RemoteFX USB Redirection on Windows 8.1 RDP Host

According to this page (see table in RemoteFX features on remote computers section) it is impossible to redirect a USB device to remote machine running under Windows 8.1 Pro. Enterprise is the only Windows edition (among user editions, not server) that have RemoteFX USB redirection feature.

So is there any way to redirect a USB device to remote Windows 8.1 Pro?

lorond

Posted 2015-02-13T13:52:55.420

Reputation: 111

If MSDN says it's unsupported, what kind of answer are you hoping for here? – meatspace – 2015-02-13T14:01:05.627

@meatspace any alternative solutions. Non Microsoft implementation and so on. Or maybe there is some non documented way to enable this feature, like enabling multiple RDP sessions by some hex-editing. – lorond – 2015-02-13T14:12:00.177

Answers

I think you mean non-official patch or crack for desktop systems. If you want multiple RDP sessions on a cracked RDP desktop host, you should try to look at 'USB over IP solutions', not RDP:

Fabulatech USB over IP
Incentives Pro USB Redirector
Digi Anywhere USB

and etc. These are not free.

Alexander B

Posted 2015-02-13T13:52:55.420

Reputation: 1

Welcome to Super User. This seems to be mostly a comment as the OP never said anything about using non-official versions of RDP. It would be better to focus on the part of your answer suggesting alternate ways to enable USB device redirection/remote access. – I say Reinstate Monica – 2017-11-13T00:26:11.800

I know the one: remoteFX with night build of freeRDP nightly-binaries: http://www.freerdp.com/

– Alexander B – 2018-02-18T13:20:15.803

I think this is the referenced blog post: RemoteFX Features for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

It's not 100% clear from the question, but it seems you wanted to use RemoteFX USB redirection from a physical Windows 8.1 Pro client computer to a remote physical Windows 8.1 Pro computer.

I think this is supported, as I just accomplished this with 2 physical Windows 10 Pro computers, using a USB-Serial device physically attached to the client computer. The USB-Serial device was redirected to the remote computer.

What the blog post appears to be stating, is that when Windows Server is being used for desktop virtualization, in this case, in order for RemoteFX USB redirection to work from a physical client computer to the remote virtualized desktop, the virtualized desktop must be using Windows Xxxx Enterprise edition OS.

I followed these setup steps on both the physical client computer and physical remote computer:

Note: All settings are beneath: Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Remote Desktop Services \

Run: gpedit.msc
Set local policy: Remote Desktop Connection Client \ RemoteFX USB Device Redirection \ Allow RDP Redirection (Enable, Administrators and Users)
Set local policy: Remote Desktop Session Host \ Connections \ Allow users to connect remotely using Remote Desktop Services (Enable)
Set local policy: Remote Desktop Session Host \ Device and Resource Redirection\ Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection (Disable)
Set local policy: Remote Desktop Session Host \ Remote Session Environment \ RemoteFX for Windows Server 2008 R2 \ Configure RemoteFX (Enable)
Using an elevated CMD Prompt: gpupdate /force
Reboot

Then to establish a RDP connection and redirect the USB device:

Run: mstsc.exe
Click: "More", then "Other supported RemoteFX USB devices" and select the USB device to redirect. And click: OK.
Click: Connect
In the remote connection, confirm the USB device is redirected. There will be an extra icon in the title bar of the RDP connect, indicating available USB devices for redirection. Also, in Device Manager, the re-directed USB device will be listed, as well as the device: System devices / Remote Desktop USB Hub.

Screenshot: gpedit.msc

Screenshot: mstsc.exe RemoteFX USB Device selection

Screenshot: RDP connection, redirected USB device list

Screenshot: Remote connection, device manager, showing redirected USB device