Actually, it is much faster to use RDP than even Ignition, and the desktop is much clearer than the LMI image.
ISP provides static internet address, and I set up the office machines I want to control with static addresses on the LAN.
I don't change the RDP port in the registry on the office machines -- that isn't necessary. The main router takes care of all that.
Set up port-forwarding and port translation so that the external port is whatever you choose, but the internal port remains 3389, forwarded to the IP address of office machine on the LAN. No logging in to the server -- the RDP app on the remote machine takes you there directly.
So -- on a Windows remote machine (tablet, laptop, cellphone, hotel desktop, whatever) set up RDP to accesses the office IP address (takes you to the router) followed by the "external port" number that you assigned it on the router in the office, then the router sends it to the correct machine on the LAN. With Android you can use 2X -- works like Windows RDP. Don't know about Apple; I assume they have something similar.
I remote to 3 different office machines. The RDP port on the machine is always 3389.
From the outside, I get to the machine with RDP, and the address is
Machine #1 XXX.XY.X XYZ:3389
Machine #2 XXX.XY.X.XYZ:3391
Machine #3 XXX.XY.X.XYZ:3393
This works just like RDP on the LAN itself -- with a good internet connection it is virtually identical with being at the office machine.
This is really so easy, and works so well -- better than Ignition, better than clumsy Web Access, better than VPN -- so it leaves me wondering why anyone does anything else? Is there a security issue I am overlooking?
Tom Duncan
