Windows Remote Desktop – Disconnections whilst using default RDP port (3389)

Please note that this how-to guide applies only to hostworld customers.

A common issue with remote desktop is that the RDP service can lock up if there are too many connections made to it. These connections can be malicous as automated bots around the world try to brute force RDP login details. This is why it is essential that you always use a strong, complex password for your remote desktop users.
Often the way we handle this is to change the RDP port to something else from the default 3389, as well as increasing the MaxOutstandingConnections registry key to stop the service from being overloaded.
This process is very manual so on this basis we have created a PowerShell script that can be downloaded from within your VPS. Please follow this process:

1. 1. Login to your VM as the Administrator user
   2. Open your web browser and go to https://hostworld.uk/vps-scripts/ChangeRDPTo8234_OpenFirewall_ChangeMaxConnections.ps1 – this will download the file to your Downloads folder
   3. Go to your Downloads directory and find the file named “ChangeRDPTo8234_OpenFirewall_ChangeMaxConnections”
   4. Right-click on this file and click “Run with PowerShell”
   5. If you see a message in PowerShell that asks you to change the execution policy, press Y and the enter key.
   6. You will then be disconnected from your Remote Desktop Connection, this is normal
   7. Reconnect to your Remote Desktop but this time add
      

      :8234

      to the end of your IP address to tell the Remote Desktop Client you wish to connect to a non-standard RDP port.

   8. Done – you can generate a new Remote Desktop connection file from here if you wish: https://hostworld.uk/vps-scripts/rdp-file-generator.php?port=8234
   9. You should now see fewer, if any, disconnections moving forward. If you continue to experience issues after completing this process please log a support ticket via https://portal.hostworld.uk/