How do I use remote desktop over outside network?

Remote Desktop - Allow access to your PC from outside your PC's network

• Article
• 12/23/2021
• 2 minutes to read
• 6 contributors

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In this article

Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows 10, Windows Server 2016

When you connect to your PC by using a Remote Desktop client, you're creating a peer-to-peer connection. This means you need direct access to the PC [sometimes called "the host"]. If you need to connect to your PC from outside of the network your PC is running on, you need to enable that access. You have a couple of options: use port forwarding or set up a VPN.

How to Access Windows Remote Desktop Over the Internet

• Walter Glenn

  @wjglenn



• Updated

By default, Windows Remote Desktop will only work on your local network. To access Remote Desktop over the Internet, you’ll need to use a VPN or forward ports on your router.

We’ve covered several solutions for accessing your desktop remotely over the Internet. However, if you have a Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate edition of Windows, you already have the full Windows Remote Desktop installed. Home versions of Windows only have the remote desktop client for letting you connect to machines, but you need one of the pricier editions in order to connect to your PC. If you’re using Remote Desktop, getting it set up for access over the internet isn’t too difficult, but you will have to jump through a couple of hoops. Before you get started,enable Remote Desktop on the PC you want to access and make sure you can reach it from other computers on your local network.

RELATED: Remote Desktop Roundup: TeamViewer vs. Splashtop vs. Windows RDP

[VIDEO] How To Allow Remote Desktop Connections From Outside Your Home Or Office Network

Jerry Boutot

Source: Windows Central

Click the Remote tab.

Under the "Remote Desktop" section, check the Allow remote connections to this computer option.

Source: Windows Central

Check the Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication option.

Click the OK button.

Click the Apply button.

Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, remote desktop connections will be allowed on the device. Windows 10 will even add the necessary rules in the built-in Microsoft Defender Firewall, but you may need to configure the rules manually if you have a third-party firewall.

Settings app

You can also enable the Remote Desktop feature using the Settings app with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Remote Desktop.

4. Turn on the Enable Remote Desktop toggle switch.

   Source: Windows Central

5. Click the Confirm button.

If you're setting up a remote desktop using an internet connection, continue with the steps below. If you're trying to connect to another device within the local network, you can skip to the steps below, and continue with the start a remote desktop connection instructions.

Enable remote connections on router

If you have to access the computer over the internet, you will also have to configure the router [modem] to allow the remote connection. A process that also requires knowing the public address to contact the remote computer.

Configure static IP address on Windows 10

Computers usually get assigned dynamic IP addresses from the DHCP server [router], which means they can always change. If you plan to use remote desktop often, you may want to configure a static IP address to avoid reconfiguring port forwarding on the router when the computer gets a new address.

Control Panel

To set a permanent IP address configuration, use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Click on Network and Internet.

3. Click on Network and Sharing Center.

   Source: Windows Central

4. Click the Change adapter settings option from the left navigation pane.

   Source: Windows Central

5. Right-click the active adapter and select the Properties option.

   Source: Windows Central

6. Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 [TCP/IPv4] option.

7. Click the Properties button.

   Source: Windows Central

8. Click the General tab.
9. Select the Use the following IP address option.

10. Specify a valid local IP address outside the local DHCP scope to prevent address conflicts. For example, 10.1.4.201.

    Source: Windows Central

    Quick tip: Typically, you'll find this information on the router inside the DHCP settings section. The routers' interface is always different per manufacturer, which means that you may need to consult your manufacturer support website for more specific details. If you're unsure of the configuration you have to use, you can use your current TCP/IP configuration as a reference, which you can find running the ipconfig /all command in Command Prompt.

11. Specify a subnet mask for the network [for example, 255.255.255.0], but the system usually fills this infomration for you based on the "IP address" you entered earlier.
12. Specify the default gateway address, which is the router's address—for example, 10.1.4.1.

13. Under the "Use the following DNS server addresses" section, in the "Preferred DNS server" field, specify the IP address of your DNS server, which in most cases is also the address of the router —for example, 10.1.4.1.

    Quick tip: If you can't connect to the internet, you may also want to try using one of the Google Public DNS addresses [such as 8.8.8.8] for the "Alternate DNS server" option.

