Hi, all. I'm having an issue, and I'm sure it's operator error. I hope this group can help out.

I am trying to remotely access a Windows 10 machine on my home network from my Linux Mint 18.3 desktop in my office. I installed Remmina and its RDP plug-in from Software Center on my system, and configured a connection to the Win10 desktop. Whenever I try to connect from Remmina, I get an error, "Unable to connect to RDP server <IP_Address>".

My target system is set up correctly. I can get to it via RDP from another Windows 10 system on my network. I have the connection in Remmina set up with the correct IP, correct user name/password, and using RDP as the protocol. I can ping the remote system in question from the Linux system, so I know it can be seen over the network.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Ian Kahn
Linux Nube
Roswell, GA

I don't use Remmina but do use KRDC to access Windows systems...from what I remember, it has to do with the 'security' in Windows remote connections, and there is a flag somewhere on the W10 box you have to tick to allow different security levels to connect. I don't remember what/where it is, though...but I am fairly confident that this doesn't have anything to do with Linux or the software, but with the W10 remote desktop settings on the Windows side. Sorry I can't be more exacting, but hopefully it'll give you a hint.

::EDIT:: You may also want to check your firewall/iptables/selinux. Those things could be blocking the RDP connection.

1 members found this post helpful.

When you write "on your network". Does that mean another Windows 10 computer on your office or home network?

I regularly use remmina to connect to a Windows 10 system on my home network and via a VPN as well as Windows remote desktop client.

Not enough information provided. Are you forwarding RDP traffic directly through your home router to your home Windows computer?

Trying to access the office computer from home won't work this way... unless you can establish a VPN tunnel between the two sites. Not an easy task, and requires a router which has the feature enabled, preferably at the office end.

Try using something like Chrome Remote Desktop or TeamViewer. They're both cross-platform and will allow you to connect over the internet.

Sorry. Apparently I wasn't clear. The Linux machine is in my home office, upstairs. The Windows 10 computer I'm trying to remote into is in my home radio shack, in the basement of my home. Both computers are on the same network, in my home. Please see my note above, that I can ping the Windows system from the Linux system.

Thanks for all the help.

Ian Kahn
Linux Nube
Roswell, GA

A vpn is not strictly required but for security reasons it's highly recommended and and I'm sure the default port is a sure target. Nevermind same network.

You should be able to scan 3389 via nmap and see the open port.

You might have to play with security, it may not be negotiating and try manually selecting tls and RDP.

Well then it should 'just work'.

Are you running a firewall on Mint?

Did you read my first reply??? There are settings on the Windows box to allow different clients/security settings to connect. Unless they're set, you won't be able to connect with anything but a Windows RDP client.

I also asked you about the firewall/iptables/selinux on your Linux system; have you checked those?

I thought there were two ports that needed to be open for RDP??

OK. Latest go-around:

1. The only additional security setting I could find on the Win10 system is network level authentication. I enabled it, but it made no difference. Since there is no "network" to authenticate to, to speak of (no domain), I don't know how/why enabling this would help.
2. The firewall on the Linux Mint system is, by default, disabled. I did not enable it.
3. Firewall/UFW/iptables disabled.

Still no love. Still can connect from another Win10 system. Still would appreciate any help.

Thanks, all.

Ian Kahn
Linux Nube
Roswell, GA

It won't in your case.
As long as the Windows firewall is set to allow traffic on port 3389 and you've also set it to allow remote connections then it should work. There's no magic to this. I do it every day, albeit with KRDC instead of Remmina.

Instead of just entering an IP address to log on, perhaps you could try something like this:

rdp://username@192.168.x.x

I would use VNC software for this. On your Windows PC, install this https://www.tightvnc.com/download.php software. Run it as a service and it will always be available on your local network (not from internet).

From your Linux machine install a VNC viewer program to remote into the windows box. Some are krdc, xtightvncviewer, tigervnc-viewer, realvnc-vnc-viewer and many others. Also if you have Google Chrome on your Linux machine, there is a Chrome extension for VNC viewer. After installing the chrome extension, the app will be available in your desktop's menu. when it opens, use either the ip address of your windows box to vnc into it, or you can use the windows hostname provided they share the same dns server.

Good luck.

The network level authentication should be un-checked...that was the setting I was thinking of initially. And out of curiosity, you ARE selecting the RDP protocol in Remmina, right? By default it comes up with VNC. And you can try to remove the .freerdp directory from your users home directory ("rm -fR $HOME/.freerdp"), and see if that helps.

Also, how many network interfaces do you have enabled, and are they both active?

cyperflix, both computers are on the same local network. No AWS, cloud or any remote resources necessary.

I might try vinagre which is another remote desktop client.