# rdesktop-1.8.3 connect to Windows 8.1? [SOLVED]

## tld

I'm hesitant to post this here as it's probably not a Gentoo issue, though I can't be sure. I'm running the current stable version of rdesktop (net-misc/rdesktop-1.8.3). I'm able to connect to Windows Server 2012 among others (even over an ssh tunnel over the Internet).

I'm trying to connect to a Windows 8.1 system on my LAN, and all it does is hang:

```
rdesktop 192.168.1.118

Autoselected keyboard map en-us
```

It just hangs there with no response indefinitely. I've exhausted about everything I can find around this and I'm stumped:

1. This is in fact Windows 8.1 Pro (not Basic).

2. I have Remote Destop enabled in System -> Remote and the Remote Desktop service is running.

3. While it may not be necessary I've de-selected "Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication", as it can apparently cause issues.

4. I've allowed Remote Desktop in the firewall settings.

I'm not sure where I might be able to find something in the Godless travesty that is the Windows event log that might give some clues, though it seems as though it's not getting through at all.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

TomLast edited by tld on Mon Mar 07, 2016 11:19 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## tld

OMG...it turns out that the firewall was blocking it because my LAN was considered a "public" network, apparently because sharing wasn't enabled for that. I knew it had to be firewall related when I couldn't telnet to port 3389.

I won't even get into the fruitless hours I've wasted trying to change that, because windows can't seem to differentiate my wired connection from the WiFi on the same router. Windows is such a total piece of shit.

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## Tony0945

 *tld wrote:*   

> OMG...it turns out that the firewall was blocking it because my LAN was considered a "public" network, apparently because sharing wasn't enabled for that. I knew it had to be firewall related when I couldn't telnet to port 3389.
> 
> I won't even get into the fruitless hours I've wasted trying to change that, because windows can't seem to differentiate my wired connection from the WiFi on the same router. Windows is such a total piece of shit.

 

Glad you found it and I concur. I was going to advise that you ban IP's outside your LAN. The XP setup was apparently simpler. Windows keeps on simplifying those technical terms into their own made up language.

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## tld

 *Tony0945 wrote:*   

> Windows keeps on simplifying those technical terms into their own made up language.

 You've exactly summed it up right there. This is my gripe whenever operating systems try to "dumb down" everything. In the process they fail to explain the actual ramifications of any settings and choices to to anyone who actually knowns what they are doing! When adding a network connection they ask about "sharing printers" and all sorts of other crap without actually telling you that answering "no" means treating that network as if it were the Internet. I mean FFS. You can't even imagine what I went through changing it. I almost lost my mind looking for that change on my own. I then found the Wondows 8 section here:

http://www.tekrevue.com/tip/change-network-location-windows-8

I made that setting, and it DOES NOT WORK. That public vs. private location has nothing to do with this at all. After literally hours, I was able to fix it as per this:

https://tinkertry.com/how-to-change-windows-8-1-network-type-from-public-to-private

Note how that dopey little Yes/No toggle switch is labeled "Find PCs, devices, and content on the network, and automatically connect to devices like printers and TVs. Turn this off for public networks to keep your stuff safe.". From that you're apparently supposed to understand that the Yes/No toggle is in fact what makes the network public or private. What is wrong with these people. It does all remind me why I started using Linux 15 years ago, and why I don't use systemd now...to get away from all the back-box-don't-worry-your-pretty-little-head-about-it "features"...but I digress.

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