Connect to the Windows Server session by RDP. Click The Search button next to the start menu (Windows 2016) or typing into the start menu (Windows Server 2012). You may be perplexed at how to configure Remote Desktop on a Microsoft Windows 2016 Server since the Remote Desktop Host Configuration tool is missing from the OS. You can still configure RDP settings, but you’ll have to use Group Policy to do so.
Last updated on February 27th, 2020
This article contains step by step instructions on how to install and configure the Remote Desktop Services on a Windows Server 2016 or 2012. In Windows Server 2016 & 2012 the Terminal Services role has been replaced by the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role service and is part of Remote Desktop Services (RDS). A Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) server, provides to remote users the ability to access the applications on the RDS host server and the company resources from anywhere by using an RDP client.
In this tutorial you 'll learn how to setup and configure a Windows Server 2016 or 2012 as a Remote Desktop Session Host (Terminal) server, in order to provide remote desktop sessions, based on the number of Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) installed on the RDSH server.
How to Setup and Configure a Windows Server 2016/2012 as a Remote Desktop Session Host Server (Terminal Server).
Notes:
1. The mentioned steps below, can be applied either on a Domain Controller or in a standalone server 2016/2012.
2. If the Terminal services are installed on a server that will act as a Domain Controller also, then first install the Active Directory Domain Service (AD DS) role service and promote the Server to a Domain Controller, before installing the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role service (Terminal Service).
3. Keep in mind that the below configuration does provide access to RemoteApp programs or the RDWeb site, because the Remote Desktop Connection Broker role service will not be installed.
1. The mentioned steps below, can be applied either on a Domain Controller or in a standalone server 2016/2012.
2. If the Terminal services are installed on a server that will act as a Domain Controller also, then first install the Active Directory Domain Service (AD DS) role service and promote the Server to a Domain Controller, before installing the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role service (Terminal Service).
3. Keep in mind that the below configuration does provide access to RemoteApp programs or the RDWeb site, because the Remote Desktop Connection Broker role service will not be installed.
Step 1. Install Remote Desktop Services on Server 2016/2012.
Step 2. Activate the Remote Desktop License Server.
Step 3. Install Licenses on the Remote Desktop License Server.
Step 4. Configure RD Session Host role to use the local Remote Desktop Licensing server & Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode.
Step 5. Add RD Clients (Users) to the Remote Desktop Users Group.
Step 6. Allow the log on through remote desktop Services.
Step 1. Install Remote Desktop Licensing and Remote Desktop Session Host role services.
1. Open 'Server Manager' and click on Add Roles and Features.
2. At the first screen of 'Add Roles and Features wizard' leave the Role-based or feature-based installation option and click Next.
3. At the next screen, leave the default option 'Select server from the server pool' and click Next.
4. Select the Remote Desktop Services and click Next.
5. Leave the default settings and click Next at Features and Remote Desktop Services screens.
6. At Role Services screen, select the Remote Desktop Licensing role service and then click Add Features.
6. At Role Services screen, select the Remote Desktop Licensing role service and then click Add Features.
7. Then select the Remote Desktop Session Host role service and click Add Features again.
8. When done, click Next to continue.
![2016 2016](/uploads/1/1/7/5/117506938/420976425.jpg)
9. Finally click Install to install the Remote Desktop Services: Remote Desktop Licensing and Remote Desktop Session Host.
10. When the installation is completed close the 'Add Roles and Features Wizard' and restart your server.
Step 2. Activate the Remote Desktop License Server.
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open run command box.
2. Type licmgr.exe and press Enter to open the RD Licensing Manager *
2. Type licmgr.exe and press Enter to open the RD Licensing Manager *
* Note: Alternately, you can launch the RD Licensing Manager, from Control Panel –> Administrative Tools –> Remote Desktop Services –> Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
3. At the right pane, right click on the server name and select Activate Server.
4. Click Next at the Welcome screen and then click Next again at Connection method options.
5. At 'Company Information' window, fill the required fields and click Next twice to activate your License Server.
6. When the activation is completed, leave checked the 'Start Install Licenses Wizard' checkbox and click Next.
7. Continue to next step.
Step 3. Install Licenses on the Remote Desktop License Server.
1. At 'Welcome to the install licenses wizard', click Next
Mac lip pencil currant juice. 2. On the License Program page, select the appropriate program through which you purchased your RDS CALs, and then click Next.
3. According the License Program you selected on the previous page, type either the license code or the agreement number provided when you purchased your RDS CALs and then click Next.
4. On the Product Version and License Type page, select the appropriate product version, license type, and the quantity of the RDS CALs based on your RDS CAL purchase agreement, and then click Next.
