Using Remote Desktop Gateway on Windows 7 and 10+A recent Windows Update breaks Remote Desktop Gateway causing "A valid gateway address must be specified." errors. Here's how to fix it.
A few weeks ago Microsoft released an update for Windows 7 SP1 which updates the RDP client to version 8.0 so that it can be used in conjunction with the latest protocols in Windows 8 and Server 2012. Under some circumstances, the update will fail to apply and Remote Desktop will fail to connect, especially if using a Remote Desktop Gateway.
A valid gateway address must be specified.
The Windows Update in question is KB2592687 and enables Windows 7 SP1 virtual desktop to be WAN ready with Remote Desktop v8 and RemoteFX. After installing the update you may notice that you still receive the message "A valid gateway address must be specified." when specifying a remote desktop gateway port number.
This may be because the update has a prerequisite update which is marked as optional and is probably not already installed on your Windows 7 desktop. The solution for this involves uninstalling update KB2592687 via Control Panel -> Programs -> Uninstall Program -> View Installed Updates. You should then download and install KB2574819 which adds support for DTLS in Windows 7. This protocol allows client and server applications to communicate in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, or message forgery, and is required only if you intend to use Remote Desktop.
Once installed you must install KB2592687 again, you must reboot for the changes to take effect, after which you should note that your remote desktop client version number is now at version 8.
You can then open Remote Desktop settings and configure the remote desktop gateway with a port number.
Enable Remote Desktop Connections on Windows Vista Home
It is very annoying when a Microsoft product does not work, but something even more annoying is the fact that it does not work intentionally. This is the case with Remote Desktop on Windows Vista which has been intentionally disabled.
Remote Desktop Connections (RDC) is a tool provided in XP and later versions of Windows that allows a remote user to take control of another machine as if they were sitting in front of it.
I have been using Remote Desktop Connections (RDC) for years between two XP computers (one Home and one Pro) they can connect in either direction. Very useful because I have my main XP Pro machine in the home office, and an XP Home laptop connected through wireless. I can lie in bed with the laptop, sit in the garden, in the lounge or anywhere else, and access all my programs, documents and the internet through RDC.
That was until I got Vista Home Premium and I found out that Microsoft has intentionally disabled this feature! Citing some security issues that "anybody can connect and take over a PC" they disabled incoming connections. Instead, I have to set up a request, save it to a USB stick, go over to the other PC, load the invitation and connect. This must be done each time I want to connect. How annoying is that?
While I accept that it is a possible security risk (you do still have to know a username/password to connect) I would have preferred the option to allow incoming requests anyway. I am on a private network so why can't I allow incoming connections???
The solution to enable remote desktop Windows Vista
Browsing the net I found a great solution to this problem on fransblog, a simple patch which allows full connectivity. Just download the zip file below, extract and run a batch file as administrator. Job done, it now works perfectly the first time.
Fix to Enable Remote Desktop on Windows Vista Home
Thank you, Frans!
Fransblog link no longer works, here is the Original Source to Enable Remote Desktop .
I am now (a little) happier!
