Use Remote Desktop to Work on Your Office Computer Remotely (Windows Vista)

Introduction

With Remote Desktop, you can connect to your work computer from home and access all of your programs, files, and network resources as though you were actually sitting in front of your computer at work.

This document is intended to assist you in using Remote Desktop within the UW network environment and is specific to the Windows Vista operating system on both your office and remote computers.

Procedure

1. Preparing Your Office Computer for a Remote Desktop Connection
   
   
   1. Click the Start menu button, right-click Computer, and click Properties.
       
   2. Click the Advanced System Settings link.
       
   3. Select the Remote tab, and in the Remote Desktop section, select the Allow connections from computers running any version of remote desktop (less secure) bubble.
       
   4. Select the Computer Name tab, and make a note of the full computer name, including the .uwyo.edu, as you will need it in order to connect to your computer remotely.
       
   5. Click OK.
       
2. Establishing a Remote Desktop Session With Your Office Computer
   
   NOTE: Your office computer must be turned on in order to connect to it remotely.
   
   
   1. On the remote computer, establish an Internet connection. Instructions will be specific to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
       
   2. Establish a UW VPN connection. See WyoSecure Virtual Private Networks (VPN) at UW (www.uwyo.edu/vpn) for information using the UW VPN.
      
      NOTE: A VPN connection is not necessary if UW is your ISP (i.e. UW DSL or a UW Ethernet connection).
       
   3. On the remote computer, click the Start menu button, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and click Remote Desktop Connection.
       
   4. In the Remote Desktop Connection window, in the Computer box, enter the full name of your office computer, including the .uwyo.edu, and click Connect.
       
   5. In the Logon to Windows window, enter your UWYO domain username and password, verify that UWYO is listed in the Log on to box, and click OK.
      
      NOTE: If you use an account other than your UWYO domain username and password to log on to your computer when at work, log in with that information here as well.
       
   6. Once logged in, you can begin using your work computer just as if you were in front of it in your office.
      
      NOTE: To return to your remote computer at any time while still maintaining the connection to your office computer, click the Minimize icon at the top of the screen. To return to your work computer, click Computer Name - Remote Desktop in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
       
3. Disconnecting a Remote Desktop Session With Your Office Computer
   
   
   1. To disconnect from your office computer, leaving it logged off, click the Start menu, click Log Off, and click Log Off again in the Log Off Windows window.
       
   2. To disconnect from your office computer, leaving it locked (i.e. leaving all open applications and files as they are), click the Close icon at the top of the screen, and click OK in the Disconnect Windows session window.

Reviewed: 1009 By: BW, GG