5. When the RDS CALs installed on the server, click Finish. *
TIP: If you cannot activate the RDS Server automatically, then try to activate it using the Web Browser or via Telephone. To do that:
![Connections Connections](/uploads/1/1/7/5/117506938/821539408.png)
a. Right-click on the Server's name and select Properties.
b. Change the Connection Method to Web Browser or to Telephone.When done, click OK.
c. Finally, right click on the server name, select Activate Server and follow the onscreen instructions to completed the activation.
b. Change the Connection Method to Web Browser or to Telephone.When done, click OK.
c. Finally, right click on the server name, select Activate Server and follow the onscreen instructions to completed the activation.
Step 4. Configure RD Session Host role to use the local Remote Desktop Licensing server & Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode.
1. Open Group Policy Editor. To do that:
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open run command box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. In Group Policy Editor navigate to:
- Computer ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsRemote Desktop ServicesRemote Desktop Session Host Licensing
3. At the right pane, double click at Use the specified Remote License Servers.
4. Click Enabled, and then at 'License server to use' field, type the RDS license server name and click OK.
5. Then open the Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode setting.
6. Click Enabled and then specify the licensing mode (Per User or Per Device) for the RDS host server and then click OK again.
7.Close Group Policy Editor.
8. Verify the RD Licensing configuration, by going to: Windows Control Panel –> Administrative Tools –> Remote Desktop Services –> RD Licensing Diagnoser.
8. Verify the RD Licensing configuration, by going to: Windows Control Panel –> Administrative Tools –> Remote Desktop Services –> RD Licensing Diagnoser.
Step 5. Add RD Clients (Users) to the Remote Desktop Users Group.
1. Open Server Manager.
2. From Tools menu, select Active Directory Users and Computers. *
2. From Tools menu, select Active Directory Users and Computers. *
* Note: If the RD Session Host Service is not installed on the Domain Controller, use the 'Local Users and Groups' snap-in or the 'Remote' tab in the 'System Properties' on the RDS host server, to add the remote desktop users.
3. Double click at your domain on the left and then select Builtin.
4. Open Remote Desktop Users on the right pane.
4. Open Remote Desktop Users on the right pane.
5. At Members tab, click Add.
6. Type the name(s) of the users that you want to give Remote access to the RDS Server and click OK.
7. After selecting the remote desktop users, click OK again to close the window.
8. Continue to step-6 below.
Step 6. Allow the log on through remote desktop Services.
1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor. To do that:
1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open run command box.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. In Group Policy Editor navigate to: Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies > User Rights Assignment.
3. At the right Pane: double click at Allow log on through Remote Desktop Services.
4. Click Add User or Group.
5. Click Object Types, check all the available objects (Users, Groups, & Built-in security principals) and then click OK.
6. Type remote desktop users and then click OK.
7. Finally click OK again and close Group Policy Editor.
8. Now you 're ready to connect to the Remote Desktop Session Host Server 2016/2012 from any Remote desktop client.
That’s it! Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.
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You may want to see which users are logged on to your Windows 2016 Server at any given time and may want to logoff a user. Users can be “active” on a server or in a “disconnected” session status which means they disconnected from the server but didn’t log off. Since disconnected sessions continue to utilize server resources, we recommend you enable a group policy to log off disconnected sessions automatically after a specific time period such as 5 minutes or X hours – easiest method is to enable a group policy to set session time limits for all users as follows:
- Cmd prompt, gpedit.msc
- Computer Configuration, Admin Templates, Windows Components, Remote Desktop Services, Remote Desktop Session Host, Session Time Limits
- Enable appropriate group policies and modify as needed
- We recommend setting this one because it will prevent disconnected sessions from consuming server resources — “Set time limit for disconnect sessions”
- After modifying group policies, you can force an update without rebooting by typing “gpupdate /force” at cmd prompt
By default, we now release Windows 2016 Servers with the disconnected session limit set at 5 minutes. We strongly recommend keeping this group policy at 5 minutes or change it to another time amount that you want. We don’t enable a default policy to log off “idle” sessions after X period of time but it is recommended that you enable this at X hours or X days.
To see detail on each users session (how long it has been active, if disconnected or idle, etc.), you can open a command prompt and type in “quser” which will show each user with session stats.
We haven’t seen this happen very frequently, but if a user logs on to the server and the screen remains black, it is likely because the user has an existing disconnected session that has not be fully logged off. To resolve this, log into the server as an Administrator and log off the User’s disconnected session. When the User logs in again, they should see their full desktop session without any issues.
Steps to view and log off users:
- Login as Administrator or account with administrator rights
- Open Task Manager by right clicking the bottom tool bar
- Click on “More” or “Detail” to view all tabs of Task Manager
- Go to the “Users” tab which will show the users that are logged on the server
- Right click on a username and select “Log Off”
Remote Desktop Services Windows Xp
We recommend that users be educated to log off from the server when their tasks are completed (start, click on username, select log-off or sign-off) instead of just disconnecting the session by clicking the X in the upper right corner which doesn’t log the user off and only disconnects the session.