Remote access to College Computers

Windows to Remote Windows connections. Instructions for connecting to a College Windows 10 Computer from a remote source can be found at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/admin-services/ict/self-service/connect-communicate/remote-access/remotely-access-my-college-computer and also from Microsoft at https://aka.ms/RDSetup
- Those who are the custodian of a Windows system in College have always been able to connect to their own machine remotely using the instructions above.
- This connection uses a program called Microsoft Remote Desktop, together with a configuration file (.rdp) you can download from the above site
  - If the computer you are using does not have Microsoft Remote Desktop installed, get if from https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/microsoft-remote-desktop/9wzdncrfj3ps?activetab=pivot:overviewtab (Windows).
- Connection to other machines has required specific permissions set up. This has now been done for 7 units in the WC undergraduate computer room. It was not previously set up because the nature of the license College has with Microsoft only allows one concurrent user of any desktop machine. Since that user would normally be eg an UG student actually sitting at the actual machine (in room 109B), remote access to these machines was barred. Since there is currently no physical access to those units, that restriction was lifted today at our request.
- Anyone requiring such a connection, and where their own office Windows machine may not be appropriate (e.g. its hung, it does not have the right software etc etc) can now connect to the following units: WCBC-109B-001 through WCBC-109B-007 Remember to specify your user name as ic\username or username@ic.ac.uk and not simply just the username. All the users in the ch-allstaff-dl distribution list have now been granted such access. SKCH-C266-001 to 020 have also now been added.
  - If you connect and find someone already logged in, please do not go ahead and log them out (something that is possible). Instead try another unit.
  - By the same token, do remember to log out when you are finished so that the next user does not need to confront item 4 above.
Mac to remote Windows connections can use Microsoft Remote Desktop to do so. Get it from https://install.appcenter.ms/orgs/rdmacios-k2vy/apps/microsoft-remote-desktop-for-mac/distribution_groups/all-users-of-microsoft-remote-desktop-for-mac (Mac). The Softwarehub does not work on Macs, or indeed on non-college owned Windows machines, so this is a (temporary?) way in from such machines.
Android or IOS phone or tablet to remote Windows can connect using the appropriate versions of Microsoft remote desktop, which you download from the appropriate app store or using the links above. You are strongly recommended to connect a Bluetooth mouse+keyboard to an iPad or Android tablet, since the built-in touch-screen cursor is tricker to use.
Mac to a remote Mac in College
1. On the latter (if possible) Apple/System Preferences/Sharing and tick screen sharing, then Computer Settings and then enter a password for the connection.
  - If no physical access to the remote computer is available, you will first need to know the fully qualified domain name address of the remote Mac (analogous to eg WCBC-109B-001 above)
    - If you do not know your remote domain name address, it is possible to look it up using https://hdb.ic.ac.uk/
  - Next, use the following command line options. Launch Terminal using Command + spacebar to launch Spotlight and in the terminal app, enter the command
    ssh remote-mac-user-name@remote-mac-domain-name
    After the password prompt, now copy/paste the following two lines at the terminal of the remote computer:
    sudo defaults write /var/db/launchd.db/com.apple.launchd/overrides.plist com.apple.screensharing -dict Disabled -bool false
    sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.screensharing.plist
  - Back at your local computer, press Command + spacebar to launch Spotlight and enter Screen sharing and use this app to connect to your remote Mac using the fully qualified domain name address, providing your remote Mac's username and connection password set up as above. This will take you to a login screen where you now provide your Mac's login password (which may be different from your connection password).
2. Once in, you can save the configuration file from Screen sharing.app as a .vncloc file and to re-enter, just double click that.
Windows to remote Mac requires a client called RealVNC Viewer. Instructions can be found here.