Remote Desktop XP Pro into Vista Business - can't get it to work

there are three places that controls remote desktop connection.

1) Control Panel > System > Remote Settings
2) Control Panel > Windows Firewall > Exceptions
3) Control Panel > Network Connections > right click your network card > Configure > Share > Settings

All you need to check is the second option (in 5536 that is) to allow any RD viewer and either make an exception in the firewall or disable it.

.Dave

Is the DNS on the XP machine same as the rest?

flush your dns and re-register it in a command promtp.

ipconfig /flushdns then registerdns

Have you tried to reset the Terminal Services Service.

In the "Start" menu search box, type in: "services.msc".

Double click the service "Terminal Services".

Click on the "General" tab and look to see if the Startup Type is set to Automatic or Manual. (Should be automatic.) Then click the "Stop" button under "Service Status" to stop the service.  Then click on "Start" to restart the service and give that a try.

-Tribus

Hi Dave

OK I went into Firewall > Exceptions...

There is a list of program, no numbers.  I am not sure what you mean by: "5536".  Is that a port?  

Remote Assistance  [checked]
Remote Desktop    [checked]

Remote "everything else" [not checked]

Hope this helps

Kind regards, Steve

The remote desktop port number for port forwarding in a router is by default 3389.

Maybe look at the DNS's/service also.  Seems maybe the name is not resolving but would by IP.

Hi Tribus & Santasi

How do I check DNS - I'm on a home network... all mentions of DNS are blank when I do 'ipconfig'

I did the "Terminal Services"  Stop  >  Start   -   same message appears


Message: Remote desktop can not find the computer "PC NAME".  This might mean the specified computer "PC NAME" does not belong to the specified network.   Verify the computer name and domain that you are trying to connect to.

Try "ipconfig /all"

also right click your network card and select properties and look at the DNS's in the IP protocol.

DNS servers are both 192.169.1.1

Same as DHCP server and Default Gateway

Thanks, Steve

Please remember that the XP machine can connect to the Win 7 machine without issue

It is only XP to Vista that is a problem

the Win7 Machine can connect to both the XP machine and the Vista machine  

(my head is spinning)

Hi Dave - I assume you mean on the vista machine?

Hi Dave - I assume you mean on the vista machine?

no you need to add this entry on your XP machine

.Dave

That's why I also suggested checking the DNS service in "services.msc" on the Vista machine.  It seems that the name is not resolving only on that machine.

Hi Tribus - fair enough, but why would it work from Win7?  I will check DNS service as well, thanks. Steve

I am thinking that the DNS service is working correctly on the 7 machine and that is why it works that way.

I found this interesting:

And article from Microsoft Technet: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/itprovistanetworking/thread/8b228f88-ca0a-4c7a-a4c6-d0f8b09603a4/

"Windows Networking – Vista and WinXP

Ok. First take a deep breath and gather your patience. I wrote-up the below thread after my recent experience in networking a new Vista laptop with two existing WinXP machines. It wasn't quick but it did work, eventually. Try some of these steps:

1) Firewall settings - one of the biggest hassles. To get started I suggest you FIRST disconnect your network from the internet (for your protection), then disable ALL firewalls (including Windows firewall) on ALL machines, and then work to get your home network operating internally. What I learned on my home network is below.

1.1)    My WinXP machines have ZoneAlarm and I needed to ensure that all machines on the network were in the trusted zone. Go to the Zone tab of Firewall settings in ZoneAlarm free version. Ensure all of your machines’ IP addresses are listed, as well as that of your router or wireless access point.

1.2)    My Vista laptop came loaded with Norton Internet Security. Go to Norton Internet Security tab, open settings, scroll to bottom, open internet security and firewall options, open advanced settings, open configure, change default inbound NetBIOS, inbound NetBIOS name, and Block Windows File Sharing to ALLOW. Configuring this beast of an app required a lot of trial, error and googling the Symantec site and others.

2) Ensure sharing is enabled on all machines. It is quite different for Vista vs WinXP. The procedure is fairly straightforward and is well documented on the MS site and elsewhere. In Network and Sharing Center it is critical on Vista machine that you have your network configured as Private and that the Sharing and Discovery Settings are set to ON except for Password Protected Sharing.

Link for Vista: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/evaluate/vista_fp.mspx

Link for WinXP: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FD7FD48D-6B4A-448E-A632-076F98A351A2&displaylang=en

3) Workgroup name. Ensure you are using the same workgroup name on all machines. WinXP and Vista machines have different default workgroup names.

WinXP:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/windows_network_changename.mspx?mfr=true

Vista: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/5723d061-b884-40da-b5e7-94a55f6fcead1033.mspx

and

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/baab4f1a-2461-482d-bb2e-c996a197e35f1033.mspx

4) Download and install Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) onto the WinXP machines. Just a nicety, this enables the network map in Vista to show all machines on the network.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4f01a31d-ee46-481e-ba11-37f485fa34ea&DisplayLang=en

5) And the final step: check the registry on your WinXP machine per MS article 913628 that I found by searching MS for "error message when you try to access a Windows XP-based network computer: "You might not have permission to use this network resource". See the article at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913628. This finally did the trick for my network."

Tribus - DNS services Stopped & Restarted... no apparent difference

Dave - ok I think I misinterpreted your instruction to edit the "hosts" file.  

How do I find the IP of the server?  Is this my router?

Is the DNS resolved name the computer name?  If not, how do I find it?


Finally, when I finish editing the "hosts" file... should it look like this:


(see last line)

Cheers, Steve

...
...

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost


192.168.1.1      PC-NAME

Hi Guys -  Thanks for your help, I'll be off line for awhile so might not reply till tomorrow.

Thanks for your help so far,

Kind regards, Steve

The same name you use when connecting to Vista machine from the Win7 machine is the name you will use in the hosts file on the windows XP machine.

Your entry should be right, i normally don't leave line spaces between the different entries. eg.
127.0.0.1       localhost
192.168.1.1      PC-NAME

I am also off-line I will try assist when I can.

Have you configured your vista machine for network.
Right click network then properties then choose set up a connection or network(on the left),then choose setup a wireless router or access point click next.
Post back.

Hi All, sorry for delay in replying.  I hurt my back and... well have not been able to sit at PC.  Catching up on stuff.

Hi Joinaunion - I have not specifically done those steps BUT I can connect to the Vista machine from a Win7 machine and XP using IP address (just not from my XP machine using the PC-Name for the machine).  

Hi David, I have reserved an IP address on the router for my Vista machine.  I will mod the "hosts" file as described and get back to you.  I wanted to avoid this approach so that I did not have to worry about mucking around with IP addresses in the router.  It seems that sometimes the reservation does not work.  Things seemed to get complicated when I installed a D-Link running DD-WRT as a wireless bridge to connect my TiVO etc...

Tribus - Thanks for digging up that info.  Yep, deep breath :-(  Why did they make it so difficult?

Cheers, Steve

Thanks everyone.  Davids solution enables me to do the task that I needed to do...  

Also found this:
http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8485/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkLzZZb0NVN3Vr

I also ended up having to do this to force Vista to play nicely with my router:

http://portforward.com/networking/static-vista.htm