This post mainly introduces how to create a Remote Desktop SSH tunnel using PuTTY on Windows 10 and 11. If you want a remote connection with a higher level of security, this post will be your help.
I use RDP to get a connection to a remote server. Recently, I was told that I could remote into another computer with a higher level of security by tunneling RDP over SSH with PuTTY. As I always deal with sensitive and important information, I wanna give it a try. But I don’t know how to do it, can anyone tell me?"
- Question from Reddit
An SSH tunnel, or Secure Shell tunnel, is a method of securely transmitting data between two devices over a potentially unsecured network. It leverages the encryption capabilities of the SSH protocol to create a secure and private communication channel between a local and a remote host. SSH tunnels are commonly used to protect sensitive information and enable secure access to various services.
Typically, there are three types of SSH tunnels:
Of these, local port forwarding is the most used type of port forwarding.
Creating an SSH tunnel for Remote Desktop (RDP) allows you to secure your remote desktop connection by encrypting the data transmitted between the client and the server. Here are the general steps to create a Remote Desktop SSH tunnel using PuTTY.
There are two prerequisites you need to know:
Here are the detailed steps to create a Windows 10 and 11 SSH Remote Desktop connection:
Step 1. Download PuTTY.
Step 2. Open the Downloads folder, find and open the PuTTY you’ve downloaded.
Step 3. On the left pane, navigate here: Connection > SSH > Tunnels.
Step 4. Add your local IP address and port to the Source port. For example, here we use TCP port 3388 on IP address 127.0.0.2, and the remote internal IP address and RDP port 3389 as Destination (192.168.48.211:3389). Then click Add.
Step 5. Then you can see the forwarded ports shown here. This means the SSH tunnel for Remote Desktop is active.
Step 6. Then you can connect the Remote Desktop Connection to 127.0.0.2:3388.
Here are some crucial notes to keep in mind:
If you're seeking a secure alternative for Remote Desktop on Windows, consider the free and secure remote desktop software, AnyViewer. Key security features of AnyViewer include:
Download AnyViewer, install and launch it on both the remote computer and the local computer, and see how it works.
Step 1. Download, install, and launch AnyViewer on both computers. Go to Log in, and then click Sign up. (If you already have signed up on its official website, you can log in directly.)
Step 2. Fill in the signup information.
Step 3. Then you can see you successfully logged in to AnyViewer. Your device 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, then you can achieve a direct connection by clicking One-click control.
Creating a Remote Desktop SSH tunnel using PuTTY on Windows 10 is certainly a safer way to remote into another computer. Of course, you can also use AnyViewer, the free and secure remote desktop software, to achieve this in a simpler way.