Remote Desktop and WakeMyPC

Use remote desktop to access and use your computer at work from a personal computer at home. This allows you to use all of the systems, applications, connections and files on your usual work computer.

When should I use Remote Desktop?

Using the WakeMyPC website, staff and postgraduate research students can turn on their work computers, allowing them to use remote services wherever and whenever they want.

Your home PC will display exactly what your office monitor would normally display

Share your home PC’s disk drives with your office PC to transfer files

Available to staff and postgraduate research students

How do I remote into my PC or laptop?

Connect to the university VPN service (when off-campus)
Visit WakeMyPC
Enter your username
Click 'Wake' next to the computer you want to access
After waking your PC:

Windows - Start Remote Desktop Connection
Android, Apple iOS and macOS - Download the Microsoft Remote Desktop app

Setting up Remote Desktop

Step 1: Set up Multi-Factor Authentication

To use Remote Desktop when you are not connected to the university network, you must first register a device to use Multi-Factor Authentication.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) increases the security of remote access services by requiring multiple forms of verification. Users must approve access requests each time they access a remote service such as VPN or Remote Desktop.

You will need:

A computer (desktop/laptop) to set up your MFA account
A mobile device (SIM-enabled smartphone/tablet/iPad) to approve access requests via MFA
Your University login details

Install 'Microsoft Authenticator' from your mobile device's app store

Configure MFA across devices - once MFA is installed on your mobile device, use your University email address and password to sign in to nott.ac.uk/mfasetup on your computer

Configure MFA instructions (Workspace log in required)

Step 2: Set up the university VPN

Before accessing a Remote Desktop PC on campus, users must set up the VPN. Follow the user guides for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS/Android):

Virtual Private Network (VPN) instructions (Workspace log in required)

Step 3: Set up Remote Desktop

Follow the user guides for your operating system (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS/Android):

Remote Desktop instructions (Workspace log in required)

Detailed instructions with screenshots are available on the links below (Workspace log in required):

Multi-Factor Authentication

Remote Desktop