Accessing the Windows Desktop Remotely From Nokia N800 Using rDesktop
There are different ways in which your computer can be accessed from Nokia N800 tablet, such as ssh, VNC, Remote Desktop Protocol(RDP). If you want to access the desktop of your Windows machine(XP or Vista) from N800, the best option would be to use RDP and rDesktop for N800 is an application that lets you do exactly that.
We need to do some preparation first. You need to have a user account in Windows operating system that uses a non-blank password. If your user account doesn’t use a password or if you want to create a separate user account for remote access anyhow, follow the steps below. If you do have a password-enabled user account that you want to use for remote access, jump directly to the next section.
The screenshots shown in this post were taken on Windows Vista but the procedure is described for both Windows Vista and Windows XP.
Creating a New User Account in Windows XP/Vista
- Create a new user account in Windows Vista by going to:
Vista: Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Manage other accounts -> Create a new account
XP: Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Create a new account
- Now create a password for this account by clicking the “Create a password” link on the user’s account page.
Enabling Remote Desktop Access in Windows XP/Vista
Before we can connect to the Windows desktop remotely from N800, we need to first enable remote access in Windows. To do so, go to Control Panel -> System -> Remote Settings and select the second or the third radio button in the “Remote Desktop” section according to your security requirements. In XP, select the “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer” checkbox and add the user account created above by clicking the “Select Remote Users…” button.
NOTE: Going to Control Panel -> Control Panel Home and entering “Remote” in the search box(top-right corner) will also take you to the same properties dialog page when you click the link “Allow remote access to your computer.”
You can access most of the features in Vista this way.
Note Domain/Workgroup name and IP address of Windows Machine
Now we need to collect some information about our Windows system - the Domain/Workgroup name and the IP address of the computer.
- Control Panel -> System will show you the Workgroup name. In XP, go to Control Panel -> System -> Computer Name to find the same information.
- Running the command ipconfig on the command prompt(All Programs/Start -> Accessories -> Command Prompt) will display the IP address:
Control Panel -> Network and Sharing -> View Status -> Details will also show you the IP address.
Connecting to Windows Desktop from Nokia N800 using rDesktop
We are now done setting up the Windows machine for remote access and collecting the necessary information.
- Run rDesktop from the Extras menu in your N800.
- Enter the connection details as shown in the screenshot below:
- Click OK and you will be greeted with the welcome screen of XP/Vista:
- Full Vista desktop as visible on the Nokia N800:
Unless you use a wireless keyboard with your Windows machine, you have the choice of using only the stylus/finger as the mouse to browse through the Windows desktop as you get no keyboard access to it from N800/rDesktop. Use ssh for keyboard intensive work. Use TightVNC for raw/direct access to the Windows screen(unlike RDP where a login session is required).
Rdesktop can work but it does not support the host PC behind firewall or NAT. I am using Gooer Remote Desktop Service and it can work in any network environment. You do not need know the IP of host PC, you only need click the host name of your PC, then you can connect to your PC.
QuoteComment by Richard — October 29, 2007 @ 10:16 pm
Hello!I appreciate your tuttorials greatly-but ran into problems with this one. I followed the steps-but after i click ok for the final step…..redesktop doean’t turn into Windows Vista on my n800-but rather I get a blank screen and after a bit it says rdesktop is not responding. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
QuoteComment by Dan McCormick — November 14, 2007 @ 12:00 am
So many things could go wrong, Dan. If you have another PC/laptop, try connecting to Vista from it. If you can’t connect from another PC either, then maybe the remote desktop settings in Vista are incorrect. If you can connect from another PC but not from N800, then check the values you are entering in rdesktop connection details box. Possible mistakes here include the wrong IP address and wrong username and password. Double-check these settings and try again.
QuoteComment by tabrez — November 17, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
[...] If you decide that you want to use RDP to connect to a Windows machine, then read How to Access the Windows Desktop Remotely From Nokia N800 Using rDesktop. [...]
QuotePingback by Accessing GNU/Linux Desktop Remotely From Nokia N800 Using VNC Viewer — November 21, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
the instructions are great, but I have a problem. I don’t have a remote destop option under the extras menu. what am I missing?
QuoteMy N800 did not come with a CD, am I missing any programs or need to enable some option?
Comment by Fred — December 2, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
You need to install the application called rDesktop in your Nokia N800 tablet.
Depending on the repositories present in your N800′ catalog, you might be able to install directly from the Application Manager. Go to Tools -> Application manager -> Browse Installable Applications -> All and scroll-down to see if an application called rDestop is visible in the shown list. If yes, then select it and tap on the “Install” button to install it.
