How can I remotely access another computer using CMD?
When I work at home, it troubles me that I sometimes need to perform tasks or pull up a file using my work computer. My friend suggests I access my work PC to solve this problem. Is there anybody who could please tell me how can I control another computer using CMD?"
- Question from Reddit
How to remotely access another computer using CMD via RDP
Sometimes you may need to access your work computer from home to handle some working issues. But not everyone can connect the PCs successfully. Here in the post, we introduce how to remotely access another computer without permission using CMD via Remote Desktop Connection.
Before operations, you need to know the conditions for remotely accessing another computer using CMD via RDP:
- Only the Pro or Enterprise versions of Windows (rather than Home) are available to set up the Windows Remote Desktop, though, Windows Home Editions can connect to other PCs as the client computer.
- The host computer must be on and not in sleep or hibernation mode before connection.
- You need to perform port forwarding or use a VPN when you access another computer in different networks.
Part 1. Set up Windows Remote Desktop on the host computer previously
How to remotely access another computer using CMD? Firstly you need to set up Windows Remote Desktop.
1. Enable Remote Desktop in Settings
Navigate here: Settings > System > Remote Desktop > Turn on the Enable Remote Desktop, and then click the Confirm button.
2. Get the IP address and username
Step 1. Press Win + R on the host computer to open the Run dialog box. Enter "cmd" and then hit OK.
Step 2. To get the IP address for Remote Dekstop, enter the command "ipconfig" and note the IPv4 Address.
Step 3. To get the PC name for Remote Desktop, type in “query user”, and you can see your PC name.
Part 2. Connect to another PC via Command Prompt
“How can I control another computer using CMD?” After you have enabled Remote Desktop on the host computer, follow the next steps to control another PC via Command Prompt.
Step 1. On the client computer, search for Command Prompt to open it, then type in “mstsc” and press Enter to invoke the Remote Desktop Connection window.
Step 2. Type in the IP address and username of the host computer, and then click Connect.
Now you may grasp how to access another computer using CMD remotely. Besides, you can use additional terms at the end of the command to access the computer directly through Command Prompt. This entry takes you to access your host computer without permission straight.
Type "mstsc /console /v:computername" into Command Prompt, and place “computername” with the specific username of the computer you want to connect to. For example, the username of the PC I want to log in to is Vivian PC.
- It’s unavailable to have multiple Remote Desktop Connections to one PC. Specifically, Windows OS only supports one remote session simultaneously, while Windows Server OS allows 2 concurrent remote sessions.
- It doesn’t have a chat box for timely text communication during the remote session, which is inconvenient for users to do remote support.
AnyViewer: The easiest way to remotely access another computer
Due to the limitations listed above, you may look for other ways to access another computer remotely. In this case, you can use AnyViewer, which is highly appreciated for the following reasons:
- Easy-to-use. It has the easiest operations to achieve a remote connection without an IP address or username.
- Compatible. It supports almost all Windows versions, including Windows 10 Home and Windows 7 Standard.
- User-friendly. It offers a chat box for text communication between PCs during remote connections, which is convenient for remote technical support.
- Multi-session. It’s allowed to have multiple Remote Desktop Connections to one PC.
After downloading and installing, follow the next steps to connect to another PC via AnyViewer.
Note: If you want to remotely access computer from mobile devices, you can download AnyViewer iOS or Android edition from App Store or Google Play.
Step 1. On the host computer, go to Log in on the left pane, and click Sign up (You can log in directly if you already have signed up).
Step 2. Fill in the signup information.
Step 3. When you successfully log in to AnyViewer, your devices will automatically be assigned to the account you’ve logged in to.
Step 4. Log in to the same AnyViewer account on the two devices, and click One-click control to achieve unattended remote access.
- ✔ Tips: You can also upgrade to a Professional or Enterprise plan to enjoy the following rights:
- Assign more devices to achieve unattended remote access. One-click control is available only between assigned devices. Free account supports assigning up to 3 devices; advanced plans support assigning up to 10 or 100 devices.
- Enjoy more simultaneous sessions. Free account allows you to control 2 computers simultaneously from one PC while advanced plans enable you to control 5 or 10 PCs at the same time.
- Enjoy more concurrent connections for an Enterprise plan. Free account and Professional account support 2 concurrent connections while Enterprise account supports 10 concurrent connections.
- Connect to the host computer in privacy mode to protect your data and privacy during remote connections.
- Transfer unlimited files at once at a higher speed up to 10 MB/s.
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Conclusion
In this post, you will learn how to access another computer using CMD remotely, but it is not a convenient option to do remote work for its limitations. Therefore, it's recommended to use AnyViewer to control another computer with easy operations remotely.