increase max Remote Desktop connectinos

Hi.

We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
Edition (all latest updates applied) ].

We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote Desktop client
simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.

By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be either
connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).

Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open sessions to RD
into the server and log-off one of the other sessions ... but for use this
is problematic (for many reasons I won't go into).

I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at least 5,
maybe higher.

I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the maximum #
of a client sessions.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Hi John,

Out of the box Windows comes with 2 "licenses" for administrators to be able
to remotely administer servers using RDP. If you require more then 2
licenses then you will have to install Terminal Service and buy additional
Terminal Server licenses (e.g. 5 licenses) for your 5 connections.

--
Mike
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security

"John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi.
>
> We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
> Edition (all latest updates applied) ].
>
> We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote Desktop
> client simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.
>
> By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be either
> connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).
>
> Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open sessions to RD
> into the server and log-off one of the other sessions ... but for use this
> is problematic (for many reasons I won't go into).
>
> I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at least 5,
> maybe higher.
>
> I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
> Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the maximum
> # of a client sessions.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

Ahhh ... I see how it works. Buy more licenses.

But why would I have to install Terminal Service ... isn't it installed by
default ? How else would my current capability be possible?


"Miha Pihler [MVP]" <mihap-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi John,
>
> Out of the box Windows comes with 2 "licenses" for administrators to be
> able to remotely administer servers using RDP. If you require more then 2
> licenses then you will have to install Terminal Service and buy additional
> Terminal Server licenses (e.g. 5 licenses) for your 5 connections.
>
> --
> Mike
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Security
>
> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi.
>>
>> We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003 Enterprise
>> Edition (all latest updates applied) ].
>>
>> We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote Desktop
>> client simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.
>>
>> By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be either
>> connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).
>>
>> Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open sessions to RD
>> into the server and log-off one of the other sessions ... but for use
>> this is problematic (for many reasons I won't go into).
>>
>> I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at least
>> 5, maybe higher.
>>
>> I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
>> Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the
>> maximum # of a client sessions.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>
>

There's two terminal service "modes"

Remote Administration (which is hard limited to two users)

and

Terminal Services (which you have to license for)

If you go into add/remove programs, then go to windows components, you can
switch modes.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

"John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ahhh ... I see how it works. Buy more licenses.
>
> But why would I have to install Terminal Service ... isn't it installed by
> default ? How else would my current capability be possible?
>
>
> "Miha Pihler [MVP]" <mihap-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi John,
>>
>> Out of the box Windows comes with 2 "licenses" for administrators to be
>> able to remotely administer servers using RDP. If you require more then
>> 2 licenses then you will have to install Terminal Service and buy
>> additional Terminal Server licenses (e.g. 5 licenses) for your 5
>> connections.
>>
>> --
>> Mike
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Security
>>
>> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
>> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>> We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003
>>> Enterprise Edition (all latest updates applied) ].
>>>
>>> We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote Desktop
>>> client simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.
>>>
>>> By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be either
>>> connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).
>>>
>>> Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open sessions to
>>> RD into the server and log-off one of the other sessions ... but for use
>>> this is problematic (for many reasons I won't go into).
>>>
>>> I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at least
>>> 5, maybe higher.
>>>
>>> I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
>>> Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the
>>> maximum # of a client sessions.
>>>
>>> Any ideas?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Matt,

I have the same problem as the guy who started this thread. I need more
than 2 users to be able to be logged in at one time. I don't understand
why there is a "hard limit" of 2 users. Is this just another M$ "let's
soak 'em for all they are worth" tactic? If not, then why the hard
limit? Is there a process problem with having more than 2? If so, why
does terminal services solve it?

Besides, I have been searching for the last two days for a way to
actually buy some terminal services licenses and CAN'T FIND it.
Microsoft's site has a "How to buy" page but it doesn't say JACK about
it.

Any clues where a guy can go to actually solve this problem?

Sorry if I seem gruff. I don't mean to insult, but it seems every time
I turn around I have to buy something else in order to make my Server
2003 do what my Apple Xserve does OUT OF THE BOX.

