Share via

Plug and Play Device Redirection for Media Players and Digital Cameras

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

In Windows Server 2008 redirection has been enhanced and expanded. Now you can redirect Windows Portable Devices, specifically media players based on the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) and digital cameras based on the Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP).

To redirect Plug and Play devices

  1. Open Remote Desktop Connection. To open Remote Desktop Connection on Windows Vista, click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Remote Desktop Connection.

  2. In the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, click Options.

  3. On the Local Resources tab, click More.

  4. Under Local devices and resources, expand Supported Plug and Play devices.

    Plug and Play devices that are currently plugged in and that are supported for redirection will show up in this list. If the device that you have plugged in does not show up in the list, the device is currently not supported for redirection. Check the device manual to see if the device supports MTP or PTP.

  5. Choose the device that you want to redirect by selecting the check box next to the device's name.

  6. You can also redirect devices that have not been plugged in yet but will be plugged in later when a session to a remote computer is active. To make Plug and Play devices that you will plug in later available for redirection, select the Devices that I plug in later check box.

Note

You can also redirect drives that will be connected after a session to a remote computer is active. To make a drive that you will connect to later available for redirection, expand Drives, and then select the Drives that I connect to later check box.

  1. Click OK and proceed to connect to the remote computer.

Note

The Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file created by the RemoteApp Wizard automatically enables Plug and Play device redirection. For more information about TS RemoteApp, see the TS RemoteApp Step-by-Step Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=84895).

When the session to the remote computer is launched, you should see the Plug and Play device that is redirected get automatically installed on the remote computer. Plug and Play notifications will appear in the taskbar on the remote computer.

If you have selected the Devices that I plug in later check box in Remote Desktop Connection, you should see the Plug and Play device get installed on the remote computer when you plug the Plug and Play device into your local computer while the session to the remote computer is active.

After the redirected Plug and Play device is installed on the remote computer, the Plug and Play device is available for use in your session with the remote computer. For example, if you are redirecting a Windows Portable Device such as a digital camera, the device can be accessed directly from an application such as the Scanner and Camera Wizard on the remote computer.

Note

Plug and Play device redirection is not supported over cascaded terminal server connections. For example, if you have a Plug and Play device attached to your local client computer, you can redirect and use that Plug and Play device when you connect to a terminal server (Server1, for example). If from within your remote session on Server1, you then connect to another terminal server (Server2, for example), you will not be able to redirect and use the Plug and Play device in your remote session with Server2.

You can control Plug and Play device redirection by using either of the following Group Policy settings:

  • Do not allow supported Plug and Play device redirection located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Device and Resource Redirection

  • The policy settings located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Installation\Device Installation Restrictions

You can also control Plug and Play device redirection on the Client Settings tab in the Terminal Services Configuration tool (tsconfig.msc) by using the Supported Plug and Play Devices check box.

Additional references

For information about other new features in Terminal Services, see What's New in Terminal Services for Windows Server 2008.