If you can’t find it in the Application manager, go to this link from your N800’s web browser: http://maemo.org/downloads/product/OS2007/rdesktop and click on the green button labelled “Click to Install.” N800 will then download the .install file, add relevant information to your application/repository catalog and will then install rDesktop application itself. Then you can access rDesktop from the Extras menu.
QuoteComment by tabrez — December 2, 2007 @ 8:20 pm
My wife wants to have Pandora radio in the kitchen, but I heard it’s a hassle on N800/N810 (long to load, Flash stops when screen turns off, resource intensive, etc…) I haven’t bought a N800 or N810 yet, but using rDesktop sounds like a solution. So would opening a web browser with http://www.pandora.com on a WinXP machine on LAN would work on a N800/N810 with rDesktop over WiFi?
If anybody can test this setup, I’ll appreciate very much.
Thanks.
QuoteComment by Philippe — December 8, 2007 @ 6:27 am
Philippe, When I tried to open pandora.com on my N800, I was told that the service is not available outside of US, so I can’t test it. I recommend you post a question on Internet Tablet Talk forums where you are sure to get a good response.
If Pandora is a flash-heavy site and slow on N800/OS2007 for that reason, then probably it will be usable on OS2008 scheduled to be released for N800 around mid-December(beta version already available). N810 runs OS2008 by default. So also find out if Pandora.com runs smoothly on OS2008, in which case, you don’t have to worry about remote connections.
QuoteComment by tabrez — December 8, 2007 @ 11:00 am
tabrez on December 8, 2007 at 11:00 am said:
Great, thanks for the feedback.
QuoteComment by Philippe — December 18, 2007 @ 12:48 am
I haven’t read this tutorial, but rdesktop works great on n800. I had to run it with –sync option though, otherwise it would give me some bad window msg. I tried to connect to win XP and it worked like a charm (I had to enable remote connections in windows first). The major disadvantage though, is the lack of the keyboard on N800, and there is no on-display keyboard when you use rdesktop :(
QuoteComment by Vlad — January 28, 2008 @ 3:28 am
Hi People, Instructions are great and very clear, I too am having problems with rDesktop for N800 but i’ll tell you what i’ve learn’t so far.
I was told that RDP doesn’t work om OS2008 (can someone confirm?) although i have installed all the releases available and the one that ran was the IT2008 on maemo website, the earlier releases didn’t even start up.
I have also been told that RDP may not work with Vista Home Premium, only business or ultimate (trying russell beatties hack tonight - will keep you updated).
I have also tried adding the service/ip/program to windows firewall but to no avail, haven’t yet tried my router firewall but i wouldn’t know where to start with that, not sure if i have to open a port or create a service or even if the router will affect it as it is a LAN connection?
I just want to clarify some of the errors some people are getting. If you input wrong details i.e. ip, user, p/w RDP will close almost instantaneously. If your details are correct, it will freeze for a while and may or may not ask if you want to close the application. This is the error I’m coming up with but i will try out the ‘russell beattie’ hack tonight and keep you updated.
QuoteComment by Dunx — March 19, 2008 @ 8:22 pm
PS. if you want a keyboard option - START> ACCESSORIES> ACCESSIBILITY> ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD.
QuoteComment by Dunx — March 19, 2008 @ 8:25 pm
So would opening a web browser with http://www.pandora.com on a WinXP machine on LAN would work on a N800/N810 with rDesktop over WiFi?
If anybody can test this setup, I’ll appreciate very much.
Yes, This will work, I do this on my PC. I run a Digital SPDIF out of my PC to my Receiver, Or if you want it really nice get a DAC {Digital to Analog converter} and it will make it sound even better. Plus use the N800 to see what is playing and make thumbs up/down on the music playing. Using the Remote PC. I hope this helps.
QuoteComment by Jim — April 1, 2008 @ 5:50 am
Does anyone know if you can use an alternate port instead of the default 3389 with the N800/810? I am looking to use this thing to RDP into servers that have ports forwarded on the outside of the router. Thanks -
QuoteComment by Richard — April 14, 2008 @ 11:03 pm
I want to use Rdesktop from my N810 and would appreciate any directions you may provide
Thanks!
QuoteComment by richard — April 15, 2008 @ 11:20 am
To change RDP Port :
1. Start Registry Editor.
Quote2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber
3. On the Edit menu, click Modify, and then click Decimal.
4. Type the new port number, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.
Comment by George — April 16, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
FOr different RDP Port Number from the client - use the remote server and add colon then the number 10.10.50.1:3389 or if running on say 80, 10.10.50.1:80. The registry tweak shown here - is to change the server, not affect how a client connects.
Dano
QuoteComment by Dano — May 22, 2008 @ 6:40 am