Andrew

Matt Gibson wrote:
> There's two terminal service "modes"
>
> Remote Administration (which is hard limited to two users)
>
> and
>
> Terminal Services (which you have to license for)
>
> If you go into add/remove programs, then go to windows components, you can
> switch modes.
>
> Matt Gibson - GSEC
>
> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Ahhh ... I see how it works. Buy more licenses.
> >
> > But why would I have to install Terminal Service ... isn't it installed by
> > default ? How else would my current capability be possible?
> >
> >
> > "Miha Pihler [MVP]" <mihap-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> Hi John,
> >>
> >> Out of the box Windows comes with 2 "licenses" for administrators to be
> >> able to remotely administer servers using RDP. If you require more then
> >> 2 licenses then you will have to install Terminal Service and buy
> >> additional Terminal Server licenses (e.g. 5 licenses) for your 5
> >> connections.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Mike
> >> Microsoft MVP - Windows Security
> >>
> >> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
> >> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> >>> Hi.
> >>>
> >>> We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003
> >>> Enterprise Edition (all latest updates applied) ].
> >>>
> >>> We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote Desktop
> >>> client simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.
> >>>
> >>> By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be either
> >>> connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).
> >>>
> >>> Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open sessions to
> >>> RD into the server and log-off one of the other sessions ... but for use
> >>> this is problematic (for many reasons I won't go into).
> >>>
> >>> I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at least
> >>> 5, maybe higher.
> >>>
> >>> I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
> >>> Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the
> >>> maximum # of a client sessions.
> >>>
> >>> Any ideas?
> >>>
> >>> Thanks in advance.
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >

Try www.microsoft.com/ts


JellyMan wrote:
> Matt,
>
> I have the same problem as the guy who started this thread. I need
> more than 2 users to be able to be logged in at one time. I don't
> understand why there is a "hard limit" of 2 users. Is this just
> another M$ "let's soak 'em for all they are worth" tactic? If not,
> then why the hard limit? Is there a process problem with having more
> than 2? If so, why does terminal services solve it?
>
> Besides, I have been searching for the last two days for a way to
> actually buy some terminal services licenses and CAN'T FIND it.
> Microsoft's site has a "How to buy" page but it doesn't say JACK about
> it.
>
> Any clues where a guy can go to actually solve this problem?
>
> Sorry if I seem gruff. I don't mean to insult, but it seems every time
> I turn around I have to buy something else in order to make my Server
> 2003 do what my Apple Xserve does OUT OF THE BOX.
>
> Andrew
>
> Matt Gibson wrote:
>> There's two terminal service "modes"
>>
>> Remote Administration (which is hard limited to two users)
>>
>> and
>>
>> Terminal Services (which you have to license for)
>>
>> If you go into add/remove programs, then go to windows components,
>> you can switch modes.
>>
>> Matt Gibson - GSEC
>>
>> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
>> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Ahhh ... I see how it works. Buy more licenses.
>>>
>>> But why would I have to install Terminal Service ... isn't it
>>> installed by default ? How else would my current capability be
>>> possible?
>>>
>>>
>>> "Miha Pihler [MVP]" <mihap-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> Hi John,
>>>>
>>>> Out of the box Windows comes with 2 "licenses" for administrators
>>>> to be able to remotely administer servers using RDP. If you
>>>> require more then 2 licenses then you will have to install
>>>> Terminal Service and buy additional Terminal Server licenses (e.g.
>>>> 5 licenses) for your 5 connections.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Mike
>>>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Security
>>>>
>>>> "John Grandy" <johnagrandy-at-yahoo-dot-com> wrote in message
>>>> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>>> Hi.
>>>>>
>>>>> We have are working with a remote server [ Windows Server 2003
>>>>> Enterprise Edition (all latest updates applied) ].
>>>>>
>>>>> We'd like to increase the maximum number of Windows XP Remote
>>>>> Desktop client simultaneous sessions allowed on this server.
>>>>>
>>>>> By default , I believe the maximum is either 2 or 3 (these can be
>>>>> either connected or disconnected, but they are logged-on).
>>>>>
>>>>> Of course, it's possible for the user with one of the open
>>>>> sessions to RD into the server and log-off one of the other
>>>>> sessions ... but for use this is problematic (for many reasons I
>>>>> won't go into).
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd like to increase the maximum number of allowed sessions to at
>>>>> least 5, maybe higher.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am looking at the Terminal Services Manager and Terminal Service
>>>>> Configuration .msc snap-ins, but I don't see a way to increase the
>>>>> maximum # of a client sessions.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any ideas?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks in advance.

Ok. That was dumb. I have been through that page and nearly all of it's
links trying to find answers to my questions above. If the answer IS
there, it's buried in all the technical crap that I don't have time to
cypher through. It's rediculous to have to buy a license to do
something the operating system is fully capable of doing on it's own.
It's like buying a new car and then having to pay to open the back
doors. Stupid. Just stupid. Extortion really.