Remote work is awesome. You can access your office computer from your couch, favorite café, or even a beach. All thanks to Remote Desktop Protocol—better known as RDP.
But wait. With great power comes great security risks. Hackers love RDP. It’s like an open window into your system. Thankfully, there’s a super simple trick to make it safer: change the RDP port.
“Wait… what’s a port?” you might ask. Great question!
Ports: The Digital Doorways
Think of your computer like a hotel. It has many doors (called ports). Each one leads to a different service. The default RDP port is 3389. That’s the fancy front door with a neon sign that says “RDP lives here!”
The problem? Hackers know that too. So they knock on port 3389 all day long, trying different keys (aka passwords). This is called a brute-force attack.
Now, what if you moved the door and changed the number? Suddenly, the bad guys can’t find it. That’s exactly what we’ll do.
Why Change the RDP Port?
Changing the RDP port number helps you:
- Reduce brute-force attacks – Bots scan for port 3389. If you’re not using it, they move on.
- Hide your connection – It’s called “security through obscurity.” Hackers can’t hack what they can’t find easily.
- Get fewer alerts – Your firewall logs will thank you!
Pick a Safer Port
Choose a number between 1025 and 65535. Avoid ports used by popular services like email, FTP, or web hosting. For example, don’t use:
- 80 – that’s for HTTP
- 443 – reserved for HTTPS
- 21 – used for FTP
Something like 50241 or 61300 works great. It’s random, and unlikely to be scanned often.
How to Change the RDP Port
Ready to move the digital door? Here’s how on a Windows PC:
- Press Windows Key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. This opens the Registry Editor. Be careful here!
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp.
- Find the value named PortNumber. Double-click it.
- Change it to Decimal and enter your new port number, like 50241.
- Click OK and exit the editor.
- Restart your computer.
Important: Don’t forget to update your firewall rules to allow traffic through the new port.
Update Your Remote Connection
Now that you’ve moved your digital door, you’ll need to knock on the right one!
When using Remote Desktop, connect like this:
your-computer-name:NewPortNumber
Example: OfficePC:50241
Boom! You’re in.
Additional Tips for Even Better Security
Changing the port is just step one. Want to go full ninja mode? Here’s what to do:
- Use strong passwords – Obvious, but essential.
- Enable Network Level Authentication – Adds a secure handshake before login.
- Limit RDP to certain IPs – Only allow specific addresses to connect.
- Use a VPN – Make RDP only accessible through your private network.
What Could Go Wrong?
If you mistype the new port number in the registry or forget to allow it through the firewall, you could lock yourself out. Oops.
Tip: Always test RDP access from a secondary device before logging out of your main system.
Conclusion
Changing your RDP port is like adding a secret path to your castle. It won’t stop all the trolls, but it makes it a lot harder for them to find the door. Combine it with other security tricks, and your remote access will be a fortress—with a drawbridge.
So go ahead, power up your remote life securely. One port at a time.
