How to Access Remote Server (RAS) from Windows 10/11

Imagine having a team expanded over different geographical locations and your IT administrator wants to update the application across all the user devices. Seems like a problematic situation as you don’t have access to all the user devices within the premises of organization. What to do in such a situation? This is where Remote Access Server (RAS) comes into play.

These tools bridge the connection between the server and user systems to help authenticate users and allow them to access the required resources. This article explores RAS in detail along with its three implementation methods and free popular solutions.

Part 1: What is a Remote Access Server (RAS)?

RAS is the ability to access the organization’s resources remotely. To understand it, every organization establishes a Local Area Network (LAN) to protect their resources and information, requiring employees to connect with this LAN to access them. Here, RAS helps by acting as a hub to form the connection between the user’s system and the organization’s LAN to allow the access and transfer of information.

This is useful in scenarios like facilitating remotely working employees to securely access the organization’s data or requiring an IT administrator to install the new application on the employees' systems.

Part 2: How Does a Remote Access Server Work (RAS)?

The working of RAS is usually based on three steps:

To execute these steps successfully, RAS is required to be equipped with the functionalities of remote connectivity, security management, resource sharing, network traffic and session management.

Part 3: Remote Access Server Implementation Methods

This section covers three common implementation methods for RAS: VPN, IP Address, and setting it up on Windows 10/11.

1Using VPN for Remote Access

VPN (Virtual Private Network) allows establishing a connection with the organization’s servers and remote user devices. It is done by creating a secure tunnel between the network for the encrypted traffic.

Every organization has a specified secure VPN application for their employees and users. This way, the credentials are shared with the users, and they can establish a connection with the server to access resources.

Generally, the steps include:

2Accessing Servers Remotely by IP Address

An IP address is a combination of characters that is unique for each system and allows the establishment of a connection with it over the network. If your organization has an IP address option enabled for remote access, you can access the resources via two methods.

If you’re on a Windows system, follow the steps below:

Secondly, if you’re using a VPN to establish the connection, you can enter the IP address after logging in with your credentials to connect with the server.

3Setting Up Remote Access Server on Windows 10/11

You can easily set up a remote access server on Windows 10/11 by following the steps below:

Part 4 : The Benefits of Using Remote Access Servers in an Organization

This section highlights a few of the significant benefits of using remote access in an organization. These include:

1Flexible working models

RAS makes remote working easier because the employees can access the organization’s resources and streamline the IT updates, without the restriction of on-site presence.

2Enhanced Security

When it comes to remotely accessing resources, one of the major concerns is data security. However, with RAS, only authenticated users can access the information on the server via a secure mechanism as all the traffic is encrypted.

3Cost-Effective

Removal of the restriction of the on-site presence of all the employees helps an organization save costs on the office setups, while also ensuring security and flexibility of work.

Part 5: 3 Free Remote Access Server Solutions

This section covers the details of three popular remote access server solutions, including TeamViewer, RustDesk, and Chrome Remote Desktop.

1TeamViewer

TeamViewer is one of the most popular remote access software, which also comes with remote control abilities. It makes remote access, collaboration, and providing support easier.

2RustDesk

RustDesk is an alternative to TeamViewer, but it’s an open-source tool. It comes equipped with an extensive feature set and security considerations.

3Chrome Remote Desktop

It is a popular remote desktop tool developed by Google. This tool allows an easy and efficient way to remotely control another desktop.

Part 6: Best Practices for Using Remote Access Servers

Although RAS is a secure and effective method of remotely accessing and controlling user systems, there is a potential for security vulnerabilities. Therefore, to make the best use of RAS, the following practices must be considered:

1Regular Updates and Patching

Ensure your RAS tool has regular updates and patches for security vulnerabilities. With regular updates, it's easier to tackle the latest security concerns without them reaching the uncontrollable stages.

2Using Strong Passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication

To ensure that only authorized individuals access the resources, enable multi-factor authentication and promote the practice of using stronger passwords. It closes security loopholes by a great deal.

3Regular Security Audits

Regularly perform security audits on the tool and its functionalities to ensure none of the security concerns are overlooked. Regular audits help in having a proactive instead of a reactive approach.

Part 7: How AirDroid Business Enhances Remote Access Server Management?

When it comes to a remote access and control service, it's significant to opt for an efficient one. This is why AirDroid Business is the right choice to help enhance remote access server management. It is because AirDroid Business equips you with the capabilities to manage, monitor, and secure remote devices.

Additionally, AirDroid Business makes it easier to offer remote troubleshooting services to cut down on downtime. And the cherry on top is the feature of black screen mode, which allows you to remotely work on the devices while ensuring data security.

Bringing it all together, remote access and control tools are the need of time in ensuring digitization and smooth execution of the business processes. This is why, it’s significant to choose an efficient tool for the said purpose that is equipped with all the required features while having security as a core layer of it.