How to Access Another Computer Using an IP Address
Often when you're working on a computer, you need to connect to other computers to run software or check data on them. This could involve connecting to a business server used by your work team or opening a remote desktop session on your work PC from home. Either way, if you know the computer's domain name or IP address, there are several tools to make this possible.
Remote Computer Access With Remote Desktop
One of the most common tools to connect to a remote Microsoft Windows computer is Microsoft's Remote Desktop. This software enables you to connect to a computer running Windows 10 or many earlier versions of the operating system from another Windows computer or a smartphone running Android or iOS. It allows you to remotely control the computer using your keyboard and mouse, using the standard Windows interface.
Before you can connect to a computer with Remote Desktop, you must enable it on the computer you're connecting to. To do this, click the "Start Menu" and select "Settings." Within the Settings menu, click "Remote Desktop" and then choose "Enable Remote Desktop." Make a note of the name of the computer.
Then, on another Windows computer, open the Remote Desktop app and type the name or IP address of the computer you want to connect to. You can also do this on a smartphone running iOS or Android using the Microsoft Remote Desktop app from the App Store or Google Play store. There are other third-party clients for the Remote Desktop protocol, known as RDP, which you can download for other operating systems.
Other Remote Computer Access Tools
In addition to Remote Desktop, other tools you can use to access a computer remotely include open-source VNC, which stands for Virtual Network Console. Like Remote Desktop, it allows you to use your keyboard and mouse to control a remote computer. Several VNC software packages are available, and you usually must install VNC on both your local computer and the remote computer you plan to control.
Other commercial software, such as TeamViewer, is available for remote desktop connections or sharing your screen during conference calls and meetings so others can see data on your computer.
SSH, which stands for Secure Shell, is often used by programmers and system administrators to talk to remote servers. Unlike Remote Desktop and VNC, SSH opens a command line connection to a remote computer, although you can also forward remote graphical and online content to your machine in many situations. It's more commonly used to connect to Linux and other Unix systems than to Windows or Mac computers.
You need to know the remote computer's name or IP address to connect with SSH or VNC.
Finding Your IP Address
If you need to connect to a remote computer and aren't sure of the IP address, you can check it in the Windows settings.
Click the "Start Menu" and then "Settings." In the Settings menu, click "Network & Internet."
If you're using a wired connection on the computer, click "Ethernet" and then your connection to see the IP address. If you're using a Wi-Fi connection, click "WiFi" and then "Advanced Options."
Your IP address is a series of numbers separated by dots.
- Select "Allow Connections From Computers Running Any Version of Remote Desktop" to allow users on Windows Vista or earlier versions of the operating system to create a connection with the remote computer. Keep in mind, however, that this is less secure.
- To allow standard users -- that is, users without administrative rights -- to connect to the remote computer, click "Select Users" on the Remote tab and then click "Add." Enter the name of the standard user, click "Check Names" to find the correct account and then click "OK."
- You cannot use Remote Desktop to create a connection with computers running Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, or Windows 7 Home Premium. You can use Remote Assistance instead to create a remote connection, but a user on the machine must invite you first.
Steven Melendez is an independent journalist with a background in technology and business. He has written for a variety of business publications including Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, Innovation Leader and Business BVI. He was awarded the Knight Foundation scholarship to Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.