How to Connect to a Windows VPS via RDP

To connect to a Windows VPS via RDP, copy the server's public IP address from your Raff dashboard, open a Remote Desktop client, enter the IP address, sign in with Administrator, enter the password you set during VM creation, and accept the first-time certificate warning.

For most users, the connection takes less than a minute.

The fastest path is:

1. Open your RDP client.
2. Enter the Windows VPS public IP.
3. Use username: Administrator.
4. Enter the Windows VPS password.
5. Accept the certificate warning.
6. You are connected to Windows Server.

If the connection fails, the cause is usually one of four things:

• the VM is not running yet;
• the password or username is wrong;
• your network blocks outbound TCP 3389;
• the server firewall or RDP service is not reachable.

This guide shows how to connect from Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad, and Android, then how to fix the most common RDP errors.

What RDP is

RDP stands for Remote Desktop Protocol.

It lets you open a graphical Windows desktop session on a remote Windows Server. Instead of working directly on a physical machine, you control the Windows VPS over the network from your local computer.

For Windows VPS users, RDP is used for:

• first server login;
• installing software;
• managing Windows Server;
• configuring IIS, SQL Server, ERP, accounting apps, or business software;
• running admin tools;
• checking logs;
• changing firewall rules;
• setting up RDS when more users are needed.

RDP is not the same as a web dashboard.

The dashboard creates and manages the VM. RDP connects you to the Windows desktop inside that VM.

What you'll need

Before starting, prepare:

• a Raff Windows VPS with status Running;
• the VM's Public IPv4 address;
• the Administrator password you set during VM creation;
• an RDP client on your local device;
• outbound access to TCP port 3389 from your network;
• 5 minutes for the first connection.

Windows has a built-in RDP client.

macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android use Microsoft's Windows App or another RDP client.

Linux users can use Remmina or FreeRDP.

RDP connection settings

Use these settings for a standard Raff Windows VPS connection:

Example:

Computer: 203.0.113.42
Username: Administrator
Password: your saved Administrator password

If Administrator does not work in your RDP client, try:

.\Administrator

or:

<server-ip>\Administrator

For example:

203.0.113.42\Administrator

Step 1 — Get your IP address and password ready

Raff handles Windows credentials differently from providers that email a generated password.

You set the Administrator password during VM creation.

Raff does not display that password afterward, so save it in a password manager before closing the creation flow.

To find your Windows VPS IP address:

1. Log in to the Raff dashboard.
2. Go to Compute → All Virtual Machines.
3. Click your Windows VM.
4. Copy the Public IPv4 address from the VM details page.

The default username is:

Administrator

unless you changed it during setup.

If you forgot the Administrator password

If you forgot the password, reset it from the VM details page.

In the Raff dashboard:

1. Open the Windows VM details page.
2. Go to Actions.
3. Find Reset Password.
4. Confirm the reset.
5. Use the new password after the reset completes.

If reset does not work, contact Raff support with the VM name and account email.

Do not keep retrying random passwords. Repeated failed login attempts can trigger lockout behavior depending on Windows policy.

Step 2 — Connect from Windows

Windows includes Remote Desktop Connection by default.

No install is needed.

1. Press Win + R.
2. Type:

mstsc

3. Press Enter.
4. In Computer, paste your Windows VPS public IP address.
5. Click Show Options.
6. In User name, enter:

Administrator

7. Click Connect.
8. Enter the Administrator password.
9. Accept the certificate warning.

You should now see the Windows Server desktop.

Save the RDP connection on Windows

After entering the IP and username:

1. Click Show Options.
2. Go to the General tab.
3. Click Save As.
4. Save the .rdp file somewhere safe.

Next time, double-click the .rdp file.

Do not store the password inside an .rdp file shared with other people unless your organization has a safe credential process.

Step 3 — Connect from macOS

On macOS, use Microsoft's Windows App from the Mac App Store.

1. Install Windows App from the Mac App Store.
2. Open Windows App.
3. Click +.
4. Choose Add PC.
5. In PC name, paste your Windows VPS public IP.
6. Add a user account:
   • Username: Administrator
   • Password: your Administrator password
7. Save the connection.
8. Double-click the saved PC.
9. Accept the certificate warning.

Windows App supports common RDP features such as clipboard sharing, display settings, and folder redirection depending on your client settings.

For normal Windows VPS administration, it is the recommended path on macOS.

Step 4 — Connect from Linux

The easiest Linux RDP client is usually Remmina.

