Access Windows remote PCs in Mac device
Microsoft Remote Desktop is a free-of-charge utility and tool developed by one of the biggest multinational technology companies in the world, Microsoft Corporation. It is a dedicated remote control application that allows you to remotely access computers that run Windows Professional or Enterprise, as well as Windows Server in your Mac device. You can also connect to remote PCs, virtual apps, or desktops in order to access managed resources published by your admin.
Easy to setup
Microsoft Remote Desktop can be set up on your system with ease. When you have the main dialog box open, all you need to do is enter the network name of the computer you want to connect to or its network ID. A connection will be established immediately as long as Terminal Services and Remote Desktop Services are activated on the host—otherwise, the connection will be rejected. There are many preferences you can configure according to the resolution you want to use for the shared window and which hard drives you want to make accessible.
Before connecting to a remote PC, you should ensure that your computer is turned on, have a network connection, have network access to the remote computer which could also be through the Internet, have permission to connect, and the Remote Desktop is enabled. You must be part of the list of computer users in order to have permission to connect. One more thing before you start is it is suggested for you to search the name of the computer you plan to remotely access and make sure that Remote Desktop connections are allowed through its firewall.
Moreover, Microsoft Remote Desktop provides you a simple organization of your connections and user account from the Connection Center. With this, you can connect through a Remote Desktop Gateway. It enables you to stream audio and video, and redirects you to folders, clipboards, and local devices including microphones and cameras. On top of that, it serves a highly-secured connection to your data and applications by providing the Network Level Authentication (NLA) option.
Mac version is lackluster
However, Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection does have a tendency to be unstable from time to time and you will also suffer from dropped connections. You will find that it occasionally freezes during a sharing session and it lacks many of the features found in the Windows version. It will be difficult for you to manage multiple connections in the Mac version. Overall, it’s simply less powerful than when on Windows.
Be productive wherever you are
Microsoft Remote Desktop is an essential software that allows you to remotely access your computer device, even when you are not physically sitting in front of it. Although, if it’s possible for you to utilize the Windows version, then you should stick to that one because you will feel that the Mac version is lacking compared to the Windows one.
Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac allows you to connect to a Windows-based computer and work with programs and files on that computer from your Macintosh computer. To connect to a Windows-based computer, you need network access and permissions to connect to the computer, and the computer must be running Terminal Services or Remote Desktop Services. The following Windows products support Remote Desktop connections:
- Windows XP Professional
- Windows Server 2003
- Windows 2000 Server
- Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
- Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
