RDP issue on server 2022

Jonathan 380 Reputation points
2026-09-01T14:33:38.6333333+00:00

Hi,

On the current server 2022, I can ping www.google.com

And get the response to these 2 commands

Resolve-DnsName aka.ms

nslookup aka.ms

I enabled RDP on such server 2022 but I could not access it by RDP. How to resolve it?

Windows for business | Windows Server | Networking | Network connectivity and file sharing
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Answer accepted by question author
Marcin Policht 107K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2026-09-01T14:53:56.02+00:00

The fact that the Server 2022 machine can ping www.google.com and successfully run Resolve-DnsName aka.ms and nslookup aka.ms only proves that DNS resolution and outbound network connectivity are working from the server. Those tests are not particularly relevant to the RDP problem. RDP is an inbound connection to TCP port 3389, so the important question is whether the client can reach the server on that port and whether Windows Firewall and the RDP service are allowing the connection.

On the Server 2022 machine, first verify that RDP is actually enabled and that the Remote Desktop Services service is running. Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Get-Service TermService

You should see Status as Running. If it is stopped, run:

Start-Service TermService

Then verify that the server is listening on TCP 3389:

Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 3389 -State Listen

You should get a listening connection. You can also check with:

netstat -ano | findstr :3389

Next, verify that the Windows Firewall RDP rules are enabled:

Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" | Select-Object DisplayName, Enabled, Profile

If they are disabled, enable them with:

Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop"

The most useful test should be performed from the computer you are using to connect to the server, not from the server itself. From the RDP client, run:

Test-NetConnection SERVERNAME -Port 3389

or, if you are connecting by IP address:

Test-NetConnection SERVER-IP -Port 3389

If TcpTestSucceeded is False, you have a network/firewall/routing problem between the client and Server 2022. If it is True but RDP still fails, the problem is more likely authentication, RDP configuration, NLA, user permissions, or an RDP listener/service issue.

Also verify that the account you are using is permitted to log on through Remote Desktop. On the server, the user should either be an administrator or a member of the Remote Desktop Users group. You can check with:

net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users"

If this is a domain environment, also check whether a Group Policy is overriding the local RDP settings. Run:

gpresult /h C:\Temp\gpresult.html

and review the resulting policy report for Remote Desktop Services policies.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin

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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-01T14:33:59+00:00

    Use this sequence to isolate whether the problem is the RDP listener, the server configuration, or the network path.

    1. Verify the server is actually listening for RDP. Run: 
         qwinsta
      Expected result: a line similar to rdp-tcp ... Listen.
      • If rdp-tcp is missing or not in Listen, check these items:
        • Remote Desktop Services (TermService) is running.
        • Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector (UmRdpService) is running.
        • Registry values:
          • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\fEnableWinStation = 1
          • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\fDenyTSConnections = 0
          • If configured by policy, also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\fDenyTSConnections = 0 If policy values exist, configure them through gpedit.msc or gpmc.msc.
    2. Check whether RDP is using the default port. In Registry Editor, verify:
      • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp\PortNumber = 0x00000d3d (3389) If it is different, connect by using hostname:port or IPaddress:port.
    3. Check whether another process is using port 3389. Run in an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window: 
         tasklist /svc | findstr TermService
   netstat -anob | findstr 3389
      The PID for TermService should match the PID listening on port 3389.
      • If it does not match, another process is using the port. Stop that process, then restart Remote Desktop Services.
    4. Test the server locally. On the server, open Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc), enter localhost, and select Connect.
      • If this fails, the issue is on the server itself.
      • If this works, the issue is likely network-related.
    5. Test connectivity to port 3389 from another machine on the same network. Run: 
         Test-NetConnection -ComputerName <server-name-or-ip> -Port 3389 -InformationLevel Detailed
      • If TcpTestSucceeded is True, connectivity is working and the issue is likely with server configuration or roles.
      • If TcpTestSucceeded is False, continue with firewall and DNS checks.
    6. Check firewall rules on the server. Open wf.msc and make sure these inbound rules are enabled for all profiles:
      • Remote Desktop - User Mode (TCP-In)
      • Remote Desktop - User Mode (UDP-In)
      PowerShell equivalent: 
         Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "Remote Desktop" | Set-NetFirewallRule -Enabled True
    7. Check name resolution. Since DNS commands already work, also try connecting by IP address instead of hostname.
      • If IP works but hostname does not, the issue is DNS/name resolution.
    8. If the listener is running and network connectivity is good, check server-side RDP configuration.
      • Delete the Remote Desktop self-signed certificate from the Certificates MMC under Computer account > Certificates > Remote Desktop.
      • Restart Remote Desktop Services.
      • Refresh the MMC and confirm the certificate is re-created.
      • In Server Manager > Manage > Remove Roles and Features > Server Roles > Remote Desktop Services, remove unnecessary RDS roles if present.
    9. If the server is a domain controller, only members of the Domain Admins group can use RDP to connect to it.

    Important: registry edits and certificate deletion can disrupt RDP if done incorrectly. Back up the registry before changing it.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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