Connect to a Windows device
Learn how to access a Windows computer over Meshnet from Windows, macOS, or Linux.
To log in to your Windows PC remotely over Meshnet, you need to set up remote access on your Windows PC and use a remote desktop client on the device from which you are connecting.
Before you begin
Make sure that:
Your remote PC and the device you want to use to access it are linked over Meshnet.
Your remote PC runs a Pro edition of Windows 10 or 11. To check this:
Select Start
and open Settings.Go to System > About and look for Edition.
Your remote PC is turned on.
Also, it's a good idea to look up the Nord name or Meshnet IP address of the computer you're connecting to in your NordVPN app. You can copy this information by going to Meshnet
and clicking the device’s Nord name or IP address, as shown:
Enable remote access on your PC
Set up your PC to accept remote connections:
Select Start
and open Settings.Go to System > Remote Desktop.
Turn on the Remote Desktop toggle.
Select Confirm.
Have ready the name for the account you're using on your PC.
Tip
To check if your account has permission to access this PC remotely, select Remote Desktop users under Remote Desktop, and then find your user account name in the dialog that appears.
Connect to your remote PC
You can use different remote desktop clients depending on the platform you are connecting from. Below are the steps to connect to a remote Windows computer using the following apps:
Microsoft Remote Desktop, available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
NoMachine, available on all major platforms and known for its fast performance
Remmina, available on Linux
Using Microsoft Remote Desktop for remote connections
To establish a remote connection using Microsoft Remote Desktop, follow the steps below.
In the search box on the taskbar, type
Remote Desktop Connectionand then click Remote Desktop Connection.In the dialog that opens, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the PC you want to access.
Click Connect.
Enter the following information, and then click OK:
Your remote PC account name
The password you use to log in to your remote PC
You may receive a warning indicating that the identity of the remote computer cannot be verified. When connecting to a trusted computer, such as one on your Meshnet, click Yes to continue.
Tip
If you don't want to see this dialog in the future, select the Don't ask me again for connections to this computer checkbox.
Start by downloading and installing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available for free from the Mac App Store.
Set up a remote connection
Open Microsoft Remote Desktop, click the plus (+) button, and select Add PC.
In the PC name box, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the PC you want to access.
Select Add user account from the User account dropdown list.
Enter your remote desktop credentials to save for use with this connection.
Username: your remote PC account name
Password: the password you use to log in to your remote PC
Optionally, you can give a nickname to your connection in the Friendly name field. It is a way to easily identify your Remote Desktop connections.
Click Add to save changes and then click Add again.
Access your remote PC
Double-click the saved connection that you added.
You may receive a warning indicating that the digital certificate of the computer you're trying to access cannot be verified. When connecting to a trusted computer, such as one on your Meshnet, click Continue.
If you don't want to see this dialog in the future, click Show certificate and then select the Always trust checkbox.
Start by downloading and installing the Microsoft Remote Desktop client from the iOS App Store.
Set up a remote connection
Open RD Client.
On the PCs tab, tap the plus (+) button, and then select Add PC.
Tap PC name and enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the PC you want to access.
Return to the previous menu and tap User account > Add user account.
Enter the following information to save for use with this connection:
Your remote PC account name
The password you use to log in to your remote PC
Optionally, tap Friendly name to give a nickname to your connection. This way, you can easily identify your Remote Desktop connections.
Tap Save, select the account you've just created, and tap Save again.
The new connection will appear under PCs. Tap it whenever you want to initiate a remote desktop session.
Start by downloading and installing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app from Google Play.
Set up a remote connection
Open RD Client.
On the PCs tab, tap the plus (+) button, and then select Add PC.
Select Add manually.
Under PC name, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the PC you want to access.
Under User account, select the Add user account option.
Enter the following information to save for use with this connection and tap Save:
Your remote PC account name
The password you use to log in to your remote PC
Tap Save again.
Access your remote PC
From the main screen, select the saved connection that you added.
You may receive a warning indicating that the digital certificate of the computer you're trying to access cannot be verified. When connecting to a trusted computer, such as one on your Meshnet, tap Connect.
If you don't want to see this dialog in the future, select the Never ask again for connections to this PC checkbox.
Having followed these steps, you should now be able to access and control your PC remotely using Microsoft Remote Desktop.
Using NoMachine for remote connections
To establish a remote connection using NoMachine, proceed with the guidelines below.
Start by downloading the NoMachine app and installing it on both your remote and local computers.
Set up a remote connection
Launch NoMachine on your local device and select the Add button to create a new connection.
Optionally, in the Name field, provide a custom name for the connection.
In the Host field, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the computer you want to access, and then select Add.
On the NoMachine main screen, double-click the newly created connection to initiate the remote connection.
If a warning appears indicating that the host's authenticity cannot be confirmed, select OK to proceed.
Enter your remote desktop credentials and select OK.
Username: your remote Mac account name
Password: the password you use to log in to your Mac
Start by downloading the NoMachine app and installing it on both your remote and local devices.
Set up a remote connection
Launch NoMachine on your local device and select the Add button in the upper-left corner to create a new connection.
Ensure that NX is selected as the protocol and tap Continue.
In the Host field, enter either the Nord name or Meshnet IP of the computer you want to access, and then select Continue.
Keep the default options for Authentication and Proxy.
Optionally, in the Name field, provide a custom name for the connection and tap Done.
On the NoMachine main screen, double-tap the newly created connection to initiate the remote connection.
Enter your remote desktop credentials and select OK.
Username: your remote Mac account name
Password: the password you use to log in to your Mac
With these steps completed, you should now be able to access and control your PC remotely using NoMachine.
Using Remmina for remote connections from Linux
Install the Remmina Remote Desktop Client
If you don't have Remmina installed on your system, install it using one of the methods described below.
Open the terminal.
Update the package manager list of available packages by running the following command:
sudo apt updateInstall Remmina by entering this command:
sudo apt install remmina remmina-plugin-vnc
Open the Ubuntu Software application.
In the search bar, enter
remminaand select the matching result.
Click the Install button.
Set up a remote connection
Open the Remmina app by going to Show applications and searching for remmina.
Click the New connection profile
button in the upper-left corner of the application window.Make sure RDP — Remote Desktop Protocol is selected in the Protocol box.
Under Basic, enter the information to create a reusable connection.
Server: the Nord name or the Meshnet IP of the PC you want to access
Username: your remote PC account name
Password: the password you use to log in to your remote PC
Click Save.
Accept the certificate presented by the server to verify that you trust the computer you are trying to access.
The new connection will appear in the Remmina window. You can double-click it whenever you want to initiate a remote desktop session.
See also
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