Differences between remote desktop and Remote Assistance mstsc/console

When the maximum number of Remote Desktop connections allowed on the server is exceeded, we generally use:
Mstsc/console/V: IP: terminal port to log out of other users
It is not easy to provide technical support for users or friends who contact each other over the Internet. Even in today's era where advanced policies can be assigned and a large number of practical tools are used, many problems still cannot be solved if operations cannot be completed through the user console during interactive sessions. Over the past few years, technologies and applications designed to address this challenge and provide remote access to remote computers have emerged. To this end, we have introduced the Remote Assistance feature from Windows XP, which provides a free built-in mechanism to help remote users anytime, anywhere. This topic describes what remote assistance means, what is the difference between remote desktop or Terminal Server session, and how to use this feature.

What is remote assistance?

Remote Assistance (or RA) provides you with a way to get help when you encounter problems while using your computer. Remote Assistance can be used either as a technical support application within the organization or as a way to directly help your friends or family.

You can use remote assistance in three ways: using instant messaging, using Windows Messenger via email (initiating Ra sessions by sending messages) pass the document (Save the request for assistance as a file)

If remote assistance is required, computers receiving assistance and computers providing assistance must run Windows XP at the same time. They can run both Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition (note that only Windows XP Professional can be connected to Windows domains. At the same time, it also provides many other important functions and features such as enhanced security ). The two computers must establish a connection through the network or the Internet.

For more information, see Windows XP Remote Assistance overview and other related article links listed at the end of this article.

Comparison between remote assistance and Remote Desktop

If you put the remote control tool (such as telnet.exe) that is not in the graphic user interface aside, the tool currently provides the complete command line function in Windows XP, remote Assistance is one of the two important new functions provided by Windows XP to implement remote communication between PCs. Another new feature is remote desktop, which provides terminal service capabilities to end users and client PCs. It allows you to remotely log on to the Windows XP Professional Client Session, which is exactly the same as the terminal service session that you log on to the server through the client software of the terminal server. However, this method is actually different from the Windows Server Terminal Service. It allows only one connection at a time. In fact, at any time, only one active user remains interactive on the Windows XP Professional workstation. When you initiate a remote desktop session for a Windows XP computer, the current logged-on user will first log out, and then the entire computer will be locked. (Note: you can log on to the current active session by using the/console switch in the guest service client software mstsc.exe. To obtain the mstsc Option List, click here ).

In contrast to remote desktop, remote assistance is designed to help you Access Windows XP clients or windows. NET Server computer for full control, both parties (both parties and technical support personnel) can use remote control computer connected to the keyboard and mouse devices. The screen of the remote aid program includes chat and audio/video functions as well as file transmission and comprehensive desktop control capabilities that can be used during remote support operations. You can invite Remote Assistance from Windows XP Help and Support Center. You can also send remote connection invitations to others' computers from the Help and Support Center.

Remote Assistance and remote desktop functions can be enabled by right-clicking on the "my computer" icon, in the shortcut menu that appears later, click "properties" and select the "remote" tab to configure or enable/disable it.

In essence, the implied intention behind Remote Desktop is to remotely manage your computer, while remote assistance is used to provide help and support for other computers. Let's try and compare the two remote functions to further understand their real differences:

Remote Assistance sessions can be initiated by email, Windows Messenger, or files. Remote Desktop can be applied through RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) 5.0/5.1 clients such as mstsc.exe or tsweb ActiveX client (implemented through web pages.

Remote Desktop can be connected to a remote computer using any Windows terminal client (RDP 2000 or RDP 5.0), including Windows 9x/5.1 computers. [Note: In the/support/toolsfolder on the Windows XP installation CD, you will find a file called msrdpcli.exe. This file contains the local client software (Remote Desktop Connection Or mstsc.exe) Installer for Windows 9x/2000. You can install the new terminal service client by running this file as needed, this allows you to perform remote control operations on Windows XP Professional computers or Windows terminal service servers from Windows 95/98 operating systems. You can also download msrdpcli.exe]. The remote assistance function requires both parties to run Windows XP at the same time.

Through the remote assistance function, we can provide assistance to others or invite others to control our own computers.

Remote Desktop can provide full-screen access to the desktop/console of a computer. Once a remote assistance session is initiated, the full-screen access to the user's desktop system is removed, both parties can also use the chat, audio/video conversation, and file transfer session functions (the invitee can interrupt the session process by clicking the ESC key ).

In the remote desktop program, only one user is active at the same time, while in the RA (Remote Assistance) program, both parties can activate the keyboard and mouse.

Requests for remote assistance sessions can be restricted within a specific time range.

Remote assistance does not require you to configure the local account on the connected computer. However, the Remote Desktop function requires a local or domain account and password to log on to a remote Windows XP computer.

Remote Assistance can work in "browser mode", while Remote Desktop cannot apply this mode (if you need more information about this option, please refer to the following section 'configure Remote Assistance methods using policy ).

Last but not least, Remote Desktop is only applicable to Windows XP Professional. Remote Assistance is also applicable to Windows XP Home Edition (which can be used to provide family technical support for friends and family ).

Configure remote assistance using policies

Group policies can be used to define the behavior and configuration of Remote Assistance.

To set local policies, click Start and run and enter gpedit. MSC. This operation will start the Local Group Policy MMC embedded unit. You can also run Windows XP /. the remote assistance function is configured on the computer of Net Server. The specific operation is to right-click an organizational unit in the Active Directory user and computer MMC embedded unit, in the shortcut menu that appears, select "properties" and go to the "Group Policy" tab.

No matter which method is used, after the Group Policy embedded unit is loaded, select "Computer Configuration"> "management template"> "system"> "remote assistance ".

Currently, there are two policies for Windows XP:

Requests for Remote Assistance-requests for remote assistance are applicable to situations where a user requests assistance from other users (usually IT departments or technical experts. When this setting is enabled, the user can send a help request, and the technical expert can establish a connection with the computer in need of help. When a technical expert tries to establish a connection, the user still has the opportunity to accept or reject the connection request (or only provides the technical expert with the view permission for the desktop system). Afterwards, if the remote control function has been enabled, you must click the button to explicitly assign remote control capabilities to technical experts. Other configuration options for this item include:

'Allow remote control of this computer '(select whether the connection provider can remotely control the computer or simply view the user's desktop system ).

"Maximum ticket validity period" (two options are used to control the maximum validity period of user help requests ). After a ticket expires, the user must resend a request to allow the computer to use the remote assistance function. The validity period of the default ticket is 30 days.

It should be noted that when a remote aid request is denied, the user will not be able to send the aid request. At the same time, technical experts cannot connect to the computers requesting assistance by responding to user requests.
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Figure 1. Remote Assistance Group Policy Configuration

Remote Assistance-this setting can be used to determine whether technical support staff or IT management staff (such as technical experts) can provide Remote Assistance to computers without receiving a user's explicit invitation.

It should be noted that technical experts cannot establish connections with unpublished computers or control them without the user's permission. When a technical expert tries to connect, the user still has the opportunity to accept or reject the connection request (or only provides the technical expert with the view permission for the desktop system). Afterwards, if the remote control function has been enabled, you must click the button to explicitly assign remote control capabilities to technical experts.

When this group policy is enabled, you can select "only allow the helper to view the computer" or "allow the helper to control the computer remotely ". When you configure this setting, you can also specify a list of users or user groups ("helpers") that allow remote assistance. You can click the Show button to add a helper to this list. The format used to add a helper is <Domain Name>/<username> or <Group Name>, for example, mydomain/user1. For details, see the screen snapshot shown in figure 2.