windows - RDP: Maximum number of connections used

07
2014-07
  • NeTeInStEiN

    I've trying to find what happens when we try to connect to Windows via RDP and all the connections allowed are being used.

    I'm not simply trying it, because I want an answer that is global on all versions of Windows.

    • Answers
  • joeqwerty

    I've trying to find what happens when we try to connect to Windows via RDP and all the connections allowed are being used. - Any new connections will be refused.

    I'm not simply trying it, because I want an answer that is global on all versions of Windows. - Any new connections will be refused.

    This question isn't about how many connections are allowed in the various versions and editions of Windows and it isn't specific to any version of Windows. If you exceed the number of allowed connections then any new connections will be refused.

    For instance, in any desktop OS (Windows Vista, 7, 8) one remote desktop connection is allowed.

    In any server OS (Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2008R2, 2012, 2012R2) where the TS or RDS role has not been installed, two remote desktop connections for administration are allowed.

    In any server OS (Windows Server 2003, 2008, 2008R2, 2012, 2012R2) where the TS or RDS role is installed , the number of remote desktop connections allowed is defined by the settings of the RDP protocol on the server or may be governed by Group Policy. In all cases where you you set a limit on the allowed number of connections then all new connections will be refused when that limit is reached.


    • Related Question

    windows - RDP: why does the username alternate between domain\name and name@domain?
  • LRE

    I tend to RDP around a number of different machines both at my office and remotely at various customers. Each time I connect to a destination, Windows presents me with a login dialog that remembers who I logged in as last time (without the password because I don't like having the system remember any passwords).

    I've noticed the following pattern:

    1. The first time I get a remembered name it is presented as `domain\user`
    2. The next time I get a remembered name (same system) it is presented as `user@domain`
    3. Rinse & repeat

    This doesn't hinder me at all - it's just one of those curious little things that I'd like to know why it works that way.

    Can anyone offer an explanation?

    Point of Clairification

    The more I think of it, this only seems to happen when the "domain" is the target workstation (ie: not a real Windows domain).


    • Related Answers
  • JP Alioto

    the domain\username is the NetBIOS form of providing credentials; [email protected] is called User Principal Name. The UPN is DNS based. The differences you see maybe because of differences in how the systems you are autenticating to are configured.

  • nik

    Check the client side TS Credentials cache,

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Terminal Server Client

    That is where the cached credentials detail comes from.
    How does it show the entries for the machine in question? Do you have multiple entries?

    You can also look at this cache from the mstsc window with the Options button on the bottom-right.

    As an aside, I have seen that the machine name (maybe IP address too) is used when the target machine is not on a domain login. In a network with Windows Domain login configured on some machine and not on others, I find that the domain machines show the domain name in the cache and the others show the configured machine name there.

    I wonder if you have two cached entries for the machine because
    you did a domain login at one time and then
    a local machine login at another time from that RDP client.