk to - could be 1 to 255

And XXX must be unique to your particular PC - XXX cannot be the same on two or more PCs that will be fatal !
For those two PCs to talk to each other they should be on the same subnetwork (or you have some non standard subnet masking !! thats likely to get very messy)

The subnet masking will be 255.255.255.0

If your two PCs have an IP addres and all but the last 3 digits are the same then at least they are on the same subnet, but you still need to check that there is actually a network connection in existence.

2.
2nd step is ping one from the other
Just proves that there is a physical, and a software network configured connection between the two PCS - if the ping is successful then its probably an issue within the settings of your VNC software

3.
The VNC connection still needs to then use the TCP/IP network connection to communicate and it does this through its own port and uses its own protocol - these are settings in the software - but I imagine the defaults should be there already and viable.
So you would also need to make sure that you have used a port that is viable - and the same on each end.

Have you configured one as a slave and one as a server - thats what I have on all my systems but Im not familiar with your VNC software - maybe it doesnt need to ?

That should get you started on the problem solving path.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Rally.

What I am using is the Windows feature called Remote Desktop. Sorry I called it by the wrong name before.

With my other laptops a network was not required simply an Ethernet cable strung between them and setting up the remote desktop settings.

Perhaps I do need to set them up as a network first.

Greg.

[billdan (Bill)]

" I am connecting an Ethernet cable from the laptop's Ethernet jack to the Ethernet jack on the desktop."

Don't you need a crossover cable to connect that way?. Or connect both to a hub/switch in between.

[rally]

Bill,

I think most modern ethernet adapters can sort this out automatically now
When he said Win10 machine I assumed it was late model hardware

But its worth checking for sure.

[gregbradley]

The inside laptop is an I7 Hewlett Packard about 4-5 years old. The desktop is only about 9 months old and is also an i7 but very up to date and a fast machine.

I don't know what a crossover cable is.

As I say the same laptop works fine with my observatory older laptop running Windows 7. A windows 10 issue perhaps?(wishful thinking).

Greg.

[gregbradley]

I googled it again.

I see the problem. You need Windows 10 Pro otherwise the allow remote desktop connection check box is not there.
I guess I will use Team Viewer.

Greg.

[Wavytone]

Greg another solution is LogMeIn, which is also cross-platform (windows, OS X and iOS). I’ve used it many times to access my home Mac from anywhere on the planet.

[redbeard (Damien)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

I googled it again.

I see the problem. You need Windows 10 Pro otherwise the allow remote desktop connection check box is not there.
I guess I will use Team Viewer.

Greg.

Team Viewer rocks. Good choice. I also use Ultra VNC, (free).

Cheers,

Damien.

[sil (Steve)]

VNC is what I've used in the past and it does the job just fine. Of course remote access is a security risk and its not uncommon to build a jump box which you can VNC into from anywhere in the world and give that box the permissions and shortcuts to data storage on your network it really needs to have rather than open up all your computers to potential attacks.

[OICURMT]

Assuming the computers are communicating.


TeamViewer.... Period.

[ChrisV (Chris)]

Should work. I've used RemoteDesktop (and even RDPwrap) in win10 controlling a PC stick with win10. No issues over wifi

[Octane (Humayun)]

Set up TeamViewer and set it for LAN connections exclusively. That way, it's not visible to the outside world. If you need to access it from outside your wireless/wired network, then you'll need to disable the exclusive LAN connection and use one of the other two options it provides in the preferences.

H

[JimsShed (Jim)]

Greg as you pointed out above, Win 10 Home does not have RDP activation, however all the Terminal Services bits are actually there. Take Chris’s suggestion and download RDPWrap. It will turn on Windows RDP in Win 10 Home.