Remote Desktop Connection (RDP) on Windows 7 or Vista

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Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol (communication protocol) developed by Microsoft, which allows users to be at a computer (client computer) and connect to a remote computer (host computer).

Microsoft Windows Vista RDP is only available on Business or Ultimate editions excluding Home. 

Windows 7 all editions includes Remote Desktop Connection. 

However, you can only connect to computers running Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, or Windows 7 Enterprise.

You can't use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to computers running Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, or Windows 7 Home Premium.

By default RDP is disable in Windows Vista and Windows 7.

1. Click Windows Start Button, right Click Computer and Click Properties.    

  

  2.  Click Remote Settings

  

3.  Click the check box to enable remote assistance to this computer.

Under Remote Desktop heading, Click the Middle bullet.  This will allow both old versions of RDP to connect to your Windows 7 machine including Windows XP etc… 

 

By Default, only users with Administrator access on the Windows 7 computer can Remote Desktop / RDP into the Windows 7 machine.  To add non-administrators, you need to Click the Select Users button on the screen above and Add the user.

Don’t worry about setting up firewall rules, Vista or Windows 7 does that for you automatically.