Windows 7 / Networking

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Changing the Listening Port

Your first task is to modify the Remote Desktop software on the host computer to use a listening port other than 3389, which is the default port. This is a good idea because there are hackers on the Internet who use port scanners to examine Internet connections (particularly broadband connections) for open ports. If the hackers see that port 3389 is open, they could assume that it's for a Remote Desktop connection, so they try to make a Remote Desktop connection to the host. They still have to log on with an authorized username and password, but knowing the connection type means they've cleared a very large hurdle.

To change the Remote Desktop listening port, follow these steps:

1. Select Start, type regedit, and then press Enter. The User Account Control dialog box appears.
2. Enter your UAC credentials to continue. Windows 7 opens the Registry Editor.
   CAUTION: The Windows 7's Registry contains settings that are vitally important for both Windows 7 and your installed programs. Therefore, when you're working with the Registry Editor, don't make changes to any keys or settings other than the ones and make a backup of the Registry before you make any changes.
3. Open the following branch:
   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\TerminalServer\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
4. Double-click the PortNumber setting to open the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value dialog box.
5. Select the Decimal option.
6. Replace the existing value (3389) with some other number between 1024 and 65536.
7. Click OK.
8. Reboot the computer to put the new port setting into effect.