Table of contents:    1. Using Remote Desktop from the lab and from home    2. COBA at SSU    3. Desktop connection    4. Dialog box    5. Options    6. Display    7. Storage    8. Programs    9. Connect    10. Printing    11. Home use    12. Acronyms    13. Multiple choice questions

1.0 Using Remote Desktop from the lab and from home

Microsoft Windows provides remote access (and terminal emulation) through Windows Terminal Services.

The Terminal Services component of the Windows 2000 Server operating system delivers the Windows 2000 Professional desktop and the latest Windows-based applications to a wide variety of desktops, including those that normally would not be able to run Windows. Through terminal emulation, Terminal Services allows the same set of applications to run on diverse types of desktop hardware. For organizations wanting to more flexibly deploy applications and control desktop management costs, a Terminal Services architecture offers an important enhancement to the traditional two or three tier client-server architecture based on servers and full scale personal computers. http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/evaluation/features/terminal.asp [as of Tue, Oct 12, 2004]




A remote connection will allow you to "Connect to a computer's desktop from a remote location, and run applications as if you were sitting at its console."

2.0 COBA at SSU

Important note: When the SSU (Savannah State University) firewall goes down and you cannot access my web site at http://168.20.203.67 , you can often use a remote connection to http://168.20.203.25 to access the web site at http://168.20.203.67 .

3.0 Desktop connection

Here is one way to use Microsoft Terminal Services to create a "Remote Desktop" from a client computer running Windows XP.

Warning: When in the computer lab, some of these features may have been disabled by the system/network administrator.




Select "Start", "Programs", "Accessories", "Communications", "Remote Desktop".

For power users, the default command for this action is the following.


	%SystemRoot%\System32\mstsc.exe

4.0 Dialog box

The "Remote Desktop Connection" dialog box appears.

5.0 Options

Select the "Options»" button.




Select the "General" tab.

Provide the following.




The "Computer:" is the IP address of the computer you wish to access remotely. For COBA at SSU, this is 168.20.203.25.




The "User name:" is the login name. For COBA at SSU, this is provided by Chito Lapena after you fill out and submit the proper paperwork agreeing to the conditions of use.




The "Password:" is the password. On your first login, you will be required to change the initial password to a new password.

Warning: Do not check the option for "Save my password" unless you have physical ownership of the computer. Otherwise, anyone with access to the computer has access to your remote desktop account.

You will be required to provide a strong password that has at least 8 characters in it, at least 1 digit (i.e., 0 to 9), at least one punctuation character, and is a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters.




The "Domain:" is the domain of the server. For COBA at SSU, this is COBA_LAN2.

6.0 Display

If the size of the remote desktop is too large, select the "Display" tab and select a new size.

7.0 Storage

To connect automatically to local storage (i.e., disk drives, etc.), select the "Local Resources" tab and check the checkbox for "Disk drives".

8.0 Programs

To automatically start a program when you connect, select the "Programs" tab, check the box for "Start the following program on connection", and supply the desired "Program path and file name" and "Start in the following folder".

Note that you can usually right click on the desired program shortcut and select "Properties" to find the needed information an the program path, file name, and/or initial folder.

9.0 Connect

When the desired options have been set, you can select "Connect".

Provide the "User name:", "Password:", and select "OK".




If the connection works, you will be presented with a desktop that represents a Windows connection running on another computer.




If the connection does not work, you will usually get a dialog box that says that "The client could not connect to the remote computer.".

This usually means that some firewall between you (i.e., the client) and the remote computer (i.e., the server) is blocking port 3389.







Suggestion: When using "Remote Desktop", you might want to try Firefox as your browser rather than Microsoft Internet Explorer.

10.0 Printing

If you print to your local printer, the printing is not charged to your print account. Remember, though, that if you print to the lab printer from home, your printout will be printed at school (and your account would be charged).

But, you might have really intended your printout to be at school. For example, so that a classmate could pick up the printout and give it to a teacher (i.e., a teacher who does not take electronic submissions).

11.0 Home use

If you want to use "Remote Desktop" from home, and you have a router, and you enable local drives and/or printers, be aware that you may have to port-forward port 3389 to the computer from which you want to use "Remote Desktop". For more information, see the manual that came with your router.

12.0 Acronyms

(see how to study acronyms )

1. [ SSU = Savannah State University ]

13.0 Multiple choice questions

(see how to study multiple choice questions )

Specific multiple choice questions:

1A.  When you are connecting to another computer using Remote Desktop, your computer is the    a. client    b. database    c. Windows computer    d. server
1B.  When you are connecting to another computer using Remote Desktop, the other computer is the    a. database    b. Windows computer    c. client    d. server