Enable Remote Desktop in Windows Vista

This guide shows you how to allow computers to connect to a computer and use it remotely via Remote Desktop.

The only Windows Vista versions than can be connected to via Remote Desktop are Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. All versions of Windows Vista can use Remote Desktop to remote to another computer though.

Enable Remote Desktop

1. Right-click Computer in the Start menu and then select Properties.

2. Click Remote settings in the Tasks list on the left side of the System window.

3. Select Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop if computers connecting to it will only be from within a local network or are running versions of Windows other than Vista. Select Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication if computers connecting to it will connect from the internet or all computers connecting will be Windows Vista.

4. Click OK to save your changes.

Note: If you’re using the Windows Vista firewall, Remote Desktop will automatically be allowed through it. If you’re using another firewall, you’ll need to open port 3389 to allow Remote Desktop connections.

Select Remote Desktop Users

If you have a user account(s) that do not have administrative credentials and you want to use to log in when connecting with Remote Desktop, follow these instructions.

Note: All user accounts with administrative rights are automatically allowed to log in using Remote Desktop.

1. Open the Remote tab in the System Properties window (see instructions above).

2. Click the Select Users button in the Remote tab of the System Properties window.

3. Click Add in the Remote Desktop Users window.

4. Click the Advanced button in the Select Users window.

5. Click the Find Now button.

6. Select the user you want to add to the list of users able to log in with Remote Desktop and then click OK.

7. Click OK in the Select Users window.

Note: Make sure the user you’ve just added is in the object names box.

8. Click OK in the Remote Desktop Users window.

9. Click OK in the System Properties window.