Connecting to remote Windows PC using Remote Desktop from home over VPN

I am trying to connect to a Remote Windows PC (Windows 7 32 bit OS) over VPN from my home laptop (Vista 32 bit). At the remote PC I have enabled below settings which I thought would allow me to connect to it using Remote Desktop protocol over VPN.

From my home laptop, I am able to connect to the remote VPN, then ping this Remote Windows PC as well. But I am getting the following error in logging to the remote windows PC using Remote Desktop connection:

Unable to connect to the remote PC at this time. Contact the system adminsitrator

1. In My computer → Properties → Advanced Computer settings → Remote, I have enabled "Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer"

2. In the Systems Power options, I have enabled Sleep/Hibernate setting to never, to avoid the connecting refusal to the remote computer.

3. In Windows Firewall with advanced security, Inbound rules, I have enabled below rules - a) Remote assistance - TCP-in. Does routing and remote access rules (L2TP, PPTP) need to be enabled here in firewall? Any other rule needed to be enabled for Remote desktop connections

4. I have made sure that following Windows services are started automatically -

   • Remote desktop services
   • Remote desktop configuration
   • Remote access connection manager.

Does the service "Routing and remote access" need to be started as well? Any other service needed to be started for Remote desktop connections?

Any pointers in resolving this would be useful.

Solution 1:

"Allow Remote Assistance conenctions to this computer" isn't the option you're after, a little lower than that you should see a group of options labeled "Remote Desktop."

In that group should be three options, the default set to "Don't allow connections to this PC". Try changing it to "Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop (less secure)".

It'll also pay to go into "select users" and make sure the account you wish to remote in as is present and if not add it/them.

fyi remote assistance is more a tool for letting you help a remote user through a problem or showing them a solution, rather than opening a proper remote desktop session. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300546 for more info.