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How to limit the number of connections on a terminal server

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This article describes how to make sure that only one user at a time can connect to a Windows Server 2003 terminal server in Remote Administration Mode remotely or at the console.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2003
Original KB number:   830581

Summary

This article describes how to make sure that only one user at a time can connect to a Windows Server 2003 terminal server in Remote Administration Mode remotely or at the console. By default, with a Windows Server 2003 terminal server in Remote Administration mode, you can have two remote sessions and one console session, for a total of three active sessions.

How to limit the number of remote sessions on a terminal server

  1. To open the Terminal Services Configuration Tool, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.
  2. In the console tree, click Connections.
  3. In the right-side pane, right-click RDP-Tcp, and then click Properties.
  4. On the Network Adapter tab, click to select 1 from the Maximum connections list.
  5. On the Permissions tab, click Add, type Everyone in the Enter the object names to select (examples) box, click Check Names, and then click OK.
  6. In the Group or user names area, click to select the Everyone group.
  7. In the Permissions for Everyone area, click to select the Deny check box to deny permission for Guest Access, and then click OK.

Note

  • This setting allows only one remote connection, known as session 0. This connection can be made only through the console.

  • When you connect to the console session of a terminal server on a Windows XP-based computer or on a Windows Server 2003-based computer, use the following commands as appropriate:

    • To make a Remote Desktop connection to the server, use the mstsc.exe /console command.
    • If you use the Remote Desktop Connection 6.1 client or a later version of the client, use the mstsc.exe /admin command.