CODEWITHSUNDEEP
remote-desktoprds
A Sims
A Sims

Reputation: 107

Remote Desktop Application - Start multiple sessions on my client PC

I have a windows 2016 server running RDS. It is configured to run a single application when a user accesses it from a .rdp shortcut. The user just sees the application as though it is running on their local machine, not a whole remote desktop.

If from a client PC, if I launch the application and log in then I can see a new connection in the RD Gateway manager.

However if I launch the application from the same client PC multiple times I am only asked to login the first time, and whilst I see many instances of the application I only see one connection in the RD gateway manager.

I would like a new connection each time I launch the application, so that I can simulate multiple users running the app concurrently in their own sessions.

I have tried adding "prompt for credentials on client:i:1" to the .rdp shortcut and this has no effect.

Thanks you your help.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2810

Answers (2)

A Sims
A Sims

Reputation: 107

Hi I figured out a solution to this, so I will share in case it is useful for anyone else.

Modify the hosts file to include different names for the target machine ip address:

eg:

  • 51.xxx.159.233 test1.xxx.uk-user1
  • 51.xxx.159.233 test1.xxx.uk-user2
  • 51.xxx.159.233 test1.xxx.uk-user3
  • 51.xxx.159.233 test1.xxx.uk-user4

Then in each rdp launch shortcut, reference a different alias.

eg:

Shortcut1:
full address:s:test1.xxx.uk-user4

Shortcut2:
full address:s:test1.xxx.uk-user3

Then when the RDP is launched it will ask you to log in even if you already have an active connection and server will have a new user logged into it.

Hope this helps somone in the future.

Upvotes: 0

cdavid
cdavid

Reputation: 497

I don't think it's possible. Let me try to explain:

  • Whenever you launch the RDP file, you connect to a session on the RDSH. Now, if you want separate connections, that means that there should be multiple sessions (probably for the same user since the credentials don't change) which is not allowed by the RDSH by default.
  • Assuming you get passed multiple sessions for same user, MSTSC actually recognizes that for the given RDP file, there is already an open connection, so it will try to reuse that.
  • Last but not least, there is the problem of licensing - you are "working around" the system: both per-device and per-user licensing would report 1, therefore it would probably be a violation of ToS.

It would be much more useful if you could tell us what you are trying to achieve and then maybe we can help you more.

P.S.: This question has nothing to do with programming, so it probably belongs to https://superuser.com

Upvotes: 1

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