If temporary access to a Windows machine is needed on Linux due to application compatibility, file access, or other reasons, you can remotely connect to a Windows computer which has remote desktop sharing enabled.
Michigan Tech IT has a general-use remote Windows terminal server (remote.mtu.edu) available that hosts a limited number of applications for use while you are away from campus (See the Connecting to Windows article for a list of applications available on remote.mtu.edu).
To remote desktop to a Windows computer from a Linux computer, make sure:
- If you are not connecting from a Fully Managed machine, you will need to establish a VPN connection.
- See the Managed devices at Michigan Tech article to learn about Fully Managed systems vs other types.
- See the Connecting to VPN (Linux) article for information on VPN connections on Linux.
Jump to instructions for:
Connecting using RHEL8
- Hit the Windows/Super key in the lower left of the keyboard or bring your mouse cursor to the top left of the screen to bring up the GNOME Activity Overview. In the Activity Overview, begin typing ‘remote desktop viewer’ into the search box. Select the Remote Desktop icon to launch the Remote Desktop Viewer.
- Select the Connect button in the upper left of the Remove Desktop Viewer; a dialog box will appear for creating a new connection.
- Fill out the connection settings. See the System Information article for information on finding the hostname of the computer you would like to connect to.
- Protocol: Select RDP
- Host: Full hostname of the Windows computer you're connecting to
- Username: your Michigan Tech account name
- Domain: mtu
You can also edit the display options of the remote desktop with the Width and Height options (in pixels), enable fullscreen, or enable scaling of the display. All display options but Width and Height can be modified while the connection is ongoing.
- If this is your first time connecting to the host a certification dialog will appear. Verify that all the information seems trustworthy and representative of the computer you are trying to connect to before proceeding. Notify IT at 906-487-1111 or email IT if a certificate for a computer on campus looks suspicious (e.g., has a Subject line that does not correspond to MTU). To proceed, select the Connect button.
- An authentication prompt will come up upon successful communication with the machine. The username and domain will be pre-populated if you entered them on the previous screen. Enter your password and select Authenticate.
- A successful connection will display the remote desktop of a Windows computer on campus.
- To end the remote connection, select the Logoff desktop shortcut displayed on the remote Windows desktop. You can either select the Disconnect button to the right of the ‘Connect’ button in the upper-right of the Remote Desktop Viewer interface or close the program.
If you have any issues with this process, please reach out to IT either by email or call 906-487-1111
Connecting using RHEL9
- Select the Windows/Super key in the lower left of the keyboard or bring your mouse cursor to the top left of the screen to bring up the GNOME Activity Overview. In the Activity Overview, begin typing ‘connections’ into the search field. Select the icon to launch the application.
- Select the ‘+’ button in the upper left of the window to create a new connection.
- In the network identifier field, type 'rdp:// followed by the hostname, e.g., 'rdp://windows.ad.mtu.edu'. Reference the Find your computer information KB article for finding the computer hostname.
- Connection: Select RDP and then the Connect button.
- When prompted, enter your username and password and select Sign In. For username, enter your MTU SSO followed by @mtu.edu.
- A successful connection will display the remote desktop of a Windows computer on campus.
- To disconnect from the computer, log out of the remote session: Select the Start icon (bottom right) > your_username > Log out. Finally, select the power icon located at top left of the remote viewer.
If you have any issues with this process, please reach out to IT either by email or call 906-487-1111