List of Remote Desktop Protocol clients

Last updated

Remote Desktop Protocol clients allow users to connect to servers running Remote Desktop Services, Azure Virtual Desktop, or non-Microsoft server software to enable remote desktop functionality. Since the release of Remote Desktop Connection, there have been several additional Remote Desktop Protocol clients created by both Microsoft and other parties.

Contents

By Microsoft

Remote Desktop Connection

Remote Desktop Connection
Other namesRDC, Remote Desktop, Microsoft Terminal Services Client, MSTSC
Developer(s) Microsoft
Included with Microsoft Windows
Successor Microsoft Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop Connection (RDC, also called Remote Desktop or just RD) [1] is the client application for RDS. The program has the filename mstsc.exe and in Windows 2000 and prior, it was known as Microsoft Terminal Services Client (MSTSC or tsclient). [2] [3] It allows a user to remotely log into a networked computer running the Remote Desktop Services. RDC presents the desktop interface (or application GUI) of the remote system, as if it were accessed locally. [4] In addition to regular username/password for authorizing for the remote session, RDC also supports using smart cards for authorization. [4] Although replacements have been released, as of the release of the Windows App, Remote Desktop Client is still recommended for use. [5]

RDC 6.0 was released as part of Windows Vista. With RDC 6.0, the resolution of a remote session can be set independently of the settings at the remote computer. If the Desktop Experience component is plugged into the remote server, remote application user interface elements (e.g., application windows borders, Maximize, Minimize, and Close buttons etc.) will take on the same appearance of local applications. In this scenario, the remote applications will use the Aero theme if the user connects to the server from a Windows Vista machine running Aero. [6] Later versions of the protocol also support rendering the UI in full 32-bit color, as well as resource redirection for printers, COM ports, disk drives, mice and keyboards. With resource redirection, remote applications can use the resources of the local computer. Audio is also redirected, so that any sounds generated by a remote application are played back at the client system. [4] [6] Moreover, a remote session can also span multiple monitors at the client system, independent of the multi-monitor settings at the server. RDC can also be used to connect to Windows Media Center (WMC) remote sessions; however, since WMC does not stream video using RDP, only the applications can be viewed this way, not any media.

RDC prioritizes UI data as well as keyboard and mouse inputs, as opposed to print jobs or file transfers. so as to make the applications more responsive. It redirects plug and play devices such as cameras, portable music players, and scanners, so that input from these devices can be used by the remote applications as well. [6] RDC can also be used to connect to computers which are exposed via Windows Home Server RDP Gateway over the Internet. [7] Finally, few shortcuts that will be handy

Microsoft Remote Desktop

Microsoft Remote Desktop
Other namesRemote Desktop
Developer(s) Microsoft
Initial releaseSeptember 2012
Operating system Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, web
Predecessor Remote Desktop Connection
Successor

Microsoft Remote Desktop, also called Remote Desktop, is a modern client for RDS released in September 2012. Compared to the older Remote Desktop Connection, the program offers a touch-friendly interface. [8] It allows users to connect to remote PCs, RemoteApp programs, session-based desktops, and virtual desktops. [9] The program is available on Windows as an Universal Windows Platform on the Microsoft Store, MacOS as Microsoft Remote Desktop for Mac, Android, iOS, iPadOS, and on all platforms as a web client. The Windows version of the app is no longer being updated with new features or support for Azure Virtual Desktop. Instead, users are recommend to use the Remote Desktop client for Windows. [10]

Web client

In late 2018 Microsoft released an HTML5 web client for Microsoft Remote Desktop. The client allows users to connect to their remote apps or to their remote desktops without using an installed remote desktop client. [11] [12] is one of the components of Microsoft Windows that allow a user to initiate and control an interactive session [13] The web client uses the TLS secured port 443 and does not use the RD Gateway to transport traffic, instead relying solely on the remote desktop session host aspect of remote desktop services. [14] [15]

Remote Desktop client for Windows

Remote Desktop client for Windows
Other namesMSRDC, Microsoft Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop, Azure Virtual Desktop
Developer(s) Microsoft
Initial releaseApril 2022 (Azure Virtual Desktop) [16]
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Predecessor Microsoft Remote Desktop
Website microsoft.com

