Written by In this post we are going to cover how to install and configure Remote Desktop Services (RDS) in Windows Server 2012, this post will only cover how to get RD Licensing, RD Gateway & RD Session Host configured, we are not however going to cover Virtual Desktop Deployment or RemoteFX in this post.
1. We begin by launching Server Manager.
2. Click on Manager, Add Roles and Features.
3. Click next on Before you begin page.
4. Select Role-based or feature-based installation.
5. Select the server you wish to install the Remote Desktop Services role on, Click Next.
6. Select Remote Desktop Services, Click Next.
7. Select any features if required, Click Next.
8. Read the Description, Click Next.
9. Select Remote Desktop Gateway, Remote Desktop Licensing, Remote Desktop Web Access, Click Next.
10. Click Next on Network Policy and Access Services.
11. Click on Next, leave the default selection on Network Policy Server.
12. Click Install.
13. Close the wizard when finished.
Installation is complete. Goto Page 2 for Configuration.
Configuring Remote Desktop Services (RDS) on Windows Server 2012
1. We begin the configuration by launching Remote Desktop Gateway Manager from Tools menu.
2. Select the Server name from the left pane it will give a warning that it’s not fully configured.
3. Select View or modify certificate properties.
4. If you have a SSL Certificate you import it here. We are going to use a Self-Signed Certificate. Select Create and Import Certificate.
5. Click Ok, or change the save location.
6. In the Server Farm tab, Enter Server Name and click Add. Click on Apply to save settings.
7. Now we need to define Connection Authorization Policy. Select Create connection authorization policy.
8. Enter a policy name.
9. Under Requirements tab, click on Add Group for User Group Membership, and add Domain Users. Click on Apply & Ok.
10. Now we go back to the server name & create a resource authorization policy.
11. Enter a Policy name & description.
12. In Users Group tab, add Domain Users as members who can connect to remote computers through RD Gateway.
13. Select Allow users to connect to any network resource, or specify a Group of resources (e.g. Domain Computers), Click Apply and Ok.
Goto Page 3 for Activating Remote Desktop Licensing Server
Activating Remote Desktop Licensing in Windows Server 2012
1. To Activate the Licensing Server, Launch Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
2. Right Click on the server and select activate server.
3. Click Next.
4. Choose your method of activation, I am choosing Web Browser, Click Next.
5. Click on the Link to open the activation page.
6. Select Activate a license server, Click Next.
7. Enter the required information. Click Next.
8. Verify the information, Click Next.
9. Copy the License server ID.
10. Paste the License server ID in the given field. Click Next.
11. Uncheck Start Install Licenses Wizard now. As we do not require any Client licenses. Click Finish.
We now have successfully activate Remote Desktop Licensing on Windows Server 2012.
Steps too complicated. Easy way of setting up remote access is by using tools like logmein, R-HUB remote support servers, teaviewer etc. They work on all platforms and work well.
Hi Prashant,
You are confusing remote desktop with remote access, what Remote desktop offers is possibility of multiple users being able to access a server and work, whereas with remote access application like the ones you’ve mentioned only provide access to a single user session.
Great step by step instruction, just one problem, how do I install RDS without the Connection broker service. I followed this article
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2833839
but when I go to the server manager dashboard and drill down on RDS it still complains about the missing connection broker. Also I cant seem to change the licence mode from per device to per user. I have tried this $obj.ChangeMode(4) but it doe snot seem to work, i found a post about a local compter policy and that did not work either..
anyone done this sucessfully?
Thanks for this post.
Is it possible to run an RDS 2012 server and refer to an 2008 R2 license server?
Or does the license server has to be 2012 as well?
Hi,
Yes its possible to use the same License server if you already have a Working & Activated Windows 2008 R2 Client Access license.
I really liked your blog.Much thanks again. Really Great.
Thanks for the steps….but what if you already have another TS server that is already licensed and this new server should point to that license server. I don’t need this new server to be the license server.
I can connect to the license server, but when I close out and open License Manager, the license server does not appear again. Appreciate any feed back you can provide. Thanks again for the steps. Richard
Can you install Remote Desktop Service on a Windows 2012 Domain Controller? Please confirm as It’s failing all the time.
Thanks
Bhim
Will the steps you outlined install on windows server 2012 machine that is a domain controller?
Hi Mike, Yes The steps given in this post will work on a domain controller, but it is not recommended to have Remote Desktop Services installed on a domain controller, You will have to Grant everyone access to the domain controller which is a major security issue, If you are doing this on a test environment then go ahead, for live environment you should have a separate RDS server.
Thanks. I followed your instructions and I was able to install it on a DC. Now, how do I display a list of computers to connect to for the end user? In other words, I want the end user to log into /rdweb and the choose the computer to remote into. Thx
Thank you, I have recently been seeking for information about this subject matter for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
For me when I get to the server properties page under RD Gateway manager, I cannot add the local server…
It says !This RD Gateway server must be a domain member, if it is to be added to a RD Gateway server farm..
What do I do now? Ay suggestions.
Thanks
Hi Richard,
Make sure your RD server is a member of a domain & is able to communicate properly with the domain. Check your DNS settings, Reverse DNS etc.
That error usually occurs when you install Remote desktop Services on a Workgroup Server & not on a Member Domain.
Thanks Let me know if it helps
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This article was incredibly helpful. Saved me hours of time trying to setup the RDS on my new 2012 Server. Many thanks.
This was really very helpful and saved a lot of time for me. A lot of thanks…
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First, let me thank you for such a wonderful & easy to understand steps. Do you have any such procedure about how to add a new exchange server 2013 in Windows Server 2012 environment?
Thank You! This was the easiest server tutorial I have ever used. I will be following you for more….plain and simple tutorials. Charles
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great post!! I will check back soon. 😉
Thanks for this walkthrough!It seems to work and gives me an Installation suscecsful but does not any of the Utility context menus when right clicking on my project folders.My setup is a bit different than yours but your walkthrough seems to match everything I’m seeing.My setup: Windows 7, CF9 Remote, CF Builder 1 Build 274293, Flash Builder 4 Premium Plugin build 272416, ColdBox Utilities 2.5Just hoping someone else has run into this issue and has already done the legwork on fixing it. Or I’m missing something simple TIA
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This post is helped me a lot! Thanks for share.
nice. I’d make use of that remote dekotsp function for sure if I had it. I’ve been thinking of getting an Android phone though, does it have any sort of remote dekotsp app or something?
Hi, thank you for stopping by, Yes Android has tons of Remote Desktop apps, the one i’ve used & liked the most is Splashtop Remote Desktop, i think there is a lite version for it. There are many free versions too.. just search for “remote desktop” on Google Play!
Excellent post. Thanks.
the only problem I see is when you view his logon page, note no doiman on the login, so he is actually in his own house accessing the computer over the wifi through his router. This information is not travelling over the cellular connection or the internet in any way. Actual use of this while not at home where you can walk over to your computer and just use it would be frustratingly slooooowwww!!!!
Just what I needed, thanks a lot.