Can't rdp to Azure on Mac OS X

Question

I am trying to Remote Desktop onto an Azure instance from Mac OS X, but can't find a tool that allows me to do it. Address and username is fine, but none of the clients seem to have the capabilities to include the instance information.

I have so far tried the Miscrosoft RDC and CoRD but to no avail.

Has anyone succeeded in using RDP to an Azure instance on a Mac?

Answer 1

By default, you can't connect to an Azure Windows server except through the Windows Remote Desktop client.

To connect from OS X, whether through CoRD or the Microsoft Remote Desktop client for Mac, you need to turn off network level authentication:

1. Connect to the Azure server using the Remote Desktop client on a Windows machine
2. Under Control Panel, go to System, then open 'Advanced system settings'
3. On the Remote tab, uncheck "Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)"
4. Re-connect from OS X

Answer 2

you need to create connect from microsoft remote desktop on mac

add ip, user, password

and you can connect now

if you still can't connect , check your azure endpoint setting

set the port that your firewall can pass

Answer 3

I have the same problem with you, and I think there is nothing to do with the network level authentication. The main reason is the default remote desktop app will connecting through port 3389, but your VM's default endpoint set another public port, here is what i do to solve it:

1. Download the latest version of Microsoft Remote Desktop app at Mac app store.
2. Add the port after your connection's DOMAIN/IP like yourvmdomain.com:yourpublicport. You will find the public port on endpoint setting tab. To me, the public port of Remote Desktop is 58494, so the connection will be xx.xx.xx.xx:58494.

This works for me.

Answer 4

Download the new Microsoft remote desktop client, which will allow you to connect to Azure instances without changing the configuration.

(As suggested in the comment from Kim Burgess)

Answer 5

It's tricky to connect to an Azure Cloud Service (aka Web or Worker Role) from a Mac, since PaaS instances sit behind a load balancer. You therefore need to specify which instance to connect to via cookies.

Royal TS supports cookies, so I got this working:

• Install Royal TS free version (http://www.royalapplications.com/ts/osx/features)
• Add the Remote Desktop plugin
• Create new connection
• Enter usual details (server/username/password)
• Advanced > Connection > Load Balance Info > Cookie: mstshash=Your.Server#Your.Server_IN_0

This cookie info is available in the RDP file you can download for your instance from the Azure management portal (just open it in a text editor).

Answer 6

I use the Microsoft Remote Desktop application on OSX to connect to an Azure VM.

Recently I set up a VM from a Windows machine and was able to connect successfully using the admin username and password, but found that I had to reset the admin password to connect from OSX.

You can easily reset the password from the Azure portal for the VM. Go to "Support + troubleshooting/Reset Password".

Answer 7

I often have to enter the user name in the form:

• PC name: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:yyyyy
• Gateway: No gateway configured
• User name: localhost\user.name

Hope that helps someone.

Answer 8

To access Azure instances from a MAC download Microsoft Remote Desktop client in Appstore. The default RDP client Azure provides doesnt work on a MAC. Worked for me

Answer 9

Check that your Networking Inbound Port rules (typically port 3389, but will change behind a load balancer) for the Azure VM allow you in.