Solved: How do I fix Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer connection error?

Problem Symptom

The detailed error message is as below:

Remote Desktop Connection

Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer for one of the following reasons;

1) Remote access to the server is not enabled
2)The remote computer is turned off
3)The remote computer is not available on the network

Make sure the remote computer is turned on and connected to the network, and that remote access sis enabled.

Follow the below solution steps to resolve Remote Desktop can’t connect to the remote computer connection error.

Solution

Step 1: Ensure the server is listening for RDP connections, execute the following command on the SERVER to verify this:

netstat -an | find /i ":3389"

You should see it LISTENING.

Step 2: Open the Services management console to ensure the following services are running:

• Remote Desktop Services
• Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector

Step 3: Make sure that RDP has been allowed on the local firewall of the RDP server. Some previous versions of Windows come with the firewall disabled for RDP, Remote Desktop will not work until RDP was allowed on the firewall settings.

Step 4: From a computer ON THE SAME NETWORK as the target RDP Server, ping the server by both IP address and hostname.

Execute the following command to check if you are on can get to the the RDP server on the correct port, the default port number for RDP is TCP 3389:

Test-NetConnection {IP-Address-or-Hostname} -Port 3389

OR

Test-NetConnection {IP-Address-or-Hostname} RDP

Providing this works, now perform the SAME tests from the outside of you network, such as outside the firewall, or on a remote VPN connection etc.

Step 5: The default port number for RDP is TCP 3389, check on the server to verify it just in case someones modified the RDP listening port number. Or the firewall is expecting you to connect RDP using another RDP Port.