Remote Desktop Advanced Options
Remote Desktop is capable sharing printers, disk drives, and serial ports with the remote computer.
It generally works like this: If disk drives are shared then a user can put a cd-rom in the client computer (the computer you are working on remotely), and access it through the desktop of the host computer via Remote Desktop Connection. This type sharing only works using the Remote Desktop Client, this will not work using Remote Web Connection.
Enabling Shared Resources
To enable sharing, before connecting, click the Options button, and click the Local Resources tab. Under Local devices check all that apply.
- Your disk drives on the client computer will appear in "My Computer" of the host computer.
- Your printers attached to the client computer will appear in the printer lists in Applications on the host computer (no configuration is necessary).
- Serial ports will appear for use on the host computer for devices that are attached to the client computer.
Problems with Network Drives and Printers
At this time network printers will not work over RDC. If your printer is directly attached (USB, parallel, serial, etc.) to the computer, then you can share it using Remote Desktop Connection. However, network printers will not appear through the host desktop being accessed.
Some users may not be able to find their Novell network drives when they log into RDC on a computer with Novell. The Help Desk is currently testing to see when this occurs and to try to determine a fix for the problem. One tip to try is to leave your computer logged in when you leave. In many cases when you connect to your logged in computer, the Novell drives will appear.
Getting Help
If you have any problems configuring Remote Desktop or Remote Desktop Web Connection, call the ITS Help Desk at 384-HELP or email us a its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu.
Please note that we do not support firewall software, except for that which is built into Windows XP or Vista, at this time and will be unable to help you enable the proper ports. Information about how to open ports in your firewall is available from your software vendor or in your firewall's documentation.
Return to Remote Desktop Support Center
Last Updated: 04/24/2008