How to set up new RDS user for Virtual Desktop

Created: 11/7/2022
Last Modified: 5/14/2025

Users need to be set up on Server-DC and have their Desktop files/shortcuts, email, bookmarks, taskbar shortcuts, etc. set up before they can utilize the Virtual Desktop environment. In these instructions, Heidi Showalter’s user is used as an example to show all the steps.

For users that have poor internet connection at home, we can add their public IP address in the exception list on the SonicWall so that they can connect without using VPN. This method is explained in section 4. below.

Add user to RDS group
1. Log into Server-DC2 as an administrative user.
2. Open up Active Directory Users and Computers and navigate to BedfordPlastics.local > MyBusiness > Security Groups
3. Open up the group BRP RDS Users, click on the Members tab and click the Add button. Type in the name of the user and add them to the group. Click Ok to close the Window. Log out of Server-DC.
Download Terminal Server executable
1. Copy the executable file from N:\Temporary Holding\RDS\ to the desired location (desktop is likely preferable for most users).
2. The file can also be downloaded from Server-TMG when outside the BRP network:
  1. Connect to the BRP SonicWall VPN
  2. Open up browser and navigate to: https://server-tmg/RDWeb/
    (click “Advanced” and “Continue to server-tmg (unsafe)”)
  3. Sign in, using bedfordplastics.local\<username> and user’s login password
  4. Click on the icon for BRP Terminal Server to download the file.
  5. Navigate to the Downloads folder and copy the file to the desired location (desktop is likely preferable for most users).
3. Right-click the file and select “Edit”
4. In the General tab, enter Computer name as SERVER-TMG.BEDFORDPLASTICS.LOCAL and user name as <username>. Remove check-mark for “Allow me to save credentials”.
5. In the Display tab, check-mark “Use all my monitors for the remote session”.
6. In the Local Resources tab, check-mark “Printers” and “Clipboard”.
7. In the Advanced tab, click Settings and enter Server name as “remote.bedfordplastics.com” and check-mark “Use my RD Gateway credentials for the remote computer”
Setting up user on the Virtual Desktop
1. Connect to the Virtual Desktop by using the program downloaded in section 2.
2. Install custom software (from BRP_vs_APPS).
3. Set up email(s) with signature(s). User might need BRP and OSCO Mailboxes.
4. Copy all Desktop shortcuts/files/folders. User should clean up their desktop prior to this and be reminded that any files/folders on the Desktop aren’t getting backed up.
5. Fix taskbar shortcuts:
  1. Pin Microsoft Edge
  2. Pin other software that user had pinned on their previous device
6. Export browser favorites from old device and import to Edge in Virtual Desktop (or log in and sync to user in browser).
7. Outlook uses Internet Explorer to allow links to be clicked inside of emails. Fix Internet Explorer:
  1. Start Internet Explorer from start menu
  2. Click on the Tools button and select Internet options from the menu
  3. On the Advanced tab, click the “Reset…” button
  4. Check “Delete personal settings” and click “Reset”
  5. Close all Internet Explorer windows
  6. Close and re-open Outlook and test that links work
Setting up user’s public IP on the SonicWall to bypass VPN requirement
1. Identify the user’s public IP address by connecting to ipchicken.com in a browser from the user’s home computer. You should also be able to get the user’s public IP address by checking their Computer Info in LogMeIn.
2. Log into the SonicWall (https://10.254.1.1:8443/sonicui/7/login/#/).
3. If needed, switch to classic/legacy view by clicking the “hamburger” icon at the bottom left of the screen. If you mouse-over the “hamburger”, the tooltip will tell you which view you’re in.
4. Navigate to Firewall > Address Objects and click the “Address Objects” button.
  Note: If the view is set to Contemporary instead of Classic, the Address Objects are in the Objects section.
5. Filter the list of address objects by typing in “rds” in the search field.
6. Create a new entry by clicking the “Add” button. Keep the same format and enter the new Name and IP Address. Set Zone to WAN and Type to Host. Click the “Add” button to close the window and add the new address object to the list.
7. Click the “Close” button to close the window.
8. Click the “Address Groups” button and type in “rds” in the search box to filter the list, then click the edit button (pencil icon) for “RDS-Remote”.
9. Type in “rds” in the search box to filter the list. Click to highlight the entry you want to add, and click the right-arrow to move it over to the group. Click OK to apply the changes.
10. Open regedit on the users local computer and make the following changes:
  1. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Terminal Server Client >
  2. Add the a DWORD (32-bit value) by right-clicking in the right-hand panel and choose New > DWORD (32-bit value)
  3. Name it “RDGClientTransport”
  4. Double-click on RDGClientTransport and set the value to 1