The Remote Desktop client for Windows (MSRDC), [17] branded as Microsoft Remote Desktop, Remote Desktop, and Azure Virtual Desktop if installed from the Microsoft Store, is a client that uses the Remote Desktop Protocol to allow users to connect to Azure Virtual Desktops on feeds made available by enterprise administrators. [18] The program can be downloaded as an MSI installer as Remote Desktop or from the Microsoft Store as Azure Virtual Desktop. In contrast with Microsoft Remote Desktop and like the older Remote Desktop Connection program, MSRDC allows for the redirection of local USB and serial devices. [19] MSRDC is also used by Windows Subsystem for Linux to display programs with a graphical user interface. [20] [21]

Windows App

Windows App
Developer(s) Microsoft
Initial releaseSeptember 19, 2024
Operating system Microsoft Windows, MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, web
Predecessor Microsoft Remote Desktop
Website windows.cloud.microsoft

The Windows App is a Remote Desktop Protocol client that allows users to connect to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and Microsoft Dev Box instances. Additionally, on non-Windows platforms excluding the browser, the Windows App allows users to connect to serves running Remote Desktop Services and remote PCs. [22] On Windows, Microsoft advises users to use Remote Desktop Connection to connect to remote PCs and Remote Desktop client for Windows to connect to Remote Desktop Services. [5] The app is available on Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, and through web browsers. [5]

The preview version of the app was first released in November 2023 and it was fully launched on September 19, 2024. [23] [24] The app was developed as a unified way to access Windows PCs remotely and as replacement for Microsoft Remote Desktop. [22] The app supports many of the features of Remote Desktop Connection include multi-monitor support, device redirection, and dynamic resolution. [22]

Windows Mobile

A RDS client also existed for Windows Mobile called Remote Desktop. [25] [26]

Non-Microsoft

There have been numerous non-Microsoft implementations of clients that implement subsets of the Microsoft functionality for a range of platforms.

rdesktop

rdesktop is a free and open-source implementation of a client software for RDP. rdesktop supports most features of RDP 5, with features from RDP 5.1 and 6 not yet implemented. Unlike its Microsoft counterparts, it still supports the older RDP 4 protocol used by Windows NT 4.0. There also several graphical frontends to rdesktop including tsclient, Gnome-RDP, and KDE Remote Desktop Connection (KRDC). [27]

FreeRDP

FreeRDP is a RDP client that started as a fork of redesktop in 2009. It was created with the aim of modularizing the code, addressing various issues, and implementing new features. FreeRDP comes with its own command-line-client xfreerdp, which supports Seamless Windows in RDP6. [28] Around 2011, the project decided to abandon forking and instead rewrite under Apache License, adding more features like RemoteFX, RemoteApp, and NTLMv2. [29] A commercial distribution called Thincast was started in 2019. [30] A multi-platform client based on FreeRDP including Vulkan/H.264 support followed in summer 2020. There's a GTK-based client named Remmina also based on FreeRDP.

FreeRDP offers server implementations for macOS and Windows. On other systems including Linux, software packages may build upon FreeRDP to implement a complete server. Weston, the compositor in Wayland, uses FreeRDP to implement an rdp server it terms "rdp-backend". [31] This server is in turn used by Microsoft to provide graphics support (WSLg) in its Windows Subsystem for Linux. [32]

Remmina

Remmina is a free and open-source remote desktop client for POSIX-based system that supports RDP along with a verity of other protocols. It uses FreeRDP as a foundation. [33] [34] It is the default remote desktop client on Ubuntu. [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) is a proprietary protocol for an application server system, designed by Citrix Systems. The protocol lays down a specification for passing data between servers and clients, but is not bound to any one platform. Citrix's ICA is an alternative to Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft Corporation which provides a user with a graphical interface to connect to another computer over a network connection. The user employs RDP client software for this purpose, while the other computer must run RDP server software.

Remote desktop is a software or operating system that allows remotely controlling or logging into a desktop via a network connection.

NX technology, commonly known as NX or NoMachine, is a remote access and remote control computer software allowing remote desktop access and maintenance of computers. It is developed by the Luxembourg-based company NoMachine S.à r.l. NoMachine is proprietary software and is free-of-charge for non-commercial use.

rdesktop

rdesktop is an implementation of a client software for Microsoft's proprietary Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). Rdesktop is free and open-source software, subject to the requirements of the GNU General Public License (GPL-3.0-or-later), and is available for Linux and BSD as well as for Microsoft Windows.

This is a comparison of voice over IP (VoIP) software used to conduct telephone-like voice conversations across Internet Protocol (IP) based networks. For residential markets, voice over IP phone service is often cheaper than traditional public switched telephone network (PSTN) service and can remove geographic restrictions to telephone numbers, e.g., have a PSTN phone number in a New York area code ring in Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quick Assist</span> Microsoft Windows remote access feature

Quick Assist is a Microsoft Windows feature that allows a user to view or control a remote Windows computer over a network or the Internet to resolve issues without directly touching the unit. It is based on the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). It is complemented by Get Help, a feature introduced in Windows 10 that enables the user to contact Microsoft directly but does not allow for remote desktoping or screen sharing.

