Remote desktop access

Remote desktop access allows you to access your computer from a remote location.  Windows XP allows easy access to your files when you are away from your computer and it provides two ways to do it. 

You can connect remotely to your computer via a dial up connection or an internet/broadband connection.

Internet remote desktop access

Windows xp gives you two ways to connect to your home network.  You can use a dial up connection or a virtual private network or VPN.

If you are now using broadband and still have a modem in your computer.  You can use the modem in your computer if you need to use a dial up connection to connect with your computer. 

A VPN connection is a different type of connection.  This works with two computers over the internet and not over phone lines. 

However you may use a dial up or broadband connection to set it up.  A vpn server needs its own connection to the internet.  It cannot be located behind a gateway.

Vpn connections are very secure because the data is encrypted.  If you have Windows XP home you can only use one VPN connection at a time. 

You can set up this connection by using the new connection wizard in Windows.

How to setup a VPN server.

First you must establish the VPN server connection in Windows.

1. Go to my network places and select properties from the menu on the left.
2. Network connections opens.
3. Right click the incoming connections and select properties.
4. In the incoming properties box, select allow others to make private connection to my computer by tunneling through the internet or other network options.
5. Click ok.

Setting up a remote destop access server in windows on the fly when you have no connection setup.

1. Go to the accessories folder and select communications.
2. Select the new connection wizard.
3. Select set up advanced connection and then next.
4. Select accept incoming connections.
5. The next box that appears has a list of connections, go ahead and uncheck these as they do not apply.
6. Click next.
7. Now select allow virtual private network.
8. Now select the users you want to allow access to the VPN.
9. Next select the network software components that you need to use.
10. Click finish you are done and your connection is set up.

Once you have set up your server then you will need to set up any client computers.  With a this you can connect to your home computer from any other computer in the world.

Setting up the client computer to use your VPN.

1. Go to the communications folder from the accessories folder on the start menu.
2. Click next when the box opens.
3. Now check connect to the network at my workplace then click next.
4. Now select virtual private network and next.
5. Now name your connection.
6. Now it will ask you about how you want to connect.  If you are using broadband then select do not dial the initial connection.  If you want to use dial up then select auto dial this initial connection.
7. Select the dial up connection from the drop down box.
8. Now you must type the name for the connection or its ip address.  If this is to your home connection then you will have an ip address from you ISP.  If you do not know what the computers ip address is then use the IPCONFIG / All command from the dos prompt, which you can find on the start menu.
9. Now you are done and ready to connect your client computer to your VPN server.

Now, to connect all you have to do is go to my network places and select your vpn connection and the connection box will open. 

All you will need is your username and password.

As you can see this type of connection can be a beautiful thing if you need access to your home computer when you are half way across the world or even next door.  Remote desktop access is a very secure way to get your data.