Back up with Windows Home Server – part 5

Written by Narmad

How to configure Windows Home Server for remote access

There are many cool features available in Windows Home Server that definitely makes the storage and backup system more organized and functional. One of my favourite features is the server’s ability to securely connect to your machines remotely no matter where you are! In this last part of Windows Home Server series, let’s explore how to configure the server for remote access.
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By default, remote access is disabled for your home server. To enable remote access, follow these steps:

Launch the Windows Home Server Console and click ‘Settings’.



Click ‘Remote Access’.



Click the ‘Turn On’ button to enable website connectivity. Turning on website connectivity will open up three network ports (80, 443, 4125) on the Window Home Server firewall so that incoming requests from the Internet can be accepted by your home server. Wondering what these ports do? Here is the answer:

Port 80: accepts Web requests. (http)
Port 443: accepts SSL requests. (https)
Port 4125: accepts remote desktop proxy requests.

Next, Windows Home Server will perform tests to see if it can automatically configure your router using the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) architecture. Most of the modern routers have UPnP enabled by default.



Your next step will be to configure a domain name for your Windows Home Server. Click the ‘Setup’ button under the ‘Domain Name’ box.  You will need a Windows Live ID. If you don’t have one, create one before your proceed.

Click ‘Next’ to continue.



Enter your Windows Live email address and password. Click ‘Next’ to continue.



Select the ‘I accept’ radio button and click ‘Next’.



Enter a domain name and click ‘Confirm’ and verify that the domain name you have chosen is available. Click ‘Finish’to set up a domain name.



Click the ‘Done’ button to close the wizard.



Accessing your Windows Home Server remotely

Once you have successfully configured your router and domain name, you are now ready to remotely access your home server from anywhere. Open a browser of your choice and enter the URL.

Click the ‘Log On’ button.



Enter your credentials and hit the ‘Log On’ button.



You’ll see a screen similar to this and the interface will let you browse ‘computers’ and ‘Shared folders’. You can also drag and drop files to upload them with ease.



I hope you have found the Windows Home Server article series useful. If you have any doubts and difficulties configuring your Windows Home Server, please feel free to post them in the comment section.

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