How To Setup A Remote Desktop Connection in Windows 8

With Remote Desktop Connection, you can sit at a PC and connect to another PC in a different location (the remote PC). Remote desktop is a long-time Windows feature that lets you access a remote PC, over your home network or the Internet, and interact with it in a full-screen or windowed interface as if you were sitting in front of that PC. The only difference is speed and, sometimes, graphical fidelity. This guide below will walk you through the process of setting up your Windows 8 computer to handle incoming Remote Desktop Connections from authenticated users and how to connect to a remote computer. Windows 8 actually offers a new-style (formerly known as "Metro") app for remote desktop connections, too, and it works on Windows RT as well as Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. Remote desktop requires two pieces, one on the PC you wish to remotely access and one on the PC you are currently using. (It may also require a third piece which enables connectivity over the Internet; more on that in a bit.) The PC that you wish to access remotely needs something called Remote Desktop Host, which is not available in the base, or core, version of Windows 8. This feature requires Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise. (If you are trying to connect to the base version of Windows 8, you will need to upgrade electronically to Windows 8 Pro or seek out a third party remote access solution like VNC. I recommend Windows 8 Pro.) The PC that you are using to remotely access another PC needs the Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) software, which comes for free with every version of Windows (including all Windows 8 versions.)

1. Make sure both PCs are powered up and connected to the Internet. They can't be in Sleep or Hibernate state, either. To prepare the "host," or the machine that you'll be taking control of
   
2. Enable Remote Assistance. Open the Control Panel, and type "Remote" in its search box. You could also right-click on Computer and choose Properties, and then choose Remote settings on the left panel. You'll open a Properties sheet with the top choice of "Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer." Make sure this box is checked.
   
3. Ask someone to connect. At the computer to be controlled, type "Remote Assistance" in the Start button's search box, and then click on Windows Remote Assistance. This opens the following dialog:
   
   Click "Invite someone you trust to help you."
4. Send the Invitation. Next you'll see three options for sending the invitation:
   
   You'll notice that the last (and best) option, Use Easy Connect, is grayed out on my screenshot: This will be the case if both computers aren't using Windows 7 or 8, with some corporate networks, and if your router doesn't support Peer Name Resolution Protocol. When I connected to a public Wi-Fi network, the option became available. In any case, send the invitation to the user of the computer that's going to do the remote controlling. And Easy Connect lives up to its name: If it's available, that's the one you should use.
5. Guest Connection. After the invitation to take control has been sent, the controller must start Remote Assistance just as in step 3, but choose "Help someone who has invited you." The first time you connect to a PC this way, you'll be asked to "Choose a way to connect to the other person's computer," with the choices being an invitation file and using Easy Connect. Choose the appropriate one:
   
   
   
   Note that after the first connection, the controller will see a different set of options: The login icons for computers he's already connected to and a blank one labeled "Help someone new." On a repeat connection using a contact's icon, the dialog will show a progress bar with the text " Searching for contact…"
   
6. Accept Connection. After the controller/guest has sent the request to view the host PC, the latter gets another confirmation. The controller/guest can then see the host's screen in a large window. He can view the other PC's screen to fit or at full size. Note that color settings were dumbed down for this to work, so don't expect to proof those pro photos. On a not-so-great Internet connection, the redrawing of the screen can also be painfully slow. A big help once this connection is made is that there's a chat box for both users. The controlled PC also has Pause and Stop Sharing buttons. Settings let him choose or turn off bandwidth-conserving features like color depth and window background. A fancy desktop wallpaper can slow down screen redrawing, so consider the dumbing-down options.
   
   
7. Request Control. The next step is to take control. The controller-guest has a big "Request control" button at top left. As with every step above, the user of the PC to be controlled has to confirm the request. One option here for the host/controlee's response, besides the simple yes and no, is the "allow user x to respond to user account controls." For detailed support, you'll probably want to check that box.
   And that's it. Remember, the next time you want to connect the same user, you'll have fewer steps, especially if the host/controlee PC checks the option to add Easy Connect requester to his contacts. But keep in mind that this method always requires a request to be viewed and controlled, so you won't be able to connect to an unattended PC. For that, you'll need to use one of the third-party options above or Windows' Remote Desktop Connection, involving a more business IT–level setup.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/

How To Set Up a Laptop to Wireless Router

Wireless technology really advances the whole World towards the modern and the new ways of communication between the two places or the people of the present era, Most people set up a wirwlwss home network so that they can share folders, files, and an internet connection across all computers in the home.

The most common home network setup includes an ISP modem, router, network cables, and computers or other network-enabled devices (such as printers or game consoles).

Routers are basic and inexpensive pieces of network equipment. Using a router with a laptop isn't very different than using it with a desktop except that you are more likely to use the wireless functions. Wireless routers almost always have in-the-box instructions for setup. Although vendors give different instructions for setting up their particular devices, there are a few conventions to follow that can be used to setup any wireless router. The question is, how to use wireless router with your laptop? However, this general procedure will guide you through the process for the common kinds of home network equipment. Set Up Your Wireless Router on a Windows 7 Connect the wireless router to your modem using an ethernet cable. Connect your wireless router to a power source. Wait about a minute, and then continue to the next step. Click the network icon in the notification area; the icon should look like a series of vertical bars, or a tiny PC with a network adapter alongside it. Select your wireless network from the list of available networks to complete the setup process. By default, your network name will be the name of your router manufacturer.

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Set Up Your Router Using the Setup Software

• Make sure that your wireless router is completely disconnected from the modem, the computer, and the power source.
• On your Laptop, insert the disc that came with your router, or download and run the latest version of the router's software from the vendor website.
• Follow the on-screen instructions. The setup routine will ask you to connect components (including your modem and Laptop) in a certain order, and it may request that you temporarily connect your wireless router to a computer via an ethernet cable. You will also create a wireless network name and password at this point. If something goes wrong, you may want to consider manually configuring your wireless router.

Manually Configure Your Router Without Setup Software

• Connect your wireless router to the modem, using an ethernet cable.
• Connect the wireless router to a power source. Wait about a minute to ensure that your router is fully operational.
• Connect the wireless router to your computer using an ethernet cable.
• Log in to your router’s Web interface by opening a browser and entering the IP address of your router into the address bar. The IP address should be listed within your router’s documentation; if you can't find it, most routers use a common IP address such as http://192.168.1.1, http://192.168.0.1, or http://192.168.2.1.
• Enter the default username and password, which you should find within your router’s documentation. Alternatively, visit Port Forward’s Default Router Passwords page.
• Use the Web interface to set up a network name and password.
• Disconnect your computer from the wireless router and then reconnect wirelessly.

Note:

Your laptop must have an internal or external wireless card to connect to the Internet wirelessly using your wireless router and laptop. Placing your wireless router in a central location in your home or office, away from walls, will increase the signal strength throughout the building.

Make sure each computer that has Internet access is well protected from security threats. At a minimum, each computer should have its Internet connection protected by using a firewall, and Windows should be updated with the latest critical updates from Microsoft Windows Update.

Thank to : Justin Phelps, PCWorld
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