This article explain how to access a remote desktop through the Remote Desktop app or the browser. This article is for Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) students.

You must be connected to a wired University of Southampton (UoS) network point, eduroam, or the UoS VPN Service to launch a remote desktop session.

If you are on eduroam without a VPN session, be patient as your client can take 10 seconds or so to negotiate to the https protocol, showing "Connecting…".

 

 

macOS

Using the Remote Desktop App

Through Auto Configure Web Feed URL:

1. Download and launch latest Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the App Store
2. File > Remote Resources (or ⌘-R)
3. Supply the URI https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk/RDWeb/Feed/RDWeb/Feed/webfeed.aspx
4. Supply your university email in the form username@soton.ac.uk (for example: ab1c22@soton.ac.uk)
5. Supply your soton.ac.uk password
6. Hit Refresh. This then populates your client with the Remote Resource ‘ECSStudent’
7. Double-click the remote resource ‘ECSStudent’ and this logs you into a session host, offering you choice as to the resources from your local machine you would like to offer to the remote desktop session

Or

Using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Configuration File

1. Point a web browser to https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk, and authenticate with your soton.ac.uk credentials.
2. Click on the name of the resource you are permitted to access (in this case ‘ECSStudent’) which downloads the Remote Desktop config file (cpub-ECSStudent-ECSStudent-CmsRdsh.rdp) to your machine. This file includes details of the various servers involved in the Remote Desktop farm, as well as the session hosts configured to deliver the ‘ECSStudent’ Remote Desktop service
3. Double-click this config file, which then should launch the Microsoft Remote Desktop application on your computer
4. Enter your credentials when requested, confirming that you trust the remote computer, and selecting any local resources that you wish to make available to the remote computer (for example, clipboard)
5. Select ‘Connect’

Please note: if you are on eduroam without a VPN session, be patient as your client can take 10 seconds or so to negotiate to the https protocol, showing Connecting…

 

Windows

 

Using the Remote Desktop App

 

 

Through Auto Configure Web Feed URL:

• Download and launch latest Microsoft Remote Desktop App from the Windows Store
• Run the app, and select ‘+ Add’
• Select ‘Remote Resources’
• Enter the following in the ‘Feed URL’ text box https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk/RDWeb/Feed/RDWeb/Feed/webfeed.aspx'
• Click the + icon next to the User account heading
• Supply your university email in the form username@soton.ac.uk (for example: ab1c22@soton.ac.uk)
• Supply your soton.ac.uk password
• Hit Refresh. This then populates your client with the remote desktop service resource ‘ECSStudent’ on the Desktops tab
• Click the remote resource ‘ECSStudent’. This logs you in to a session host, and you’re ready to go.
  

Or

Using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Configuration File

1. Download the latest Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Windows Store
2. Download the RDP configuration file from remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk
3. Select the name of the resource you are permitted to access (in this case, ‘ECSStudent’) which downloads the Remote Desktop config file (cpub-ECSStudent-ECSStudent-CmsRdsh.rdp) to your machine. This file includes details of the various servers involved in the Remote Desktop farm, as well as the session hosts configured to deliver the ‘ECSStudent’ Remote Desktop service
4. Point a web browser to https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk
5. Authenticate with your university credentials
6. Right-click this config file, the:
   1. select ‘open with’
   2. choose the ‘Remote Desktop’ store application.
7. Click Continue, enter your credentials when requested, confirming that you trust the remote computer if required.
8. Click ‘Connect’ to connect to the remote desktop session and you’re ready to go.
   

 

Using the classic Remote Desktop Client

 

The Remote Desktop Connection Desktop app is available by default.

1. Download the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) configuration file from remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk
2. Point a web browser to https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk, 
3. Authenticate with your university credentials
4. Click on the name of the resource you are permitted to access (in this case ‘ECSStudent’) which downloads the Remote Desktop config file (cpub-ECSStudent-ECSStudent-CmsRdsh.rdp) to your machine. This file includes details of the various servers involved in the Remote Desktop farm, as well as the session hosts configured to deliver the ‘ECSStudent’ Remote Desktop service
5. Double-click this config file, which then should launch the Remote Desktop Connection Desktop app on your computer
6. Enter your credentials when requested, confirming that you trust the remote computer if required
7. Click ‘Connect’ to connect to the remote desktop session and you’re ready to go.

 

Linux

 

Using Remmina

 

The Remmina Remote Desktop Connection Desktop app may be available by default, or you may need to install it: yum –y install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp or apt-get install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp

1. Download the RDP configuration file from remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk
2. Point a web browser to https://remotedesktop.soton.ac.uk, and authenticate with your soton.ac.uk credentials.
3. Click on the name of the resource you are permitted to access (i.e. ‘ECSStudent’) which downloads the Remote Desktop config file (cpub-ECSStudent-ECSStudent-CmsRdsh.rdp) to your machine. This file includes details of the various servers involved in the Remote Desktop farm, as well as the session hosts configured to deliver the ‘ECSStudent’ Remote Desktop service
4. Launch Remmina either through the internet menu option or run the command remmina from a terminal session
5. Select Tools / Import and choose the downloaded RDP file.
6. Enter your credentials when requested, confirming that you trust the remote computer if required. You may be asked for your credentials more than once. This is not unexpected.
7. Double click the new ‘rdbroker.soton.ac.uk’ connection to connect to the remote desktop session and you’re ready to go.
   

 

iOS

 

Using the Remote Desktop app

 

 

Through Auto Configuration:

1. Download and launch latest Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the iOS App Store
2. Run the app, and select the "+"icon
3. Select ‘Remote Resources’
4. Tap Email Address or URL, enter your university email address and click "Done'
5. Tap User Account and supply your username in the format username@soton.ac.uk
6. Supply your soton.ac.uk password
7. Select the newly created user account
8. Go back to Remote Resources
9. Select ‘Find Feed’: this will discover the correct remote resource feed, which will be displayed in bold. Select Subscribe. This action will populate your client with the remote desktop service resource ‘ECSStudent’ on the Desktops tab
10. Click the remote Desktop Service resource ‘ECSStudent’. This logs you in to a session host, and you’re ready to go.

 

Android

 

Using the Microsoft Remote Desktop App

Through Auto Configuration:

1. Download and launch latest Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the Play Store
2. Run the app, and select the "+" icon
3. Select ‘Remote Resource feed’
4. Tap Email Address or URL, enter your <username>@soton.ac.uk email address and click "Done"
5. Tap 'User Account' and supply your username in the format <username>@soton.ac.uk
6. Supply your soton.ac.uk password
7. Select the newly created user account, you should be presented with a found feed.
8. Select Save
9. This action will populate your client with the remote desktop service resource ‘ECSStudent’ on the Desktops tab
10. Select the remote Desktop Service resource ‘ECSStudent’. You may need to accept that you trust the remote resource.

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