Multi-user XP Remote Desktop setup

September 27, 2004 4:45 PM

I need help setting up Windows XP Pro Remote Desktop for multiple outside users. (MI)

Ok, here's the deal. I have Remote Desktop setup and working like a charm for my one connection from work. What I am trying to do, is get it setup so that my spouse and I can both use Remote Desktop at the same time.

What I'm running into is that when they tries to connect while I am already connected, it tells them that I'm already connected and if they connect, my connection will be closed. This makes perfect sense to me because we're both trying to use the same port. This is where my confusion sets in.

I found This Article which is supposed to tell me how to edit the registry to allow this, but the person who wrote it seems to have left out a few small, yet crucial details. Step 4 under the section "Multiple PC Remote Desktop" tells me what registry entry I can edit to change the port. This is all fine and dandy, but doesn't explain how to specify that I want a range of ports to be available to Remote Desktop. Any ideas on this? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

posted by lynda to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

I'm just speculating, but changing the port or allowing a range of ports probably wouldn't allow multiple users. They're different things. It's probably an MS licensing issue.
posted by holloway at 5:04 PM on September 27, 2004

Do you and your spouse each have your own machine that you're trying to connect to? Or are you trying to do multiple connections to the same machine at once? If it's the latter, I'm pretty sure that's not possible. (And if it is, that's not what the author of that article was describing. He's describing how you can assign each machine a different port number so that the firewall will allow multiple inbound connections at once.)
posted by llamateur at 5:10 PM on September 27, 2004

I'm fairly certain two people can't use the same windows xp box at the same time, even if one is at the keyboard and one is using it remotely. I use RD via PCs and Macs a lot and if Mrs. Taco is using the XP box at home, logging in will kick her off. Licensing or tech reason, pointing it to a different port will not matter, I'd imagine.
posted by Tacodog at 5:22 PM on September 27, 2004

If you're trying to have two people connect to one machine, you'll be removing XP from that machine and installing Microsoft Terminal Server. It costs a couple thousand dollars.
posted by majick at 5:37 PM on September 27, 2004

I found This Article which is supposed to tell me how to edit the registry to allow this

The info there just lets you change ports so that when using port forwarding on a router, you can connect to multiple computers running Remote Desktop.

majick and others are correct -- the ability to have multiple people logged in via remote desktop simultaneously is an expensive Server feature. I'm guessing you both want to work simultaneously, or I'd point you to a VNC solution.
posted by j.edwards at 5:49 PM on September 27, 2004

Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 will allow up to (I think) 5 terminal server users. Extra users cost about 100$ each. Theres no need to buy "Microsoft Terminal Server", and to be honest it no longer is sold as a separate product. Developers who write windows software, and who have at least one windows program on the market can purchase a "microsoft action pack" which contains all the software you need (including office and outlook) for the bargain price of $399.00
posted by seanyboy at 12:21 AM on September 28, 2004

Also, Small business server is about $600.00 and this should allow at least two users to log in using terminal services.
posted by seanyboy at 12:26 AM on September 28, 2004

Response by poster: Thanks for the info all. I can't believe I was reading that article wrong. ::slaps forehead::
posted by lynda at 7:01 AM on September 28, 2004