In computing, the term remote desktop refers to a software- or operating system feature that allows a personal computer's desktop environment to be run remotely from one system, while being displayed on a separate client device. Remote desktop applications have varying features. Some allow attaching to an existing user's session and "remote controlling", either displaying the remote control session or blanking the screen. Taking over a desktop remotely is a form of remote administration.

This page is a comparison of notable remote desktop software available for various platforms.

Adaptive Internet Protocol (AIP) is a multi-channel protocol that allows an application running on any of multiple platforms to be displayed on any of a wide range of client systems. It supports rich remote display and input services with a number of display options to deliver the presentation of the remote applications onto the local display either as a standalone window, or within a contained remote environment delivered full-screen or in a standalone window. The protocol also supports audio, printing, and other device mapping services.

Remote Desktop Services (RDS), known as Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008 and earlier, is one of the components of Microsoft Windows that allow a user to initiate and control an interactive session on a remote computer or virtual machine over a network connection. RDS was first released in 1998 as Terminal Server in Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server Edition, a stand-alone edition of Windows NT 4.0 Server that allowed users to log in remotely. Starting with Windows 2000, it was integrated under the name of Terminal Services as an optional component in the server editions of the Windows NT family of operating systems, receiving updates and improvements with each version of Windows. Terminal Services were then renamed to Remote Desktop Services with Windows Server 2008 R2 in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pano Logic</span> American information technology company

Pano Logic was a manufacturer of devices which present virtual desktops to the end user with no local processing power. They describe this concept as "zero client". This is perceived as offering benefits in end-user support and in power provision to desks. OEM versions have been included in displays from some vendors, allowing a single unit to be deployed. The company failed in October 2012. In March 2013, Propalms announced they had acquired the rights to support Panologic customers, and will "help transition the customer base to a new platform".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GraphOn</span> Application publishing software

GraphOn GO-Global is a multi-user remote access application for Windows. GO-Global is a product of GraphOn Corporation.

Oracle Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) software is a discontinued desktop virtualization product that provides desktop virtualization to replace personal computers with virtual machines (VMs) on a server. Desktops are accessed via Sun Ray Client, Oracle VDC Client (basically a software version of the Sun Ray, also using the same ALP protocol as the Sun Ray, Remote Desktop Protocol client, or optionally through the web via Oracle Secure Global Desktop software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remmina</span> Remote desktop software client for POSIX-based operating systems

Remmina is a free and open source remote desktop client for POSIX-based computer operating systems. It supports the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), VNC, NX, XDMCP, SPICE, X2Go and SSH protocols and uses FreeRDP as foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrome Remote Desktop</span> Remote desktop software tool

Chrome Remote Desktop is a remote desktop software tool, developed by Google, that allows a user to remotely control another computer's desktop through a proprietary protocol also developed by Google, internally called Chromoting. The protocol transmits the keyboard and mouse events from the client to the server, relaying the graphical screen updates back in the other direction over a computer network. This feature, therefore, consists of a server component for the host computer, and a client component on the computer accessing the remote server. Chrome Remote Desktop uses a unique protocol, as opposed to using the common Remote Desktop Protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2X Software</span> Maltese software company

2X Software was a Maltese software company specializing in virtual desktop, application virtualization, application delivery, Remote Desktop Services, remote access and Mobile Device Management. On 25 February 2015, 2X Software was acquired by Parallels, Inc. The 2X products, Remote Application Server and Mobile Device Management, are now included in Parallels' offering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windows Subsystem for Linux</span> Feature that provides for a Linux operating system within Windows

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a feature of Microsoft Windows that allows for using a Linux environment without the need for a separate virtual machine or dual booting. WSL is installed by default in Windows 11. In Windows 10, it can be installed either by joining the Windows Insider program or manually via Microsoft Store or Winget.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xrdp</span> Open-source implementation of Microsoft RDP

xrdp is a free and open-source implementation of Microsoft RDP server that enables operating systems other than Microsoft Windows to provide a fully functional RDP-compatible remote desktop experience. It works by bridging graphics from the X Window System to the client and relaying controls from the client back to X Window Server.

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), formerly known as Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), is a Microsoft Azure-based system for virtualizing its Windows operating systems, providing virtualized desktops and applications securely in the cloud using the Remote Desktop Protocol. It is aimed at enterprise customers rather than at individual users.

