Need help with remote desktop

[hedniskhjartad]

I've been having some trouble connecting to my home computer via remote desktop. Everything had been fine, and it had been working wonderfully. I use a linksys router at home, and have a port open (for both TCP and UDP) for remote desktop. Over the weekend, I turned off the port, and turned it back on when the weekend ended. I did not change anything else, or I would have remembered.
Anyway, now when I put in my ip on a remote computer, it brings me to my login screen, and when I type in my username and password, it freezes at the screen and times out the connection after a minute or so. Remote desktop just closes without an error or anything; it just shuts down.
I have tried this with multiple computers here at my remote location, and the same thing happens every time.
I even tried putting in a wrong password, to check if there's something wrong with the connection at that point in the process, but it denies me entry, which means it's transmitting my input properly... something happens when I press enter or the OK button.

Therefore I have three questions:
1) Do I need both TCP and UDP for a connection of this sort? It worked fine with both enabled, but does RDC require both, or is just TCP good enough?
2) Since it's a hassle making configurations and then testing it from a remote location, can i connect internally using my laptop to test my connection, so i can sit side by side and fix whatever problems there might be?
3) HOW do i fix this, and why did this happen? I've disabled and enabled the port before, and this never happened before.

Thank you for reading my 100000 word essay. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[hedniskhjartad]

Well, I managed to fix it, and I'll say how in case anyone else has had somewhat the same problem.
I created a new user account on my home computer, and rdc'd into it. then i logged out and rdc'd into my original account, that i wanted to access; and it went right through.

I have no idea why it happened, i'm assuming it was just a glitch. My services were started, port 3389 was open, and my firewall was not blocking anything. :\

 

[gplpark92]

they don't care about people from new jersey on CF... im jk

i woudlnt trust Remote Desktop cuz someone might see your stuff and access your files

 

[Luda]

RDC is one of the safer ways to get remote 'console' access, as long as you have your OS locked done [i.e. no blank/easy to guess passwords]

 

[hedniskhjartad]

Would it help if I would say I moved to New Jersey from Michigan only a few months ago?

Yes, it's important to have a long password, mine is so long I get pissed off typing it, and more often than not, i make a mistake and end up having to type it more than once to get in. Plus, I turn off the RDC port and disallow remote desktop connections as often as I feel I won't be needing remote access.