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RDC Client

Using the Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac

In order to use the RDC Client for Macs, you first need to download the client from the link on the left.  Run the installation package, and then you will be ready to use the RDC client.  You can find it under your applications folder, and when you open it you will get the connection screen

To connect to a windows computer from here all you need is the other computer's name or IP address. If you are off campus and are trying to connect to a computer that is on campus, you will also need to be logged in through your VPN Client.  There are also a few settings you should know about.  To get to these, just go to the RDC menu at the top of your screen and select preferences.

Login Settings

As you can see, User Name is simply your AU Username (or first part of your email), and the password is the same one you use for your email.  You will be logging on using the AUBURN domain.  You cann connect without using  these settings, but if you would like to save them as your default to keep from having to enter them every time then you can do that here.

Display Settings

In the display settings you have many options for you would like the remote desktop to appear.  These settings can be changed to best match the machine you are working on but should be fine as it. You may find some of the options at the bottom, such as hiding the Mac Menu bar and Dock in full-screen mode useful

Keyboard Settings

In the keyboard settings tab you can set certain keys on your mac keyboard as substitues for common windows keys.  The default settings should be fine, but you can change the keys to meet your needs.

Sound Settings

The sounds settings can be set to play sounds from the windows machine on your mac, on the windows machine, or on neither.  Default is to play the sounds on your mac.

Drives Sharing Settings

The Drive Sharing settings allow you to select folders on your mac that you would like to have access to while logged into the windows machine.  The default setting has sharing set to None, so be sure and select the folder you want access to from the drop down menu before connecting.  In this case we chose to share the Home folder.

Now when you connect to the windows computer, you can save work you do on that computer directly to your Mac.  Do note that if someone else has access to that windows computer while you are connected, they also have access to the folders you share from your Mac computer too.

Printer Settings

This allows you to use any printer that is connected to your mac from the windows computer you are connected to.  It automactically sets RDC to connect to your printer as the default.

Application Settings

This will allow you to automatically start any windows application as soon as you connect.  Just enter the path and file name to the program you want opened, and the path to the directory you want to save files in and it will open as soon as you log in.

Security Settings

The security settings can keep you from connecting to the wrong windows computer.  The default setting is to warn if authentication fails, but you can change it to whichever option best meets your needs.

Saving the Default Profile

After you finish configuring the settings, you can save them as your default as follows. 

Close the Preferences window and type Default in the connection window (it must have a computer name in order to save, but it does not matter if it is a real name or not).

Now go to the file menu and click Save As. Make sure you save the connection as Default.

Now when you open a new connection, it will use the settings you saved in the Default connection.  If you want to change any of the settings in your default connection, just resave it as Default (overwrite the old one) with the new settings.