Remote Desktop has been one of the essential features of Windows from the days of Windows XP which got refined with newer versions. Although the feature is not that popular among average users and is considered to be more of a pro feature, it’s a nice tool for anyone who has to control multiple computers on a network simultaneously or even for someone who has to provide tech support to a distant friend or family and needs to take control of their computer.
Now with the support for tablets in Windows 8, Remote Desktop’s usage is likely to increase. Anyone who owns a Windows tablet can connect to his home or office computer from any location provided he has internet connectivity.
So before we plunge into how we can create Remote Desktop connection on Windows 8, lets us first have a look on how we can enable the feature to allow an incoming connection.
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 provide improved remote desktop and RemoteApp experiences by dynamically updating the remote resolution and remote scale factor based on changes made locally (on the client PC), without the need to reconnect to the session. Use the Microsoft Remote Desktop app to connect to a remote PC or virtual apps and desktops made available by your admin. With Microsoft Remote Desktop, you can be productive no matter where you. Windows 8 Pro (as well as all previous Windows client OS version) allows only one concurrent user session. This means you can't connect via Remote Desktop if local user is already logged on. Normally it's not a problem on a client machine, but in some cases you may want ability to login concurrently.
Enabling Remote Desktop on Windows 8
Step 1: Open Windows 8 desktop Control Panel and click on System and Security while viewing the Control Panel in Category mode. In System and Security, click on Allow remote access under System to open System Properties.
If you are comfortable using the Run box, you can run SystemPropertiesRemote.exe command to open the System Properties directly.
Step 2: Navigate to Remote tab in System Properties,check the radio button Allow remote connections to this computer and click on Apply button.
Windows 8.1 Rdp Client Download
Step 3: If you are using your computer in power saver mode and your computer goes into sleep or hibernate mode when not in use, Windows will ask you to change the configuration in Windows Power Options. This will make sure you have a seamless connectivity while in the middle of remote connection.
That’s all, you can now use Remote Desktop from any computer to connect to your Windows 8 device.
Conclusion
That was how you can activate the Remote Desktop on your Windows 8 devices to allow an incoming remote connection request. Now, check our next post where we show you how to use Windows 8 to start a Remote Desktop connection using the Windows 8 Metro App. Hopefully these two posts will help you work with Remote Desktop in Windows 8 comfortably.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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Are you looking for the best remote desktop connection manager?
Then you’re in the right place.
As a System Administrator, it is common to establish multiple RDP connections on a day to day basis. You may also make other daily connections like SSH or telnet to manage and troubleshoot network equipment.
To manually establish these connections over and over again is a major pain.
How many times a day do you enter in your credentials? Somedays I could end up making 50+ connections a day. That’s 50+ times I manually enter in my credentials to make a remote connection.
This is why I started using a remote desktop connection manager.
It saves me time and is much more efficient.
Let’s take a look at some of the best remote connection manager.
1. mRemoteNG
mRemoteNG is a multi tab remote connection manager. Just like RDCman it is a centralized tool that manages connections to remote systems. mRemoteNG has many features that RDCman does not have such as the ability to manage different connection types.
In addition to RDP, it supports VNC, ICA, SSH, Telnet, RAW, Rlogin and Http/S protocols.
The tab features comes in handy when you open multiple sessions and need to jump back and forth between them.
More features include, easy to organize and maintain a list of connections, store credentials for auto logons, importing from Active Directory, fullscreen mode, allows for grouping and nesting folders and more.
I really like this tool, it is easy to use and has a clean interface. I can group together all server connections and create separate groups for all other types of connections like SSH.
2. RoyalTS
RoyalTS is a connection manager that supports a variety of connection types such as RDP, VNC, SSH, S/FTP and web based interfaces.
It includes a built in credential manager, team sharing options so you can share a list of connections.
You can also automate tasks like command sequence and streamline workflows.
When researching connection managers, RoyalTS kept popping up on searches and in forums. It appears to be a popular choice by other System Admins.
I personally found it to be a bit clunky and complicated to get started. It does have a lot of features that other connection managers do not have but I just found it difficult to get started compared to other products.
3. Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager
Devolutions is another centralized connection manager that can handle different protocols and centralize credentials You can even integrate existing password managers such as keepass and lastpass.
This product includes a two factor authentication features. This will enforce two successive steps of authentication to grant access to the data source.
It also has the ability to manage desktops and servers with a mobile application. Devolutions comes in a free edition and paid edition. The free version is good for standalone users, the enterprise is best for teams.
4. DameWare Mini Remote Control
Damware is a tool primarily used by help desk staff and support technicians to easily establish connections with end user devices.
The main difference between this and an RDP connection manager is it allows the screen to be shared. With RDP the remote system will log off so you can’t share the screen with the end user. That’s why RDP managers are best for servers.
Damware is supported on Multiple platforms and allows remote control of Windows, Linux, and Max computers.
Additional Features
- Chat message to communicate with remote users
- Built in screenshot tool
- Secure file transfer
- Lock end users keyboard
- Remote Wake on LAN
- Remotely edit BIOS settings
- Active Directory integration
- and much more
5. Terminals
Terminals is a multi tab remote desktop manager that supports several protocols such as RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet, Citrix, HTTP and HTTPS.
Key features include a multi tab interface, open terminal window in full screen, resizable windows, connection history, customizable toolbars and search.
Terminals also includes several network tools such as ping, tracert, wak on lan, port scanner and who is. This can come in handy for some basic troubleshooting.
Terminals is an open source project and is currently not under development. It does still work on Windows 10.
Bonus Pick: Dameware Remote Everywhere
Dameware remote everywhere is a cloud based remote support solution that allows IT professionals to access nearly any platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android).
Remote everywhere allows you to quickly gain remote access to systems that are on premise such as users in the office or remote workers like when they are at home, at a hotel or anywhere with an internet connection. The cloud based web portal makes it easy to manage connections and support remote workers. This is a great tool for helpdesk or any IT professional that needs to remotely support end users.
Key Features:
- Session recording
- Hide wallpaper and screen blanking
- Screen sharing and multi-monitor support
- Organize and manage connections
- Live chat and video conferencing
- Built in troubleshooting tools
- Remotely restart and shutdown devices
- and much more.
Final Thoughts
Each remote connection manager has its pros and cons. To find what best fits your needs I recommend downloading and trying them out for yourself. I personally use mRemoteNG and Damware mini remote control.
I use MremoteNG to manage RDP server connections and ssh connection to network switches. I like that it has a clean interface its simple to use and is not bloated with extra junk that I don’t need. I can also share the connection file with my team to make the whole team more efficient.
Rdp Client Windows 8.1 Update
Helpdesk and my team use DamWare to connect to end users desktop and laptops. It allows us to remote shadow end users systems to troubleshoot and assist with any issues they have. With its wide range of features it’s a great tool for end user support.
That’s all. I hope that this list helped you find a remote connection manager for you and your team. You may also want to see check out my list of Active Directory Tools.
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Recommended Tool: SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
This utility was designed to Monitor Active Directory and other critical services like DNS & DHCP. It will quickly spot domain controller issues, prevent replication failures, track failed logon attempts and much more.
What I like best about SAM is it’s easy to use dashboard and alerting features. It also has the ability to monitor virtual machines and storage.