I need to be able to remote control workstations of our remote users who use
our VPN. We have a couple of employees who permanently work at offsite
locations. Currently, whenever we need to make a config change they have to
Fed Ex their laptop back to us. This is inefficient and expensive. Most of
the time these users are connecting via dial-up. Remote Desktop doesn't
work because it logs off the user when I log on, thus disconnecting the VPN
connection. I've tested Remote Assistance, which works beautifully but it
requires end user initiation. To simplify things for the end user, I'd like
to be able to "offer Remote Assistance". As I understand it, when I "offer
Remote Assistance it attempts to use the first available TCP port above
1024. Our firewall is blocking this traffic and opening up all ports
greater than 1024 is not an option. I've already opened up TCP ports 135
and 3389 and as I mentioned earlier, Remote Assistance works just fine as
long as the end user initiates.
Question:

Is there a way to configure Remote Assistance so when I "offer Remote
Assistance" it uses a static port? If so, I can configure my firewall to
allow traffic on that single static port.

Here are a couple of KB articles I was reading.

<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/rafaq-technical.mspx>
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306298>

Interestingly, they mention the dynamic port issue only when connecting via
Windows Messenger but I'm experiencing the same behavior by going to
Start -- Help and Support -- Use Tools to view your computer information and
diagnose problems -- Offer Remote Assistance.

This article has more information in regards firewalls and Remote
Assistance:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Note that this article was written by a fellow (and unrelated) MVP--not
Microsoft.

I'm not at all sure of the answer to your basic question--I've never tested
"offer" with a dialup connection, so I'm unclear whether it eliminates the
dropping of the connection.

--

"Alan H." <alan.haines@bep.treas.gov> wrote in message
news:eIT6eT$4FHA.2616@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>I need to be able to remote control workstations of our remote users who
>use our VPN. We have a couple of employees who permanently work at offsite
>locations. Currently, whenever we need to make a config change they have
>to Fed Ex their laptop back to us. This is inefficient and expensive.
>Most of the time these users are connecting via dial-up. Remote Desktop
>doesn't work because it logs off the user when I log on, thus disconnecting
>the VPN connection. I've tested Remote Assistance, which works beautifully
>but it requires end user initiation. To simplify things for the end user,
>I'd like to be able to "offer Remote Assistance". As I understand it, when
>I "offer Remote Assistance it attempts to use the first available TCP port
>above 1024. Our firewall is blocking this traffic and opening up all ports
>greater than 1024 is not an option. I've already opened up TCP ports 135
>and 3389 and as I mentioned earlier, Remote Assistance works just fine as
>long as the end user initiates.
> Question:
>
> Is there a way to configure Remote Assistance so when I "offer Remote
> Assistance" it uses a static port? If so, I can configure my firewall to
> allow traffic on that single static port.
>
> Here are a couple of KB articles I was reading.
>
> <http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/rafaq-technical.mspx>
> <http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306298>
>
> Interestingly, they mention the dynamic port issue only when connecting
> via Windows Messenger but I'm experiencing the same behavior by going to
> Start -- Help and Support -- Use Tools to view your computer information
> and diagnose problems -- Offer Remote Assistance.
>
>
>
>

This is why I like using NetMeeting.

"Bill Sanderson" <Bill_Sanderson@msn.com.plugh.org> wrote in message
news:uBu9xlB5FHA.1032@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> This article has more information in regards firewalls and Remote
> Assistance:
>
>
http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp
>
> Note that this article was written by a fellow (and unrelated) MVP--not
> Microsoft.
>
> I'm not at all sure of the answer to your basic question--I've never
tested
> "offer" with a dialup connection, so I'm unclear whether it eliminates the
> dropping of the connection.
>
> --
>
> "Alan H." <alan.haines@bep.treas.gov> wrote in message
> news:eIT6eT$4FHA.2616@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >I need to be able to remote control workstations of our remote users who
> >use our VPN. We have a couple of employees who permanently work at
offsite
> >locations. Currently, whenever we need to make a config change they have
> >to Fed Ex their laptop back to us. This is inefficient and expensive.
> >Most of the time these users are connecting via dial-up. Remote Desktop
> >doesn't work because it logs off the user when I log on, thus
disconnecting
> >the VPN connection. I've tested Remote Assistance, which works
beautifully
> >but it requires end user initiation. To simplify things for the end
user,
> >I'd like to be able to "offer Remote Assistance". As I understand it,
when
> >I "offer Remote Assistance it attempts to use the first available TCP
port
> >above 1024. Our firewall is blocking this traffic and opening up all
ports
> >greater than 1024 is not an option. I've already opened up TCP ports 135
> >and 3389 and as I mentioned earlier, Remote Assistance works just fine as
> >long as the end user initiates.
> > Question:
> >
> > Is there a way to configure Remote Assistance so when I "offer Remote
> > Assistance" it uses a static port? If so, I can configure my firewall
to
> > allow traffic on that single static port.
> >
> > Here are a couple of KB articles I was reading.
> >
> >
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...-technical.msp
x>
> > <http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306298>
> >
> > Interestingly, they mention the dynamic port issue only when connecting
> > via Windows Messenger but I'm experiencing the same behavior by going to
> > Start -- Help and Support -- Use Tools to view your computer information
> > and diagnose problems -- Offer Remote Assistance.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>