Port Forwarding

[MichaelT]

OK, i'm a bit of a novice at all this networking malarky, so bear with me on this one.

I want to access my laptop via RDC, which is on the home network with a static IP. i have tried setting up port forwarding on the PC that connects to the outside world but the sodding thing just doesnt want to work, and i wonder if a) i am missing something plainly obvious or b) the modem isnt any good for that and i need to toss a router into the mix somewhere along the lines too.

any support peeps?

[Aragorn]

first thing to try would be connecting from home PC to laptop with remote desktop. Has the laptop been set to accept incoming RDP connections (port 3389) - by default it's not enabled.

I assume your 'network' is using ICS from a lan card in the PC to the Laptop. Yes a router would be better, but may not solve this problem.

Does either the PC or Laptop have a firewall blocking 3389?

[handyman]

hmm not too sure on port forwarding through internet connection sharing (ICS).

I use a router as it gives the firewall as well.

[Aragorn]

You might want to read these RDC FAQs. (note RDC is not available on XP home, hope the laptop is on XP Pro).

[MichaelT]

RDC is enabled on the laptop, as i can do it all internally .. ie dial 192.168.0.110 (laptop) from another pc in the house, but from , say the office , if i dial my home ip followed by :13389 it just times out. (i have set up in windows firewall exceptions a rule that sends any incoming request to port 13389 to 192.168.0.110) , but alas it doesnt like it.

the only firewall in use is the one inbuilt to windows.

[Aragorn]

Have you changed the listening port no? the default is 3389, not 13389.

[MichaelT]

yes, otherwise it connects to the main PC ( it listens on 3389 ) so by changing it to 13389 , it should skip the main pc then follow the path that i have set up

[Aragorn]

So, does RDP work to your main PC on 3389?

Your work may have blocked 13389 on the outbound firewall.

Have you tried RD to the main PC and RD from there to the Laptop?

[MichaelT]

tried it both ways on the internal network and works fine (because each one is listening on 3389 on its own ip) but externally , it works only to the one that is conneted to the internet (type the external ip - it connects , type the external ip suffixed with :3389 it still works - type the external with 13389 so that it forwards to the internal network, it goes :P:P:P to you ).

also have tried RDC to the main pc and then to the laptop, but the trouble is , i then tie up two machines.

[Aragorn]

Have you configured the ICS port mapping as per this document?

If so, the most likely explanation is something blocking 13389, such as a work firewall (if I was admin for a corp firewall, I wouldn't be allowing random ports out!). Any friends on NTL that you can test from - eg NTL home to NTL home cuts out any corp firewalls

[MichaelT]

Actually , Havent tried that. will give it a blast ... will advise if it works

[handyman]

This may be of use also

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...n/adminra.mspx