LIIF Remote Desktop Documentation1/27/2006

This document contains:

A Section on Getting Started with the Remote Desktop
Frequently Asked Questions about the Remote Desktop

oWhat is the remote desktop?

oWhat equipment do I need?

oDoes the remote desktop work with a Mac?

oWhere do I store my company files, where do I access shared company information?

oHow can I improve the speed of the desktop?

oCan I connect from anywhere in the world using any internet connection?

oCan I use AOL, Firefox or another browser rather than Internet Explorer?

oWhat sorts of things interfere with the remote desktop and what can I do about them?

oWhat if I need to print something?

oCan I save files to my local computer?

Printing from the Remote Desktop to a Local Printer

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Getting Started with the Remote Desktop

The first time you try to access the LIIF terminal server from the link on the employee logon site ( ts.liifund.org) you may run into problems loading the ActiveX plug-in.

Hit OK at this screen:

And this one:

And the last one:

Click at the top of your browser window where it says “This site might require the following ActiveX control: ‘Remote Desktop ActiveX Control’ from ‘Microsoft Windows Publisher’. Click here to install…”

Scroll down to Install ActiveX control.

Click the Install button in the next dialogue box.

The plug-in should load and redirect you to the Terminal Server immediately:

You may see a warning regarding "full screen mode", click "OK" to ignore this. You will be asked for your username and password. After a few seconds you will see the remote desktop appear in your browser window and you can begin work.

The first time you log into the Terminal Server, you may see a “Manage Your Server” pop-up window. This pop-up comes up the first time every user logs in. It asks you whether you want to see it again. Uncheck the "Show every time you log in" box in the lower left-hand corner and you should never see it again.

To log off of the Terminal Server, click on the Start Menu and scroll over to the Log Off button. You may also click on the X button on the Remote Desktop Menu bar to disconnect your session.

If you "disconnect" then the next time you log on you will find all your programs running just where you left them. If you "log off" all of your programs will be closed and you will be presented with a fresh desktop the next time you log in. By default, a disconnected session will Log Off automatically after a few hours.

The first time you login from any given computer you will also be asked to accept the ActiveX download. You must accept this.If your computer appears to refuse the ActiveX download, add the company home page to your list of trusted sites.

- In Internet Explorer go to the "Tools" menu and select "Internet Options".

- Select the "Security" tab. Click on "Trusted Sites".

- Ensure that security is set to "low" for this zone.

- With "Trusted Sites" still selected, click on the "Sites" button.

- Clear the "require server verification" checkbox.

- Type n the "add this web site" box.

- Be sure you substitute the correct URL for your company's home page e.g.

- Click the "add" button.

- Click "ok" and "ok" to get back to the main browser.

You will not see the pop-up message any more and your computer should now accept and run the needed ActiveX download. If you use another computer you will have to do this again.

Frequently asked questions

What is the remote desktop?

When you log in to the remote desktop, you see the screen (a.k.a. the "desktop") of the terminal server at the LIIF headquarters in San Francisco. This computer makes LIIF’s programs and data available anywhere in the world that an internet connection is available. This computer is set up so that several people can use it at the same time. However, as far as any user can tell, he/she is the only one using it.

What equipment do I need?

A computer running some flavor of Windows, connected to the internet, with Internet explorer 4.0 or, preferably, newer installed. Your session will run better with a faster internet connection. You don't need the latest computer though since all the processing is done at the remote server.

Does the remote desktop work with a Mac?

Yes, but you need to install a special client for the Mac in order to be able to connect to LIIF’s terminal server. The Mac RDP client by Microsoft allows you to connect from your Macintosh computer to a Windows-based computer and work with programs and files on that computer. You can download the client from:

Where do I store my company files, where do I access shared company information?

All work done in the remote session is stored on the company's computers. For most companies, when you open the little computer icon on the desktop, you will see a few "mapped network drives" with drive letters generally greater than E. These drives are shortcuts to the places in the network where the company's files are stored.

How can I improve the speed of the desktop?

Get a faster internet connection. A dial-up connection will work but you will likely find the experience a bit frustrating. A DSL or cable modem connection is ideal.Getting a new faster computer will not help, your internet connection speed is the almost always the limiting factor.

Can I connect from anywhere in the world using any internet connection?

Almost. If you sit down at a computer inside a large company, you will likely have a firewall between the computer and the internet which may interfere with access to the remote desktop. Dial-up connections will also run slowly. AOL has notoriously slow connections. Other than these restrictions, you can access the desktop from anywhere in the world using any internet connection.

Can I use AOL, Netscape or my ISP supplied browser rather than Internet Explorer?

You can try, but only Internet Explorer is fully supported. Did you know that, once logged in to AOL, you can minimize the AOL window and begin to use Internet Explorer? ISP's such as Earthlink or local telephone company often supply custom, branded browsers that they ask you to install and use. If use of the custom browser seems to be required for login, do so but then minimize the custom browser and launch Internet Explorer. The latest version if internet explorer is available here:

What sorts of things interfere with the remote desktop and what can I do about them?

Firewalls interfere. If you think you might be behind one, you can have the local network administrator (from where you are trying to connect) work with LIIF’s System Administrator to allow access through the firewall on port 3389. If this is impractical or not permitted, the fall back position is to use a laptop to establish a dial-up connection to the internet. Be sure to borrow a fax line to dial out, most company phone lines are not suitable for use in establishing a dial-up internet connection.

The security settings of the Internet Explorer browser you are using can also interfere. To ensure you don't have problems with this follow the instructions for adding your company home page ( to the list of "trusted sites" listed above.

What if I need to print something?

If you have installed the ScrewDrivers client on your machine at home, your local printer should automatically be available from the Remote Desktop. If you have not yet installed the ScrewDrivers client, please the section below called Printing from the Remote Desktop to a Local Printer for more details. Please note that you will only be able to print something if you are connecting to the remote desktop from a Windows-based PC, not a Mac.

If the printer is directly attached to your computer or available on your local network, it should be visible in the list of available printers in your remote desktop session. To check this, look for the printer in your Remote Desktop session (not on your local computer). To see if the printer was installed in the remote session to Start --> Settings --> Printers and look for a printer identical to yours. When you find it right click the printer and select "properties". The "properties" page has a "print a test page button”.

Can I save files to my local computer?

Unfortunately, you cannot save files to your local machine. Files should be saved in the remote desktop session on LIIF’s file servers that are secure and are regularly backed up.

Printing from the Remote Desktop to a Local Printer

In order to send something you’re looking at on the remote desktop to a local printer (probably at home), you will need to install a special utility called the ScrewDrivers client onto your computer. Please note that your computer must be a Windows-based PC.

To install the ScrewDrivers client, download the client (called v351_rdp_only.msi) from the employee login page on the LIIF web site. Double click on the icon to start the installation:

Click Next.

Enter your name in the Full Name field, and Low Income Housing Fund in the Organization field. Leave the radial button next to “Anyone who uses this computer” checked. Click Next.

Click Next:

Click Next.

The progress bar will increase as the installation proceeds.

Click finish to end the installation.

If the printer is directly attached to your computer or available on your local network, it should now be visible in the list of available printers in your remote desktop session.

To check this, look for the printer in your Remote Desktop session (not on your local computer). To see if the printer was installed in the remote session, go to Start --> Settings --> Printers and look for a printer identical to yours. When you find it right click the printer and select "properties". The "properties" page has a "print a test page button”.

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