220-1102 Question 66
Single answerAvailability of Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)A help desk technician is preparing to remotely support a user's Windows PC using Microsoft Remote Desktop. The user reports that the PC is running Windows 11 Home, is powered on, and is connected to the office network. The technician can ping the PC by name and IP address, but every attempt to start an RDP session is rejected. Which action should the technician take FIRST to determine whether RDP is available on the user's PC?
- A
Verify whether the PC is running a Windows edition that supports hosting incoming Remote Desktop connections
- B
Change the default RDP port from 3389 to another port and retry the connection
- C
Disable the Windows Defender Firewall on the user's PC so the RDP service can respond
- D
Install the Remote Desktop client on the user's PC and then attempt to connect again
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests practical knowledge of RDP availability on Windows editions, which is a common real-world support issue. A technician may confirm network connectivity and still be unable to use Remote Desktop because the target operating system does not support hosting incoming RDP sessions. Microsoft documents that Windows Home editions include the Remote Desktop client but do not support incoming Remote Desktop connections as a host. Supported host editions typically include Pro, Enterprise, and Education. Therefore, before checking firewall rules, services, or ports, the technician should verify whether the installed Windows edition supports RDP hosting in the first place.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Windows Home editions can use the Remote Desktop client to connect outbound to other systems, but they do not support acting as an RDP host for incoming Remote Desktop connections. In this scenario, the system is reachable on the network, so the first step is to confirm whether the installed Windows edition supports Remote Desktop hosting at all. If it is Windows 11 Home, incoming RDP will not be available without upgrading to a supported edition such as Pro, Enterprise, or Education.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Changing the default port is not the first troubleshooting step and would not solve the core issue if the operating system edition does not support hosting Remote Desktop sessions. Port changes are also an administrative configuration choice, not a standard fix for basic availability problems.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The firewall can block RDP, but the question asks what the technician should do FIRST to determine whether RDP is available. If the PC is running Windows 11 Home, no firewall change will make it capable of accepting incoming RDP sessions. Disabling the firewall is also not a best-practice troubleshooting step because it reduces security unnecessarily.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The Remote Desktop client is used to initiate outbound connections from a device to another RDP host. Installing or checking the client on the user's PC does not affect whether that PC can accept inbound Remote Desktop connections. This option reflects the common misconception that the client and host capabilities are the same.