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.

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 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 designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, or message forgery. It 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 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. Two XP computers (one Home and one Pro) 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, lounge, or anywhere else, and access all my programs, documents, and the internet through RDC.

That was until I got Vista Home Premium and discovered that Microsoft had intentionally turned off this feature! Citing security issues, such as "anybody can connect and take over a PC," they turned off incoming connections. Instead, I have to set up a request, save it to a USB stick, go 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 it as a possible security risk (you still have to know a username/password to connect), I preferred allowing 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 that allows full connectivity. Download the zip file below, extract it, and run a batch file as an administrator. The job is done, and 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!