Learn How To Fix 8 Common Remote Desktop Problems

Remote desktop connectivity is an innovation that allows free access to desktops on connected networks at almost any part of the world. While usually reliable, things can go wrong at any time. However, most of these remote desktop connection issues are usually easily resolved with some troubleshooting. Here are some of the common remote desktop connection problems that are usually encountered, and how to identify them.

1) Network failure

A client may be unable to connect to a remote desktop session if an appropriate communications route is not accessible. To detect this issue, the process of elimination becomes necessary. First, establish a connection with a client that has been able to connect successfully in the past. This will allow the trouble shooter to determine if the problem lies with a particular client, or the network entirely. If the network is indeed to blame, then the root cause can be identified by narrowing down options on the issues that could cause network failure, such as wireless interruption, VPN issues, and so on.

2) Firewall issues

Since firewalls work innocuously in the background, it is easy to overlook how they could contribute to why remote desktop connections are not working. Ensure that the firewall software used on both host and client networks have open ports in between. Some configuration manipulations on the firewall settings will allow the remote desktop connection to work normally again.

3) SSL certificate issues

Sometimes, security certificates can cause remote desktop connection problems. For remote desktop connections to work, clients need to be able to trust the certificate authority issuing the certificate. Sometimes, clients do not trust security certificates from organisations that generate them in-house. This can be solved by downloading a copy of the root certificate of the authority and including it in the clients’ certificate store to allow the connection. The client also needs to be able to verify the certificates used by the network servers.

4) DNS problems

DNS issues are quite a common cause when DNS issues are encountered. If a host’s IP address has changed, clients cannot connect to the host until the client’s DNS resolver cache expires. This can be solved by entering the command IPConfig /FlushDNS in the client’s computer. Another issue to look out for is clients using an external DNS which can cause problems when resolving hosts on an organisation’s private network. This can be fixed by modifying the client’s IP address settings so that one of the organisation’s one is used instead.

5) Authentication issues

Authentication issues occur on a remote desktop network because the required permissions are not available. Ensure that the users have proper credentials for their remote desktop as well as their local desktop.

6) Capacity overload

If the infrastructure of the remote desktop is not adequate to support the workload, connectivity issues will definitely occur. Ensuring that the infrastructure is up to date will solve connection problems due to workload.

7) Dropped connections

Most of the time, remote desktop black screen issues are due to dropped connections. This is usually due to inadequate bandwidth to support the session’s needs. Consider shutting down any other applications or devices that consume bandwidth or upgrade your connection’s bandwidth to cope with increased usage.

8) CredSSP issues

RDP connectivity can sometimes fail due to issues with the Credential Security Support Provider Protocol, which is a means of sending user credentials from a client computer to a host computer when an RDP session is in use. To solve this, ensure that both the client and the host are using the latest updated version of Windows.

Most of these issues can be solved with some pre-planning and a little bit of troubleshooting. For more information on the latest solutions to solve connectivity problems, check out the CARE blog.