Remote Desktop can t find the computer VPN
Remote Desktop is a powerful and handy feature that allows you to connect to another computer on the same network or the one available over a dedicated network available for access. When trying to connect to a remote computer, if it cannot find the PC, this post will resolve the problem related to Remote Desktop Can’t Find the Computer. Show
Remote Desktop can’t find the computerFollow these methods to resolve the issue if you cannot find the computer on the network.
You will need to use an administrator account for some of the steps. 1] Check Windows VersionIf you are using Windows Home, Remote Desktop is not available. If you are trying to connect to that computer from your PC, then it won’t work. While it is officially not supported, you can use the RDP Wrapper library from Github and use Remote Desktop in the home version. Related: Remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer. 2] Enable Remote Desktop ConnectionThe default option to connect to a computer using Remote Desktop is turned off. Make sure the option is enabled on both computers. Go to Settings > System > Remote Desktop. Turn this on. Now, if you type the exact name of the computer, you should be able to connect. Related: Remote Desktop Connection not working. 3] Check If You Are on the Same Network or Correct Address or NameWhen connecting to a remote computer close to you, make sure you are connected to the same wifi network. If you are on the same network, then make sure you are using the right Name. If you are trying to connect to a computer that is available over the internet, make sure you use the right address. Troubleshoot: Remote Desktop connection issues on Windows. 4] Verify the Status of RDP ServicesRemote Desktop connection is made through Windows Services, and you need to make sure they are running when you are trying to connect.
Usually, this service should start as soon as you try to connect, but if you can’t, you can manually start it. 5] Network Profile Is PublicMake sure both the computers are available or discoverable in the network. Follow the steps to enable it:
6] Check Restrictions on Security SettingsIt’s for advanced users, or you can connect with the support. It will vary from software to software. Some of the advanced security software can restrict incoming-outgoing connections so that Remote Desktop doesn’t work. You will need to relax the security settings or look for an option that can directly conflict with them. Can You Remote Desktop to a Computer That Is Turned Off?If the Remote computer has Wake-on-Lan enabled, then Remote Access Software can wake it up. You should be able to connect to the remote desktop if it is turned off. This works even if the computer is in hibernation or sleep mode. How Can I Access My Office PC from Home?You can ask your IT Admin to make it available through the computer network to be accessed over an IP address. If this doesn’t work, you can use desktop software such as TeamViewer to pre-configure the setup and access it from anywhere. Some VPNs also allow you to connect to your computer from anywhere in the world, but that would need to set up a lot of configuration. Which Is the Best Remote Desktop Software?There is nothing the best desktop software, but there are many that are useful. The list includes TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Splashtop Business Access, ConnectWise Control, Zoho Assist, VNC Connect, and more.
In today’s world, connecting to a remote computer has become commonplace, given that many companies have adopted a work-from-home culture. However, this can bring up many technical issues, including common errors such as “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer.” So, how to fix this error? Well, let’s get a bit into the basics first. Remote desktop is a convenient feature that allows you to virtually connect to other computers running the Windows operating system. With this feature, you can connect to computers located in any part of the world, provided you have the right credentials (username and password) to connect. Also, a good Internet connection is absolutely essential! If you have the right credentials and the Internet connection and still face this issue, let’s address them. Top reasons for ‘remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer’ errorBefore you read this section, check if your Internet connection is working fine and if you’re using the right credentials to log in because these are two of the most common causes of this error. Besides these two causes, there are also other reasons for this error. Windows updateMany times, the Remote Desktop (RDP) functionality may get corrupted after a Windows update or upgrade as one of the newly installed files can interfere with the working of the RDP. You’ll have to manually identify the exact cause and fix it. AntivirusSometimes, antivirus software can block RDP completely or partially, and this leads to the “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” error. The good news about this error is it is easy to identify. Disable your antivirus and see if you can connect now. If you can, you’ve found the root cause of the problem! If you have a public network profile or a network group, your computer can block the remote desktop functionality as a protective measure. While this is not an exhaustive list of reasons, these are the most common ones. Now comes the big question — how to fix the “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” error. Fixing the ‘remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer’ errorThere are many ways to fix this error, so you’ll have to try them one after the other until the problem is fixed. This is true, especially when you don’t know the root cause of the error. Change your firewall settingsThis is one of the easiest solutions to the “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” error. Turn off your firewall and see if you can connect to the remote computer, and if you can, you’ve identified the cause. Here are the steps to fix this problem.
Check your permissionsYou have to be a member of the local Remote Desktop Users group to access a remote machine through RDP. By default, this group is empty and only administrators have the option to add users. So, check with your admin and see if you have the permission to connect via RDP. Allow remote desktop connectionsRemote Desktop Connection (RDC) is the technology that allows your computer to connect to a remote computer over the Internet. You won’t be able to connect if this functionality is blocked. To check if this is blocked, and to allow in case of blocked connections,
These steps will enable the RDC on your computer. Reset your credentialsWhen you connect to a computer frequently, you’ll save the credentials. However, the same credentials may be used when you connect to a new computer too, and this could cause problems. So, check if you’re using the right credentials for the right computer. To reset the credentials,
This will reset or change your credentials. Verify the status of RDP servicesThe “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” error can be because RDP services are not enabled either on the local or on the remote computer. Check if the following services are running on both computers.
You can’t connect to a remote computer if the UmRdpService was disabled through a central Group Policy. Start these services if you have admin privileges or request the admin to start them for you. Also, you may have to reboot the machine after this service starts. Sometimes, Windows won’t allow you to connect to those hosts whose IP address is not saved in your hosts file. So, if you’re connecting to a computer for the first time:
Now if you check, you should see the IP hostname in your hosts file. Check the Group PolicyA possible cause of the “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” error can be incorrect Group Policy settings. To verify and change (if needed):
Add the RDGClientTransport KeyThis is a technical fix, so watch out while doing it. In this option, you’ll be tweaking the registry key to force the RDP to use RPC/HTTP connections instead of HTTP/UDP connection. To do this,
Check the RDP listener portNext, check the RDP listener port. By default, Remote Desktop service will use port 3389 unless you change it. If some other application is using the same port, you won’t be able to connect. To check the remote desktop port that’s being used:
Change the network propertiesThe cause of the connectivity problem could be the network settings as sometimes, Windows may block public networks as a security measure. So, change the settings to private and see if it works. To do that:
Try connecting now to see if it works. Overall, the “remote desktop can’t connect to the remote computer” is a common error, but it can have many fixes as the cause may vary greatly. Though it can be a little arduous, your best bet is to run through each solution until you find the one that fixes your problem. Thanks for reading and share with us the fix that worked for you. If you know any other solutions, please share that too with our readers. Featured image: Shutterstock |