Modify XP Remote 3389 Ports to Make Connections More Secure

Since Windows 2000, Microsoft has provided a Terminal Server service that delivers remote desktops locally. Through this service, visual remote management can be implemented very conveniently. After Windows 2000, Windows XP also provides this service. The Terminal Server Client program in Windows XP has evolved further than the one in Windows 2000, and many of the features are much more powerful.

The default port for Terminal Server is 3389, so many people who understand this feature of Windows use some special software or other methods to scan the port. It is very dangerous to find that the port is open to implement the intrusion. Therefore, Starling.com (http://www.it8g.com) suggests that you change the port of the Terminal Server.

The method for modifying the default port of Terminal Server is as follows:

1. Server-side modification

Change PortNumber in the following two registry keys to a custom port. (Figure 1):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\System\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Terminal Server\\Wds\\Repwd\\Tds\\Tcp

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\System\\CurrentControlSet\\Control\\Terminal Server\\WinStations\\ RDP-Tcp

Second, client modification

Open the mstsc.exe window. Press the “options" button to expand the window, which will have five tabs: “General”,“Show”,“Local Resources”"Run”,“Advanced” Fill in the items as needed, then press the “Save As “ button in the “General” tab (Figure 2). Mstsc.exe saves the custom connection configuration as an .rdp file. Use text editing software and add the following line:

server port:i:×××× (×××× server-defined port).

You can also save the middle item; write directly to server port:××××

When you need to use it, just run mstsc.exe and open the .rdp file to connect to this custom port.

This article is contributed by the Starling Network!