14. Click the OK button.
15. Click the Close button.

After you complete the steps, the new network configuration will apply, and the IP settings will never change.

Some routers include a feature to make the current TCP/IP configuration static. If you want to use this option instead, you can consult your manufacturer support website for specific steps on how to complete this task.

Determine network public IP address

You'll also need the remote network's public IP address to contact the device over the internet.

To find the IP address assigned by the Internet Service Provider [ISP], use these steps:

1. Open web browser.
2. Visit Bing.com or Google.com.
3. Search for "What's my IP."

4. Confirm your public IP address in the first result.

   Source: Windows Central

Usually, for residential customers, internet providers also offer dynamic public IP addresses, which means that your public IP address may change from time to time.

If you need a more reliable solution, there are "Dynamic Domain Name System" [DDNS] services [such as DynDNS, OpenDNS, No-IP, Asus.com [for Asus routers]], which can track the public IP changes. Alternatively, you can also contact your ISP to request a static IP address, but it might costs you additional since this is typically a feature reserved for business.

Forward port on router

You must also forward the TCP port 3389 on the router to allow a remote connection over the internet to the computer in the local network.

Quick note: The interface to change the router settings are different per manufacturer, and sometimes even per model. However, you can use the following instructions as a reference to configure your router. You can always check the manufacturer support website for more specific details.

To forward a port on your router, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt and click the top result to open the console.

3. Type the following command to view the current TCP/IP configuration and press Enter:

   ipconfig

4. Under the "IPv4 Address" field, confirm the device address. For example, 10.1.4.100.

5. Under the "Default Gateway" field, confirm the device gateway address [the router address]—for example, 10.1.4.1.

   Source: Windows Central

6. Open web browser.
7. Type the IP address of the router [Default Gateway] in the address bar and press Enter.

8. Sign in to the router using the correct username and password.

   Quick tip: If you have never done this, and you are using the router provided by the ISP, you can find the information on a sticker attached to the device.

9. Browse to the Port Forwarding settings page.
10. Confirm that the Port Forwarding service is enabled [if applicable].

11. Under the port forwarding list, click [in this case] the Add profile button.

    Source: Windows Central

12. Create a new port forward with the required information. For example:

    • Service name: Specify the reference name for the service. For instance, OfficePC Remote [optional].
    • Protocol: TCP.
    • External Port: 3389.
    • Internal Port: 3389.
    • Internal IP Address: Specify the IP address of the computer you're trying to connect. For instance, 10.1.4.100
    Source: Windows Central

13. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the port will open on the router, allowing remote desktop connections through the internet to that specific computer.

How Do I Use Remote Desktop Over the Internet?

Windows Remote Desktop Connection or RDC, in nature, can only be used on the same network. Though it’s one of the go-to remote access solutions, it may not be the simplest remote PC access program to use. However, you can still use Windows RDC on a different network. You just need to know how to use this free remote PC access program over the internet. In this guide, we’ll show you two ways on how you can use Windows Remote Desktop Connection or RDC over the internet.

Establish a Virtual Private Network or VPN - The first option you can take when using Windows Remote Desktop Connection over the internet is by establishing a Virtual Private Network or VPN. This step will allow you to connect to your local computer to a remote device as if they have the same network. This option is one of the safest remote PC access solutions, as you’re not exposing your device directly to the internet. With a VPN, you’ll be able to mitigate the risk of a potential security theft or breach for your business. This option, however, can be quite complicated to achieve. You may need some heavy IT expertise before you can establish a VPN.

Expose Windows Remote Desktop Connection to the Internet - The second option you can take is to expose Windows Remote Desktop Connection directly to the internet. This is step is a lot easier to achieve as you don’t necessarily need to establish a Virtual Private Network or a VPN. However, this step isn’t the safest as well. Since you’re exposing your device directly to the net, you are also inviting numerous malware, worms, and viruses to enter your own network and device. To make everything a lot more secure, try to generate a really strong password for your PC.

Read More..

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Category: Remote Access

• remote access

• Released: 03/21/2019
• Updated: 08/16/2021

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