Install Remmina:

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-rdp

For Fedora:

sudo dnf install remmina remmina-plugins-rdp

For Arch:

sudo pacman -S remmina freerdp

Then connect:

1. Open Remmina.
2. Click + to create a new profile.
3. Set Protocol to RDP - Remote Desktop Protocol.
4. Set Server to your Windows VPS public IP.
5. Set Username to Administrator.
6. Enter the password.
7. Click Save and Connect.

If you prefer the command line, use FreeRDP:

xfreerdp /v:203.0.113.42 /u:Administrator /p:'YourPasswordHere' /cert:tofu /size:1920x1080

Replace the IP and password.

/cert:tofu means trust on first use. Avoid /cert:ignore for normal use because it skips certificate validation entirely.

Step 5 — Connect from iPhone, iPad, or Android

Use Microsoft's mobile Windows App.

On iPhone or iPad:

1. Install Windows App from the App Store.
2. Open the app.
3. Tap +.
4. Choose Add PC.
5. Enter the Windows VPS IP address.
6. Add the Administrator account and password.
7. Save and connect.
8. Accept the certificate warning.

On Android:

1. Install Windows App from Google Play.
2. Tap +.
3. Add the Windows VPS IP address.
4. Add the Administrator login.
5. Save and connect.

Mobile RDP is useful for quick admin tasks.

For serious server work, use a desktop or laptop with a keyboard and larger screen.

Step 6 — Accept the certificate warning

The first RDP connection usually shows a certificate warning.

This is normal for a new Windows VPS.

Why it happens:

• the server uses a self-signed RDP certificate by default;
• your local computer has never trusted this server before;
• the certificate name may not match the IP address.

If the IP address is correct and you are connecting to your own VM, accept the warning.

Do not ignore certificate warnings if you are connecting over an unknown network, using a suspicious IP, or if the warning appears unexpectedly after a long period of normal use.

For production RDS environments, you can later configure trusted certificates, RD Gateway, and stronger access controls.

Step 7 — Verify the Windows VPS connection

After the desktop opens, run a quick check.

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object CsName, OsName, OsVersion, OsBuildNumber

You should see:

• server name;
• Windows Server edition;
• OS version;
• build number.

Then check the IP configuration:

ipconfig

Also confirm RDP service status:

Get-Service TermService

Expected status:

Running

If you can open PowerShell and run these checks, your RDP session is working.

Security tips after first login

After you connect for the first time, do not stop at the desktop.

Do these basic hardening steps:

1. Run Windows Update.
2. Confirm the Administrator password is strong and unique.
3. Create named admin accounts if more people need access.
4. Do not share one Administrator password across a team.
5. Restrict RDP access by firewall rule if possible.
6. Use a VPN or RD Gateway for stricter environments.
7. Do not expose unnecessary ports.
8. Enable backups or snapshots before installing important software.
9. Review Windows Firewall.
10. Keep a recovery path in the Raff dashboard.

For small one-admin environments, direct RDP may be acceptable.

For production teams, RDP access should be part of a security plan.

Common RDP errors and how to fix them

Most first-time RDP problems fit into a small number of categories.

Error 1 — "Your credentials did not work"

Most likely causes:

• wrong password;
• wrong username;
• password pasted with hidden characters;
• Caps Lock;
• password was reset but not updated in your client;
• saved RDP credentials are stale.

Try these username formats:

Administrator
.\Administrator
<server-ip>\Administrator

Example:

203.0.113.42\Administrator

Then type the password manually instead of pasting it.

If it still fails, reset the password from the Raff dashboard.

Error 2 — "Remote Desktop can't connect to the remote computer"

This usually means the server cannot be reached over RDP.

Check in this order:

1. Is the VM status Running in the Raff dashboard?
2. Are you using the correct public IP?
3. Are you connected to a corporate VPN or office network that blocks RDP?
4. Can your network reach TCP port 3389?
5. Was Windows Firewall changed inside the VM?
6. Was RDP disabled manually?

From Windows, test the port:

Test-NetConnection 203.0.113.42 -Port 3389

From macOS or Linux:

nc -zv 203.0.113.42 3389

If the port test fails from your office network, try a personal hotspot.

Many corporate networks block outbound RDP.

Error 3 — Network Level Authentication warning

You may see an error similar to:

The remote computer requires Network Level Authentication.

This usually means your local RDP client is too old or incompatible.

Fix it by updating your local RDP client or operating system.

Do not disable Network Level Authentication as a normal fix.

NLA is a security feature and should stay enabled for internet-facing or production servers.

Only disable it temporarily for controlled testing if you have console access or another recovery path.