References

  1. ↑ "Remote Desktop Services - Access from anywhere". Microsoft.
  2. ↑ "Why doesn't the New Folder command work in the root of a redirected drive resource in a Remote Desktop session?". The Old New Thing. Microsoft. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  3. ↑ Savill, John (1 October 2008). The Complete Guide to Windows Server 2008. Pearson Education. p. 1752. ISBN   978-0-13-279758-0 . Retrieved 1 June 2012. Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 all contain the RDC tool, mstsc.exe [...] MSTSC in the filename mstsc.exe stands for Microsoft Terminal Services Client.
  4. 1 2 3 "Technical Overview of Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003". Microsoft . Archived from the original on 2003-01-26. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
  5. 1 2 3 dknappettmsft (2024-09-24). "Get started with Windows App to connect to desktops and apps - Windows App". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  6. 1 2 3 "Whats new in Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008" . Retrieved 2007-07-23.
  7. ↑ "Remote Desktop Connection". Remote Support.
  8. ↑ "Introducing the Remote Desktop Windows Store App". TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  9. ↑ Heidilohr (2023-08-08). "Get started with the Remote Desktop app for Windows". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  10. ↑ "Microsoft Remote Desktop - Official app in the Microsoft Store". Microsoft Apps. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  11. ↑ Waggoner, Rob. "Microsoft Has Released the HTML5-Based RDP Web Client". blog.mycloudit.com. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  12. ↑ "Windows Remote Desktop Services spotlight" . Retrieved 2010-11-18.
  13. ↑ QuinnRadich. "Remote Desktop Sessions - Win32 apps". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
  14. ↑ "RD Web Client (HTML5) – New Features In 1.0.11". www.rdsgurus.com. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  15. ↑ Berson, Freek (2018-01-12). "The Microsoft Platform: HTML5 client for Microsoft Remote Desktop Services 2016: Remote Desktop Web Client". The Microsoft Platform. Retrieved 2020-05-10.
  16. ↑ "Azure Virtual Desktop Preview - Official app in the Microsoft Store". Microsoft Apps. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  17. ↑ "Windows 10's Remote Desktop options explained". Computerworld. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  18. ↑ dknappettmsft (2024-02-22). "Connect to Azure Virtual Desktop with the Remote Desktop client for Windows - Azure Virtual Desktop". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  19. ↑ "Windows 10's Remote Desktop options explained". Computerworld. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  20. ↑ Viswav, Pradeep (2021-10-11). "Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) now available as an app from Microsoft Store on Windows 11". MSPoweruser. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  21. ↑ "add msrdc.exe path by hideyukn88 · Pull Request #447 · microsoft/wslg". GitHub. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  22. 1 2 3 Cunningham, Andrew (2024-09-19). "Microsoft releases a new Windows app called Windows App for running Windows apps". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  23. ↑ Warren, Tom (2023-11-16). "Windows is now an app for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and PCs". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  24. ↑ Warren, Tom (2024-09-19). "Microsoft launches a Windows app for iPhones, Macs, and Android devices". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
  25. ↑ Drager, Dave (27 March 2008). "How to Remotely Control your Mobile Phone from Desktop". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  26. ↑ Miniman, Brandon (2009-03-16). "Tutorial: Setting up Remote Desktop in Windows Mobile". PocketNow. Archived from the original on 2009-08-01. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  27. ↑ "rdesktop: A Remote Desktop Protocol Client". www.rdesktop.org. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  28. ↑ "FreeRDP-old README". GitHub. 2010. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020. FreeRDP is a successor to rdesktop, a longtime-favored application for use on *nix systems to access Windows servers and workstations. The goal of FreeRDP is twofold: ...
  29. ↑ "FreeRDP/FreeRDP". GitHub. FreeRDP. 27 February 2020. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Hi! – The Thincast Workstation". www.freerdp.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  31. ↑ weston-rdp(7)  –  Linux Miscellanea Manual
  32. ↑ "WSLg Architecture". Windows Command Line. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  33. ↑ Veitch, Nick (2010-09-17). "7 of the best Linux remote desktop clients". Linux Format (136). Tech Radar . Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  34. ↑ Frashad (2011-11-05). "Remmina: Feature Rich Remote Desktop Client For Ubuntu Linux". Addictive Tips. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
  35. ↑ Joey Sneddon (8 November 2010). "Remmina to be Ubuntu's new remote desktop app". OMG! Ubuntu. Retrieved 2011-11-03.
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