Remote desktop over a local network (and not over the internet)

Ricochet J · 22 May 2014 at 14:51

Hello

I want a powerful desktop machine for computational work. The only space for this is the spare bedroom. But I don't want to be stuck in the spare bedroom for hours working away.

I want to work in the living room, whilst watching TV, sitting on the sofa etc. Can I remotely connect to the computer in the spare bedroom, and control it from a laptop in the living room without using the internet (and only using the local area network)? I want full GUI access from the laptop. I want the laptop to be the monitor for the PC.

Can this happen using WiFi only?

Thank you

BattFink · 22 May 2014 at 14:52

Yeah.. I do it all the time (although that's just me being lazy)

Ricochet J · 22 May 2014 at 14:54

How do you do it? When I want to remote into a computer from the internet I need to create a VPN and then use remote desktop to access the computer remotely.

Do I still need a VPN if I'm remotely connecting to a computer on my LAN?

Rroff · 22 May 2014 at 14:57

If the OS is a version that has the RDP server built in (usually only the high end versions these days) then you just need to enable it then use a RDP client (windows has a viewer built in in most version mstsc.exe) and then either connect via the machine name on the LAN or its LAN IP.

Or otherwise you could look at using something like VNC, teamviewer, etc.

leigh_boy · 22 May 2014 at 15:06

Rroff said:
If the OS is a version that has the RDP server built in (usually only the high end versions these days) then you just need to enable it then use a RDP client (windows has a viewer built in in most version mstsc.exe) and then either connect via the machine name on the LAN or its LAN IP.

Or otherwise you could look at using something like VNC, teamviewer, etc.

spot on with what this guy says, if you doiung anythign graphical it can be a pitta!

BattFink · 22 May 2014 at 15:07

Good point about the licencing.. you need the professional version (or above) of Windows 7.

Just use MSTSC.exe /admin xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (the /admin switch gives you console level access. Replace xxx with the machines IP address)

To access it from the internet, you can either forward the port 3389 on your router to the ip address of the machine. A VPN would probably be the safer solution though

andy_mk3 · 22 May 2014 at 15:07

I use teamviewer for my HTPC, saves sitting at my TV addidn films and stuff to it.

Orcvader · 22 May 2014 at 15:11

I did use Splashtop before for this, but Teamviewer has improved a lot so I'm using that instead.

Ricochet J · 22 May 2014 at 15:15

Thanks guys. I was holding off buying the powerful PC which I'll remote into until I knew for certain that what I wanted was possible.

andy_mk3 · 22 May 2014 at 15:49

Teamviewer is great all round, I can go into it from my phone anywhere I am which is also handy.

Sparx · 22 May 2014 at 19:00

+1 for TeamViewer I use it daily, very well designed and intuitive to use.

joey1211 · 23 May 2014 at 07:57

But Teamviewer data goes out over the internet. The Remote Desktop built into Windows is surely the answer. Or VNC

Ricochet J · 23 May 2014 at 10:23

I need a way of doing this which doesn't use the internet. I.e. I don't want to traverse the length of the internet just to connect to my PC in the other room.

Is there a WiFi or LAN only option?

El_Watcher · 23 May 2014 at 10:33

From Teamviewers website:

Can TeamViewer be used within a local network (LAN) only?

You can establish Remote control sessions on your local network directly by using IP addresses or computer names. By default this feature is deactivated because software firewalls may open an acceptance dialog when configured this way.

To activate the LAN mode in TeamViewer full version and Host module:

In the menu click on Extras and then on Options
On the General tab activate Accept incoming LAN connections

When selecting accept exclusively it will display the IP-address of the computer in the ID-field.

A connection can now be established using the IP-address or alternatively using the host name.

This shouldn't require internet communication. This may require a paid version of TV though.

bledd · 23 May 2014 at 10:42

What version of Windows will it have?

If it's it's a Pro or above version, then it will have remote desktop built in.

Free and simple.

Once you enable Remote Desktop on the new machine (let's call it the host), on any other laptop/pc on the same network, you just open a run box (Winkey + R) type in mstsc hit enter.

Now type in the computername of the host, enter the Windows username/password for that machine and you'll be connected.

Nymins · 23 May 2014 at 10:47

Ricochet J said:
I need a way of doing this which doesn't use the internet. I.e. I don't want to traverse the length of the internet just to connect to my PC in the other room.

Is there a WiFi or LAN only option?

Remote Desktop Remote Desktop Remote Desktop

Sp00n · 23 May 2014 at 11:10

You currently vpn to remote desktop to machine? so just remote desktop without the vpn to the local ip address/host name.

Ricochet J · 23 May 2014 at 13:30

bledd. said:
What version of Windows will it have?

If it's it's a Pro or above version, then it will have remote desktop built in.

Free and simple.

Once you enable Remote Desktop on the new machine (let's call it the host), on any other laptop/pc on the same network, you just open a run box (Winkey + R) type in mstsc hit enter.

Now type in the computername of the host, enter the Windows username/password for that machine and you'll be connected.

I haven't yet built the computer. I can buy Windows 7 or 8 Professional and put that on if Remote Desktop will do what I want. I will remote into the machine from a Macbook Pro Mavericks OS. I can download the Windows Remote Desktop app on Mavericks (I've used it and it's very good).

Rroff · 23 May 2014 at 13:36

Aslong as they are both on the same LAN (plugged into the same switch/router) and can see each other on the LAN you can just enter either the machine name or the LAN IP (usually something like 192.168.1.45, etc.) in the viewer and it will connect to that machine without going via the internet at all.

BattFink · 23 May 2014 at 14:00

If you're using it from a Macbook, you may need to disable the requirement for Network Level Authentication, apart from that you're good to go.

To disable NLA, just go to your System Properties > Remote

Untick the box that says "Only allow connections from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication"