Access Remote Desktop Using VPN: A Step-by-Step Guide

Simon Brown •Oct 26, 2023

Simon BrownOct 26, 2023

5min read

The demand for secure and efficient remote access solutions continues to surge with each passing day. Navigating the details of remote work, businesses and individuals are increasingly recognizing the critical importance of secure access to remote desktops. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have emerged as a formidable solution, ensuring a secure connection to remote desktops.

They empower users to access their systems globally, fostering improved privacy and safeguarding data. This article serves as a comprehensive guide, offering an in-depth exploration of the details of a VPN remote desktop. From understanding the essential components of VPNs to implementing best practices for securing remote desktop connections, this article seeks to empower readers with practical insights.

Part 1. What Are the Benefits of Using VPN to Remote Desktop?

The integration of VPNs in remote desktop access offers a multitude of benefits, ranging from enhanced security to improved accessibility. Understanding these advantages is crucial in comprehending the significance of employing VPNs for remote desktop connectivity. Summarized below are some of the benefits of VPN to remote desktops:

Enhanced Security: VPNs create a secure and encrypted tunnel between the remote user and the target network. It guarantees that any sensitive data exchanged between devices stays safeguarded from potential cyber risks and unauthorized entry. By incorporating an additional level of encryption, VPNs substantially decrease the possibility of data breaches and cyber intrusions.
Privacy Protection: VPNs allow individuals to preserve their privacy by concealing their IP addresses and securing their online data through encryption. This function becomes especially vital when accessing remote desktops over public or unsecured networks, ensuring the protection of sensitive information from potential eavesdropping and surveillance.
Geo-Restriction Bypass: VPNs allow users to bypass geographical restrictions, enabling smooth access to remote desktops irrespective of their physical location. This is especially beneficial for businesses with a global presence, as it facilitates unrestricted access to critical resources and applications, fostering effortless collaboration across diverse geographical locations.
Secure Remote Access: VPNs facilitate a safe and protected connection to a company's internal network, allowing employees the freedom to work from any location while upholding the organization's security measures. This feature is crucial for cultivating a versatile and flexible remote work setting, ultimately boosting efficiency and nurturing a highly responsive workforce.
Cost-Effective Solution: Setting up a VPN for remote desktop access presents an economically feasible option, particularly when contrasted with the complexities of establishing complex infrastructure. VPNs offer a simplified and adaptable method for ensuring secure remote access, rendering them a financially better choice for businesses of varying scales.

Part 2. How to Set Up VPN for Remote Desktop?

Establishing a VPN for remote desktop access covers cognitive configuration and strict adherence to industry best practices to guarantee a secure and streamlined connection. Presented below are detailed instructions that will lead you through the procedure of configuring a remote desktop over a VPN:

Preparations Before Starting Operations

Before proceeding with the setup process, ensure that you have the necessary administrative privileges and access to the remote desktop you intend to connect to. Additionally, have the VPN credentials and relevant network information readily available for a smooth configuration process.

Solution 1. Set Up VPN With OpenVPN Protocol

OpenVPN stands as a contemporary and secure protocol, offering robust protection against eavesdroppers and hackers. An ideal choice for both personal and professional use, this solution effectively caters to home and business users alike. Employing the OpenVPN protocol for establishing a VPN ensures a dependable and secure method for facilitating remote desktop access. To set up your VPN using the OpenVPN protocol, simply follow these steps:

Step 1: Use a web browser to access your router’s admin panel and log into it. Now find and click "VPN Server," and then tap "OpenVPN." Here, you can set up the OpenVPN configure file, and to do that, start by checking the box named “Enable VPN Server.”

Step 2: Next, choose "Service Type," which can be "UDP" or "TCP." Then select a "Service Port," which should be between 1024 and 65535. Now define a range of IP addresses the OpenVPN server can use in the "VPN Subnet/Netmask.”

Step 3: Finally, choose a “Client Access” type and click “Save” to save the configuration. Then, tap “Generate” to generate a certificate and follow it by pressing the “Export” option to export the configure file.

Solution 2. Set Up VPN Through PPTP Protocol

Establishing remote desktop access through the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is a straightforward procedure. PPTP, being one of the oldest protocols, is built-in across most platforms. This eliminates the need for extra software installation, allowing users to establish a manual PPTP VPN connection effortlessly. Follow these steps to configure the remote desktop through VPN using the PPTP protocol:

Step 1: Log into your router admin panel using a web browser and access the "VPN Server" tab. Here, move to “PPTP VPN” and begin setting it up by checking the “Enable VPN Server" box and filling in all the required information.

Step 2: After clicking "Save," move to the Windows Settings using the "Win + I" keys. Here, click "Network & Internet” and go on to select the “VPN” tab from the left panel. Now click “Add a VPN Connection” and start filling out the required information.

Step 3: Start by selecting “Windows built-in” for “VPN Provider,” giving it a "Connection Name,” and add the IP address of the server computer as “Server name or address.” Move on to choose “PPTP” as “VPN Type and then select a way for “Type of Sign-in info.”

Step 4: Lastly, add “username” and “password” if you want to and check the “Remember my sign-in info” box. Then, click "Save" to complete the process, and now you can use PPTP VPN for your remote access.

Part 3. An Easier Way: Remote Access Without VPN

While remote desktop via VPN is popular, Avica Remote Desktop offers an innovative alternative that simplifies the process without compromising safety, ease of use, or performance. As a third-party remote desktop software, Avica's cutting-edge technology streamlines remote access, providing a secure and efficient solution that eliminates the complexities associated with VPN setups. With Avica, users can connect to their remote desktops from anywhere in the world, experiencing a hassle-free and secure remote working environment.

Avica employs robust encryption protocols, ensuring that all data transmissions are secured and shielded from potential security breaches. It boasts high-performance capabilities, delivering a smooth and responsive remote desktop experience even with bandwidth constraints. By optimizing data transfer and minimizing latency, Avica ensures that users can interact with their remote desktops in real-time. It also facilitates the transfer of sound from the client to the host device.

Key Features of Avica

Incorporate and arrange an extensive number of devices according to your requirements.
Generate several virtual screens on the monitors of the remote device.
Effortlessly move files through a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Steps to Remotely Access Your Desktop via Avica

Feel free to download Avica software by clicking the button below. If you're seeking additional information about Avica product downloads, you can visit the Avica download page. Rest assured, Avica guarantees the safety and virus-free nature of all products obtained from the official website or app store.

Free Download

Following are the detailed and simple steps that you can use to create a remote connection between two devices using Avica:

Step 1: Install Avica on Both Devices

Have the Avica app installed on both devices you want to remotely connect and login using your Avica account. Now note the “Avica ID” and “Password” from the device you remotely want to control. Afterward, on your device, input the remote device's “Avica ID” in the "Remote Session" section.

Step 2: Create a Successful Remote Connection

Then click “Connect” and enter the password to establish a remote connection. After establishing the connection, you can perform the targeted tasks with ease. You can also customize other settings such as Quality, Screen Resolution, Frame Rate, and others.