Best way to RDP into Windows Server from Mac

[Jonny Wright]

Was unsure which forum to post this question in but thought this would be most appropriate.

I am trying to find the best way to RDP into a Windows 2008 box from a Mac. I downloaded the MS RDP app for Mac but it isn't really up to the standard I was expecting / hoping for. I have read about a web based solution (part of Win2k8) and am wondering wether anyone else has any experience and / or opinion of it?

Any feedback or other options very welcome,

Cheers

[72001]

http://www.microsoft...-desktop-client

Edit-

After reading you tried this I would recommend you try a Linux RDP Client which you recompile on the Mac.

See:

http://www.rdesktop.org/

[Bryan R.]

The only web based solution I know of is via Remote Web Workplace which is a feature of Small Business Server. But it relies on ActiveX controls and won't work on a Mac. That is at least the case with SBS 2003. I'm not sure if that's changed in newer versions of SBS (2008, 2011).

Is RDP necessary though? It's not really that secure. Perhaps consider Logmein or any other similar service?

Edit: Actually there is a web site that is published with RDS roles. I don't know how compatible it is with Mac though. I imagine it may work with how Microsoft has been moving away from ActiveX reliant features.

[tomasarson]

The only web based solution I know of is via Remote Web Workplace which is a feature of Small Business Server. But it relies on ActiveX controls and won't work on a Mac. That is at least the case with SBS 2003. I'm not sure if that's changed in newer versions of SBS (2008, 2011).

Is RDP necessary though? It's not really that secure. Perhaps consider Logmein or any other similar service?

agreed.

it seems your biggest issue is the performance, which will probably be the same if not worse than just using the ms rdp app.

i would look into something third party just as +Xenosion said.

or be happy with the performance you're getting from the free stuff. (maybe try turinng off some of the more resource hungry options?)

[Jonny Wright]

I think I'll give logmein a try. Just seems a shame when theres a readily available service as part of the OS. My issue wasn't performance related, the app itself often locked up and displayed at some strange sizes / ratios. Anyhow, I will experiment and post with findings.

Thanks for responses.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

From my personal experience TeamViewer has always been a great remote desktop client on all platforms :)

[tomasarson]

look at me forgetting other free options.

teamviewer is good(free or paid version which might even be the same thing one is just for commercial use). so is http://www.tightvnc.com/

[Bryan R.]

I think I'll give logmein a try. Just seems a shame when theres a readily available service as part of the OS. My issue wasn't performance related, the app itself often locked up and displayed at some strange sizes / ratios. Anyhow, I will experiment and post with findings.

Thanks for responses.

Yes, RDP itself is great, but unfortunately it isn't very secure when open to the internet. Other third-parties like Logmein don't simply have a port open to the internet. They use HTTP tunneling with SSL encryption. It's opened up from the inside, so no ports are blindly accepting sessions from the world.

[72001]

Yes, RDP itself is great, but unfortunately it isn't very secure when open to the internet. Other third-parties like Logmein don't simply have a port open to the internet. They use HTTP tunneling with SSL encryption. It's opened up from the inside, so no ports are blindly accepting sessions from the world.

Sure u did :p