Using vista as a public address system

**kon** · 13-02-2009

I have been using my windows 2000 laptop as a public address system. This was done by unmuting the mic volume control. The same option is not available in Vista. Is there a way of doing this with vista?

Thank you.

**Devasis** · 13-02-2009

Follow these steps:

Activate the system you want to control.
Enter Start menu, right-click Computer, then Properties, then click Remote Settings.
Change the Desktop setting from Don't Allow Connections to this Computer to one of the allowing options.
Make a choice in advance because Vista's version of Remote Desktop uses an enhanced security method called Network Level Authentication.
System will configure automatically and will go into standby or sleep mode, a warning remind you to disable it, or else your system will be unable to respond.
Administrator accounts automatically get access through Remote Desktop, and if you want to give remote access to a non-administrator, you must add the account.
Select Users, then Add and type the name of the account you want in the space provided. You can't select from a list of existing accounts, but after you enter one, click the Check Names button;
The account you entered becomes underlined, if it's a valid account.
Close out all open dialog boxes. Make sure to note the IP address of this system because you'll need it to make the connection.

Making the Connection

Try remotely connecting to your system, but before using Remote Desktop across the Internet, it's best to test it from another computer on your network. Some extra steps must also be taken to make it work across the Net.
Check system and launch the Remote Desktop Connection software from the Start menu.
You will find it under All Programs > Accessories. To get to it more quickly, you can also type "remote desktop connection" or "mstsc" into the Start > Search box.
Enter the IP address of the computer on which you configured Remote Desktop, then click Connect.
A dialog box will prompt you for a valid username and password. A moment or two after you enter them you should be looking at your remote system's desktop.
From this point you can interact with your far-flung machine more or less as you would if you were using it directly. Bear in mind that you will not want to try things like playing games or streaming audio or video because the connection's not really fast enough for that.
Remote Desktop defaults to a full-screen view, but you can change that to a window or minimize it with the controls on the right side of the yellow bar at the top of the screen.
Clicking the pin button on the left side of the bar will auto-hide it; in this mode, just move the mouse cursor to the top edge of the screen to summon it back. When you're done using Remote Desktop, click the close button and confirm with OK.
That ends your remote session, but your remote system remains logged in and running.

Customize Your Connection

Before we get into how to configure Remote Desktop for Internet access, let's look at a few of the configurable settings available via the Options button.
From the General tab, you can pre-enter the IP address and user name you want to use so they'll always appear when you launch Remote Desktop Connection.
From the Programs tab, you can select an application to automatically run when you connect, although you'll have to know the full path to it.
The Experience tab will let you optimize performance based on the speed of your Internet connection . It defaults to 56K modem and thus saves bandwidth by not displaying the desktop wallpaper and forgoing certain visual enhancements.
If your remote system has a reasonably fast cable or DSL connection you can change the setting to broadband and still get good responsiveness.
Using Remote Desktop Over the Internet
As mentioned earlier, you must take some extra steps to be able to use Remote Desktop over the Internet. First and foremost, you must create a firewall rule in your router that forward port 3389 to whatever IP address the system running Remote Desktop is using.
It's also not a bad idea to give your router an infinite DHCP lease or reserved address or, barring that, a static IP address. Otherwise, if your system's IP address changes, your firewall rule will not point to the correct address and you won't have access. (For more on this, see our previous column.)
Speaking of IP address changes, when using Remote Desktop over the Internet, you'll need to enter your ISP-assigned public IP address, not the private one used on your own network. The firewall rule mentioned earlier will route the incoming connection to the correct computer.
Last but not least, if your ISP changes your public address periodically, as many do, you'll want to set up a Dynamic DNS service, which will give you a consistent domain name with to access your system.
So what can you do if you've got one of the consumer versions of Vista? Several companies offer remote access services, including Citrix's GotoMyPC and WebEx's PCNow.
A benefit of these services is that they work without you having to worry about IP addresses or firewall configurations like you do with Remote Desktop.

**Lillebror** · 13-02-2009

Using Remote Desktop Over the Internet

1]First and foremost, you must create a firewall rule in your router that forward port 3389 to whatever IP address the system running Remote Desktop is using. (Consult your router's documentation or online help for instructions on how to do this.)
2]It's also not a bad idea to give your router an infinite DHCP lease or reserved address or, barring that, a static IP address. Otherwise, if your system's IP address changes, your firewall rule will not point to the correct address and you won't have access.
3]Speaking of IP address changes, when using Remote Desktop over the Internet, you'll need to enter your ISP-assigned public IP address, not the private one used on your own network.
4] The firewall will route the incoming connection to the correct computer. The easiest way to discover your public IP address is to go to a Web site that tells you what it is.
5]Last but not least, if your ISP changes your public address periodically, as many do, you'll want to set up a Dynamic DNS service, which will give you a consistent domain name with to access your system.

**kon** · 17-02-2009

Apologies for not doing a better job of explaining my situation. I use a microphone and external speakers with my laptop to amplify my voice when I teach. It worked perfectly with Windows 2000 but I can't figure out how to do it with Vista. Thank you.