Connect to server without remote Desktop

Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection allows you to access a Windows computer from a different location as if you were sitting in front of it. Remote Desktop Connection comes pre-installed on Windows 10 and Windows 11, and is available for free through the iOS and Mac App Store.

You can also use this method to connect to a remote computer through the EWA Remote Desktop Gateway.

Enable Remote Desktop

To set up the computer to which you would like to connect:

1. Enable the Remote Desktop feature on the computer you wish to access [the host]:
   1. Select your options for allowing connections from other computers.
   2. To choose which users will have remote access, click Select Users.... Typically, all administrators of the computer will have access by default. Each user must have a password before you can allow remote access.
   3. Click OK.
2. Find your host computer's machine name. To do so, on the machine to which you are connecting, click the Windows search icon [the magnifying glass next to the Windows icon]. Enter PC name, and then click View your PC name. The name will be listed next to "Device name."
3. Enable Remote Desktop inbound rules in Windows Firewall:
   1. Search for Windows Firewall, and click to open it.
   2. On the left, click Advanced Settings.
   3. From the left pane of the resulting window, click Inbound Rules.
   4. In the right pane, locate the following rules:
      • Remote Desktop - Shadow [TCP-In]
      • Remote Desktop - User Mode [TCP-In]
      • Remote Desktop - User Mode [UDP-In]
   5. Right-click each rule and choose Enable Rule.

Connect to your machine

On Windows

1. Click the Windows search icon [the magnifying glass next to the Windows icon]. Enter mstsc or Remote Desktop Connection, and then select Remote Desktop Connection in the search results.
2. To adjust connection settings such as screen size, login information, availability of local hard drives and printers, or keyboard and sound behavior, click Show Options. If you need to use audio, be sure to go to Show Options > Local Resources > Remote Audio > Settings and select Play on remote computer and Record from this computer.
3. In the "Computer:" field, type the entire name or IP address of your host computer [you can find it in your computer or system properties].
4. Click Connect.
5. Log into the host computer if needed. The credentials for an IU machine will be ads\username [where username is your IU username] and your IU passphrase.
6. When you are finished, in the "Remote Desktop Connection" window, select Start, click the person icon on the left, and then click Sign out.

On Mac

1. On your Mac, go to the App Store and install Microsoft Remote Desktop 10. On an IU-managed machine, you may also be able to open Self Service [click the magnifying glass at the top right of your screen, then type self service] and install Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 from there.
2. Click the + [plus sign] at the top of the window and select Desktop. [Alternatively, click Add Desktop.]
3. In the "PC Name" field, enter your computer name. At the end of the computer name, add .ads.iu.edu.
4. Click Add.
5. Click Devices & Audio, and then check the local devices to which you will need access when using your remote computer. You can also click display and customize display settings as desired.
6. Double-click the newly saved desktop.
7. When prompted for your credentials, enter ads\username [using your IU username] and your IU passphrase.
8. If you see a warning about connecting to the RDP host, click Continue.

Connect via EWA Remote Desktop Gateway

Follow the appropriate steps below to connect to a computer using the EWA Remote Desktop Gateway. You do not need a VPN connection for these steps.

All RDP connections made through the EWA RDP Gateway require Two-Step-Login [Duo]. If you haven't configured your account for use with Duo, the connection will silently fail. You can manage Duo settings in the IU Security Center.

On Windows

1. Follow the steps above to open a Remote Desktop Connection and configure the workstation connection and other settings, but do not connect.
2. Select Show Options. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Settings....
3. Select Use these RD Gateway server settings:.
4. By "Server name:", enter admin-rdgw.eas.iu.edu. You can also check Use my RD Gateway credentials for the remote computer.
5. Click OK, and then Connect. If you are prompted with a security warning about the gateway, click Connect.
6. Authenticate to the gateway using your IU credentials [enter ads.iu.edu\username and your passphrase]; a Duo push will also be sent to your phone [unless you do not have a smartphone enrolled, in which case you will receive a phone call]. Note that the interface will not indicate that a Duo notification was sent; the connection will simply hang until you approve it.

On Mac

1. Follow the steps above to configure the workstation connection and other settings.
2. Open Microsoft Remote Desktop. Click the gear at the top, and then click Preferences.
3. Click Gateways, and then click the + [plus sign].
4. Beside "Gateway name:", enter admin-rdgw.eas.iu.edu, and then click Add.
5. Create an RDP connection for your workstation [or edit an existing one], select the gateway connection that you created beside "Gateway:", and then click Save. For details on creating a connection, see the instructions above.
6. Double-click the connection to connect to it.
7. Authenticate using ads.iu.edu\username and your IU passphrase. A Duo push will also be sent to your phone [unless you do not have a smartphone enrolled, in which case you will receive a phone call]. Note that the interface will not indicate that a Duo notification was sent; the connection will simply hang until you approve it. If you are then prompted with a security warning about the gateway, click Continue.

How to make off-campus remote desktop connections at IU