Error 4 — CredSSP authentication error

You may see:

An authentication error has occurred.
The function requested is not supported.

This is usually related to CredSSP update mismatch.

The clean fix is to update the local computer and the Windows Server with current Windows Updates.

Avoid old workarounds that weaken encryption oracle remediation settings. They may make the connection work by reducing security, which is not the right fix for a production server.

Error 5 — The session disconnects after a fixed time

If the session disconnects after a fixed period such as 30 minutes or 2 hours, a session limit policy is probably configured.

Check Local Group Policy:

Computer Configuration
→ Administrative Templates
→ Windows Components
→ Remote Desktop Services
→ Remote Desktop Session Host
→ Session Time Limits

Review:

• Set time limit for active but idle Remote Desktop Services sessions
• Set time limit for active Remote Desktop Services sessions
• End session when time limits are reached

If the server is joined to a domain, a domain Group Policy may override local settings.

Error 6 — Black screen after login

A black screen after login is usually not an RDP credential problem.

Try:

1. Wait 30–60 seconds after first login.
2. Reconnect.
3. Restart the VM from the Raff dashboard if safe.
4. Use lower display resolution in the RDP client.
5. Disable advanced graphics features in the RDP client.
6. Check whether Windows updates are still applying.

After reconnecting, inspect Event Viewer and Windows Update status.

Error 7 — Copy and paste does not work

Clipboard sharing can be disabled by client settings, server policy, or RDS configuration.

Try:

1. Disconnect and reconnect.
2. Check the RDP client clipboard setting.
3. On Windows client, open Local Resources and enable Clipboard.
4. Restart rdpclip.exe inside the session:

Stop-Process -Name rdpclip -Force
Start-Process rdpclip.exe

For production RDS environments, clipboard redirection may be intentionally disabled by policy.

Error 8 — File transfer does not work

RDP file transfer depends on drive or folder redirection.

On Windows Remote Desktop Connection:

1. Open mstsc.
2. Click Show Options.
3. Go to Local Resources.
4. Click More.
5. Select the local drives you want to redirect.
6. Connect again.

On macOS Windows App, configure folder redirection in the saved PC settings.

For sensitive servers, avoid redirecting your full local drive. Share only the folder you actually need.

RDP security best practices

RDP is powerful, but it must be protected.

Use these rules:

RDP should be convenient, not careless.

Admin RDP vs RDS Session Host

A normal Windows Server VPS includes administrative RDP access.

That is different from using the server as a multi-user desktop for employees.

Administrative RDP is for:

• server setup;
• troubleshooting;
• patching;
• software installation;
• admin maintenance.

RDS Session Host is for:

• multiple users signing in regularly;
• shared business app access;
• remote desktop workflows;
• RemoteApp;
• proper RDS licensing.

If more than the default administrative sessions are needed, read the multi-user RDP and RDS CAL licensing guides before putting users on the server.

Do not build a production multi-user desktop environment around admin RDP sessions.

What Raff recommends

For most Raff Windows VPS users:

1. Use Administrator only for first setup and emergency admin tasks.
2. Save credentials in a password manager.
3. Run Windows Update after first login.
4. Keep RDP access restricted where possible.
5. Use a VPN or RD Gateway for teams and sensitive servers.
6. Use RDS Session Host and RDS CALs for real multi-user access.
7. Enable backups or snapshots before installing business-critical apps.
8. Contact support if the VM is running but RDP port 3389 is not reachable.

The goal is simple:

Connect fast, then secure the server properly.

Tested on

Tested on Raff Windows VPS running Windows Server 2025, connecting with Remote Desktop Connection on Windows and Windows App on macOS. The original Raff dashboard screenshot and workflow were kept from the previous version of this guide. Retest the article after any future dashboard UI or password reset flow change.

What's next

• Multi-user RDP: 2 Admin Sessions vs RDS Session Host
• RDS CAL Licensing on Windows Server
• RDP Performance Tuning for Smooth Remote Desktop
• Windows Server 2019 vs 2022 vs 2025: Which Version to Choose
• Windows Firewall for Production Servers
• Raff Windows VPS

Sources

• Microsoft Learn — Remote Desktop Services overview in Windows Server
• Microsoft Learn — Remote Desktop Services roles and components
• Microsoft Learn — Troubleshoot unexpected RDS session locks or disconnections
• Microsoft Support — CredSSP updates for CVE-2018-0886
• Microsoft Tech Community — Windows App now available on all major platforms
• Remmina official documentation
• Date last verified: 2026-07-06