Home LAN questions

N2IT

• Easiest way to set up all your home machines so you can RDP into them?
• Does Apple devices pose a problem like IPADS and Smart phones.
• Is there software out there so you can remote into them.
• Is MS Home server a nice option to connect all your devices together? My friend says he loves it and I was thinking about adding additional ram to my desktop and buying a license of home server. Thanks for offering any advice.

Tackle

For External RDP, the easiest is to setup a DYNDNS or No-IP account, unless the ISP gives you a static IP. Then all you need to do is configure port forwarding on your router and enable remote desktop on your computers.

For Internal I just enable remote desktop and have each PC set with a static IP and just remember which one is which, then RDP to it.

No idea about IOS, Google would probably have some ideas.

Home Server is fine. You could also look at Hyper-V or ESXi if your hardware supports it and have access to Microsoft Server licenses.

Everyone

RDP into them from outside your home network? Or RDP into another machine on your home network from a machine that is also on your home network?

I have experienced issues with mobile devices and wireless routers. My Linksys 330N used to crap out on me after a few minutes if I turned Wi-Fi on my Droid X and used it. Haven't used it in a while though.

Software to remote into what, iOS devices? You would want to do this because?

MS Home Server is nice if you're most comfortable with Windows. Otherwise there's a dozen or more ways to skin that cat.

thall860

I use home server at home and I love it. It supports all of my media streaming to 3 HTPC's, but also gives easy remote access to your PC's and files.

Sure there is other ways and we are all tech people here, but it was really easy to set up and forget about.

cyberguypr

On the iPad i use PocketCloud for RDP. Works smooth.

tr1x

Here's an article I wrote about setting up RDP, it addresses all security issues too: How to set up and SECURE Remote Desktop

I don't know if you can remote into iOS devices, but you can download an app called "iTap RDP" to remote into your Windows systems from iOS.. it's pretty awesome, it costs like 12 bucks but I use it daily.

N2IT

Great information as usual. Thanks a lot.

rsutton

I would recommend setting up a PPTP VPN on your Windows server. You can VPN in and then RDP to any machines. Better than having RDP wide open on the firewall.

demonfurbie

i use a server on a nettop (one of those little atom based pcs) with clearos on it, setup as a vpn/file server also setup a shell script to email me daily the external ip addy, then i use vnc/ssh on each system depending on the os

and ofc setup the router for port fwds

PC509

This is exactly what I do. I can VPN to my home server (Running SBS 2011: Standard) and the connect to any one of my home machines. It's more secure, IMO, and works just as good.

Also, I like using TeamViewer. It freaks the hell out of my wife and kids. But, at least they get to see me via video and I can spy on them. They see the popup that I'm connected and they get happy and start chatting away.

But, for business (and not for chatting), the VPN to server is the best option that ninja man rsutton suggested.

rsutton wrote: »

I would recommend setting up a PPTP VPN on your Windows server. You can VPN in and then RDP to any machines. Better than having RDP wide open on the firewall.

tr1x

What software (client and server) are you guys using for setting up your VPNs?

demonfurbie

tr1x wrote: »

What software (client and server) are you guys using for setting up your VPNs?

openvpn in clearos

http://www.clearfoundation.com/Software/overview.html

N2IT

rsutton wrote: »

I would recommend setting up a PPTP VPN on your Windows server. You can VPN in and then RDP to any machines. Better than having RDP wide open on the firewall.

How challenging is this to set up?

rsutton

N2IT wrote: »

How challenging is this to set up?

Not challenging at all. Can be done in a few minutes. Hardest part will be configuring the NAT rules on your firewall.

ptilsen

PPTP is extremely insecure -- RDP encryption is stronger. The only advantage is that RDP is more accessible way to DoS or brute force a system. But given that PPTP provides almost no security and adds overhead, I can't see recommending it. At least use L2TP, SSTP, or another modern protocol.

That said, are you really looking to use RDP, specifically? Because a LogMeIn Free account is a better, easier option in my opinion. You setup an account, install it on your systems, and you're done. You can access them from pretty much any web browser or modern smartphone/tablet. It's secure, fast, and very usable. Keep in mind, RDP has a few features the free LogMeIn doesn't have. Pocket Cloud is a great free RDP app, but LogMeIn Ignition is not free, which is a minus.

If you're really ambitious, you could setup an RD Gateway server, but that's really not intended for a home network. You can also setup RDP to one system, then bounce from that to the others, but setting up specific NAT rules or a VPN is probably preferable to that. Setting up a VPN wouldn't be too difficult, but I really have to stress that PPTP is not a good choice.

I have a co-worker who uses and loves HomeServer. It's not for me, but I won't knock it.

exampasser

A quick and easy solution is to simply setup an ssh server on a host on the LAN and then setup port forwarding to access each host.