- 1). Make sure that your copy of Windows XP Professional is up to date and that any patches or updates for Remote Desktop are installed. You can download updates from the official Microsoft website or automatically through your operating system (by turning on "Automatic Updates").
- 2). Sign in as the administrator on your computer. Open "Performance and Maintenance" from the "Control Panel," located in the "Start" menu. Click on "System."
- 3). Locate and click on the "Remote" tab. Click the "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer" check box to turn this feature on. Click the "OK" button..
- 4). Select the "Security Center" from the "Control Panel," accessed through the "Start" menu. Choose "Firewall Settings" from the "Manage security settings for" area, located in the bottom section.
- 5). Uncheck the "Don't allow exceptions" check box if it is checked. Click on the "Exceptions" tab and click the "Remote Desktop" check box if it is not already selected. Click the "OK" button..
- 6). Access "System" by clicking on "Performance and Maintenance" from the "Control Panel," located in the "Start" menu. Click the "Computer Name" tab and record the full computer name for future reference. Use this name when you remotely access your computer from a different location.