Remote Desktop Gateway

Connecting your RIT Windows Computer via Remote Desktop from Off-Campus

In order to successfully connect to your RIT Windows computer via Remote Desktop from off-campus using either a Windows or macOS computer, you must configure your Remote Desktop client to use a Remote Desktop Gateway. In order to do that, you need to know the complete hostname of your RIT Windows computer (typically in the format of xxxxxxxx.main.ad.rit.edu).

Note: These steps will only work if the Windows computer you're trying to connect to is an RIT domain bound computer. 

Finding your computer's hostname

Finding your Computer's Hostname through System Information Viewer

1. Utilize the System Information Viewer application, which should be an Orange Paw icon on the desktop of the computer you're looking to remote desktop to. It should look something like RITCHIE.AD.RIT.EDU

Finding your Computer's Hostname through Windows System Information

1. Right-click on the Start Menu Button and then Left-click on System

2. When the System window opens, on either the right side of the page, or near the bottom (if you scroll down) you'll find a System info link, click this.

3. A new window will open, write down the information listed in the Full computer name field as pointed out below

Connecting via Windows OS

1. Open the Remote Desktop Connection client on your computer.

2. Enter your computer's fullname in the Computer field. (If your computer name is already listed, proceed to the next step.)

3. Click the Show Options drop-down arrow.

4. Click the Advanced tab, and click Settings.

5. Select the second option Use these RD Gateway server settings, and for the Server name, enter rdgateway.rit.edu. Then also select the option Bypass RD Gateway server for local addresses and then Click OK to connect.

6. Enter your RIT Computer Account credentials, being sure to enter your username in the MAIN\abcxyz format.

7. You will most likely be prompted to trust the computer's certificate, as this is an RIT-internal certificate.  Verify the name and click "Yes" to continue.

8. You should now be connected to your computer!

Note: RIT's Remote Desktop Gateway requires that Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.2 is utilizied. If you are still using Windows 7 on the computer you're trying to connect from, clients need to have an update installed and a registry change made to ensure that this works. Please see Update to enable TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2 as a default secure protocols in WinHTTP in Windows for a download link and installation instructions for both the update and the registry "easy fix" from Microsoft.

Connecting via Mac OS

1. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop application (if not installed already, this can be obtained from the Mac App Store for personal devices, or via Managed Software Center for ITS-Managed Mac's).

2. Click the Gear icon and select Preferences...

3. Select the Gateways tab and click the + (Plus) button to add a new gateway, configured as follows:

  • Gateway name: rdgateway.rit.edu
  • Friendly name: RIT RD Gateway
  • User account: Use PC User Account


4. Switch to the User Accounts tab and click the + (Plus) to add a new user account, configured as follows:

  • Username: main\username (e.g., main\ritchie)
  • Password: <your RIT computer account password>

5. Close the Preferences window, and click the + (Plus) button and click Add PC to create a new connection, configured as follows:

  • PC name: The computer you're trying to connect to's full hostname.
  • User Account: The account we previously set up

6. Select the Gateway: RIT RD Gateway

7. Close the Add PC window, and double-click your newly-listed PC to connect.

8. You will most likely be asked to Verify Certificate, as this is an RIT-internal certificate. You can optionally click Show Certificate to verify the name, and then click Continue.

9. You should now be connected to your computer!