Windows Remote Desktop Access

Windows-based nodes include Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) support so you can open the virtual desktop and configure the Windows server remotely. The platform provides an integrated browser-based Guacamole client, and you can also connect with a preferred local RDP application.

Web Client Open the remote desktop directly in a browser through the integrated Guacamole HTML5 gateway.

Local RDP Client Connect with applications such as Microsoft Remote Desktop, KRDC, Remmina, rdesktop, or FreeRDP.

On this page

RDP Connection via Web Client
Remote Desktop Menu Options
RDP Connection via Local Client
Connect from Windows
Connect from Linux, macOS, or FreeBSD
Network Level Authentication Note
What’s next?

RDP Connection via Web Client

The web-client workflow is similar for all Windows VM nodes. Immediately after creating a Windows node, you can use the one-time Guacamole link from the platform email. Later, you can start the same type of remote session from the dashboard.

1Open the Remote Desktop menu

Expand the Remote Desktop menu next to the Windows node or layer and click Open in Browser.

Remote Desktop menu in dashboard — Use Open in Browser to start the integrated RDP web client.

2Work with the Windows desktop

The remote desktop opens in a new browser tab. After the session starts, the Windows Server Manager is available for server administration.

Windows remote desktop web client — The integrated Guacamole session provides browser-based access to the Windows desktop.

Guacamole is clientless: it runs in the browser through HTML5 and does not require a separate browser plug-in or locally installed RDP client.

Remote Desktop Menu Options

The same Remote Desktop menu also provides information and actions used for manual/local RDP connections.

Reset RDP Password — resets the Administrator password and resends the credentials.
Info — displays short manual RDP connection instructions.
RDP link — provides the connection address used by a local Remote Desktop client.

RDP Connection via Local Client

For local-client access, use the Windows credentials sent in the environment-creation email. The source lists Microsoft Remote Desktop for Windows, KRDC/Remmina/rdesktop for Linux, and Microsoft Remote Desktop for macOS as common options.

Connection address: Use the platform RDP endpoint unless a public IP is attached to the Windows VM. When a public IP exists, use that public IP instead of the endpoint.

Connect from Windows

1Open Microsoft Remote Desktop

Launch Microsoft Remote Desktop and click Add > PC.

Microsoft Remote Desktop Add PC — Add a new PC in Microsoft Remote Desktop.

2Enter the connection address

Paste the RDP connection endpoint into the PC name field. If the Windows node has a public IP, use the public IP instead.

Provide RDP connection link — Enter the RDP endpoint or the node public IP in the PC name field.

You can find the RDP address in the environment-creation email or from the dashboard.

Environment Settings Open Settings > Endpoints and locate the RDP endpoint.

Remote Desktop Menu Copy the RDP link displayed for the Windows node.

Windows VM RDP endpoint — Locate the RDP endpoint under environment settings.

Windows VM RDP link — The same connection link is available in the node Remote Desktop menu.

3Add the Windows account

Click the + button next to User account, enter the credentials from the environment email, save them, and adjust optional session settings if required.

Windows VM RDP user credentials — Add the Administrator account credentials for the Windows VM.

The connection is then stored under Saved Desktops. Select it whenever you want to open a remote Windows session.

Connect from Linux, macOS, or FreeBSD

The source demonstrates this workflow with rdesktop, though another compatible RDP client such as FreeRDP can also be used.

If rdesktop is not installed, install it using the package manager appropriate for the local operating system. Historical source examples include:

yum -y install rdesktop
sudo apt-get install rdesktop

Network Level Authentication Note

rdesktop limitation: The source requires Network Level Authentication (NLA) to be disabled on the Windows VM when using rdesktop. If you want to keep NLA enabled, use a client such as FreeRDP that supports it.

Disable Network Level Authentication for rdesktop — Disable NLA only when required by the selected legacy RDP client.

After preparing the client, connect using the RDP access URL without the protocol prefix:

rdesktop {access_url}

The {access_url} is the RDP connection address from the dashboard or environment email.

rdesktop connection command — Start an RDP session from a UNIX-like terminal with the connection address.

The Windows server environment must be in the Running state. Otherwise the RDP client cannot establish the connection.

After the connection window opens, enter the Windows credentials from the environment email.

Windows RDP credentials from rdesktop — Authenticate with the Windows Administrator credentials.

You can also provide the username and password directly in the command:

rdesktop -u {username} -p {password} {access_url}

rdesktop connection with credentials — Pass credentials in the command to bypass the interactive Windows login screen.

RDP access summary: Use the integrated Guacamole web client for browser-based access, or connect with a local RDP client using the endpoint or public IP and the Windows credentials provided by the platform. Once connected, manage the server through the Windows desktop and Server Manager.