Windows Vista/XP Remote Desktop Review Discussion

By: Greg Ross

Microsoft Windows XP and Vista both come with built-in remote access capabilities. Are these feature really adequate replacements for third-party remote desktop applications, or are they just more Windows bloatware? Read the full review to find out!

Read the full content of this Article: Windows Vista/XP Remote Desktop Review

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ummm....I dont get it. Vista remote desktop is the same as the XP version thats been around for 8 years now. Is this really article worthy???? Further more remote desktop works perfectly with IPs. If you're having problems it is because you dont know how to properly setup a network.

 

Remote Desktop is not only competitive with 3rd party solutions, it is in my experience superior. In Windows 7 it now has the additional ability to support multiple monitor setups.

 

Considering that we are reviewing all of the competitors, it only makes sense to review this as well.

Yes, working with IPs can work. If you have the ability to properly configure the network. With some ISPs, with some routers, you sometimes do not have the ability to configure the network as needed (port forwarding, etc).

 

Just wait until you read the rest of the articles in this roundup. While (mostly) true, RDP does not do everything perfectly.

We've got at least one more in the roundup that really does give RDP a run for its (included in OS fee) money.

 

Ummm...Windows XP has had this for a long time now....

 

:buzz:

Multi-monitor support is new in Win7.

RDP really is just a consumer solutions. But a good one at that. The biggest disadvantage is the (relatively)high expertise needed to setup a connection.

 

That's true, it does take a little bit of work to configure. I had high hopes for live mesh thinking it might be an easier to configure form of rdp, but performance so far has been horrendous, and it doesn't offer anywhere near the flexibility of remote desktop.

I'm interested to see your other product reviews. What would really be nice is powerful, low cost tool that could be used to provide remote desktop type support for customers.

 

Good review. Can remote desktop power on a computer fully off, or does the target desktop need to be in a special state? (sleep or fully on?)

 

For any remote desktop application to work, the computer has to be on to start with. There is a technology called "Wake On Lan" that you might be able to take advantage of, but that is not part of any remote access program.

 

The trick to RDP is mainly finding your IP address and getting the RDP packets forwarded to your computer. Forwarding the packets isn't so hard. Finding your IP address, if it is dynamic, is trickier. I find keeping a web browser on the host computer open to gmail (the computer you are trying to connect to) an ez solution. Gmail will report the IP address of the last computer to check your email account, which in this case will be the web browser on the host computer. type that IP address and voila. It's magic.

 

You don't "need" a third-party VPN solution. Remote desktop works just fine over the internet.

If you have a static IP address with your PC connected directly to the internet, it'll "just work".

If you have a static IP with your PC connected to the internet through NAT (eg. a router), you just need to forward the ports on your router.

If you have a dynamic IP with your PC connected through NAT, you need to use a dynamic DNS service (such as dyndns.com) and open up the ports on your router.

The steps are no different to setting up a third-party VPN solution. If you want to set up a VPN, you still need to forward the ports on your router and use a DDNS service if you don't have a static IP.

 

Odd thing to review so late in the game. Really should have just waited for Windows 7.

 

Given that IT admins have been using RDP for years, the alternative you mention had better be amazing.

PS; can you share this little secret?

 

Now this is funny. We have Windows XP RDP multi-monitor where I work. It is not 3rd party and its nothing new the only issue is you dont have the knowledge of it and I do....

 

Multi-monitor RDP via XP does seem to be possible according to this MS KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925876

 

As I said, You either have the knowledge of it or you dont...

1. It full supports XP end to end.
2. You telling me it is not possible when we run it on thousands of PCs XP to XP = LOLzzz!!!!!

 

Wow, had no idea. I've been in the dark about this one for years now. :'(