Can't connect to XP Pro host

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JAshton - 28 Feb 2004 19:06 GMT

I can't connect to XP Pro host at all. Host is NATted behind wireless router. Have setup Virtual Server to port forward 3389. Setup wireless firewall to allow connection. I can't connect from work even though I'm "allowed" through work firewall. Tried from XP Home within wireless LAN. Still can't connect. Get error that Remote Desktop may not be setup or system too busy. Tried using Computer Name AND using host IP address. Still won't work. Same error message regardless. Tried reinstalling Remote Desktop Connection but it says its already installed. Any suggestions what I'm doing wrong? Doesn't seem like it should be this difficult.

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Sooner Al - 28 Feb 2004 21:49 GMT

Is Remote Desktop enabled on the PC your trying to connect to?

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/gomobile/remotedesktop/default.asp

Do you have any firewall software running on the PC your trying to connect to?

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Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

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> I can't connect to XP Pro host at all. Host is NATted behind wireless router. Have setup Virtual Server to port forward 3389. Setup wireless firewall to allow connection. I can't connect from

work even though I'm "allowed" through work firewall. Tried from XP Home within wireless LAN.
Still can't connect. Get error that Remote Desktop may not be setup or system too busy. Tried
using Computer Name AND using host IP address. Still won't work. Same error message regardless.
Tried reinstalling Remote Desktop Connection but it says its already installed. Any suggestions
what I'm doing wrong? Doesn't seem like it should be this difficult.

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Jashton - 28 Feb 2004 23:36 GMT

Sooner Al - Thank you for responding so quickly

Yes, I have the Remote Desktop Connection setup. It is using an Administrator level account, and no I don't have any software firewall running on my XP Pro Host computer. Using DLink DI-614+ Rev. A with no SSID broadcast and 256-bit encryption. However, I turned off the encryption temporarily and it made no difference. Hope this helps.

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JAshton - 28 Feb 2004 23:36 GMT

P.S. Ran netstat -a on the host and it showed "Listening" on port 3389.

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JAshton - 29 Feb 2004 04:26 GMT

Well, I figured it out - finally. It WAS a software firewall in the way. I had installed Black Ice Defender and, although I had exited the program, it was actually still running the services. I uninstalled Black Ice Defender, rebooted the host, and I was able to use the Remote Desktop Connection properly.

I know I could have setup a rule in Black Ice to allow port 3389 rather than uninstalling it, but the main point is that the firewall was causing the problem. Anyone not able to connect that's using a firewall (and maybe a router) may want to look at the firewall as a possible cause. Even if you think you have the firewall shutdown. Use the Task Manager, Processes to make sure there are still no firewall services running. This is what was happening to me

Thanks to those trying to help and good luck to those still having problems.

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