Tech Tip 83 - Setting Up Remote Desktop in Windows XP By Shane McGlaun Why would you want to connect remotely to another desktop on your network, you ask? Say you are at home comfortably working in bed and your laptop doesn’t have the word processing application you need, but the computer in the living room does. If a wireless or wired network connects your computers, you can access the application you need from the computer in your living room without leaving your bedroom. The same goes for the office: why walk all the way back to shipping to print out a label with postage to send out a package when you can connect remotely and save yourself the walk.

There are several other applications besides Windows XP Remote Desktop that will allow you to remotely connect to another computer on your local network or via the Internet. However, the best thing about Windows XP Remote Desktop is that it is included with the Windows XP software package, and may be already be loaded on your computer. Other applications typically involve buying and downloading the software, then configuring the built-in Windows Firewall. Guess what? Remote Desktop inside Windows XP can even configure the Windows Firewall for you, making it probably the easiest to use remote connection application you will find.