Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Remote Desktop for Mac won't connect (but will from Windows)

I'm trying to remote onto a Windows 2012 Server using Remote Desktop Connection for Mac. Using the same credentials, it works from my Windows PC (using Remote Desktop for Windows), but trying to do it from my Mac I get the error:


Remote Desktop Connection cannot verify the identity of the computer that you want to connect to.
Try reconnecting to the Windows-based computer, or contact our administrator.


Is it possible that the remote server allows connects from only Windows clients? Surely not. Any help greatly appreciated.

Posted on Jan 10, 2015 9:59 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Nov 25, 2015 12:33 PM

That's the ticket... if you check your version of remote desktop for mac it says it's up to date... you have to know that the new version of RDP for mac is called Microsoft Remote Desktop.... maddening!!


Use the link mentioned above


https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/microsoft-remote-desktop/id715768417?mt=12

25 replies

Jan 26, 2015 5:05 AM in response to rcook349

I doubt this a 'problem' with the mac as such nor does it have anything to do with Remote Desktop for Mac which is an entirely different product and for which this forum is for. Questions about RDC for Mac should be put on the relevant Microsoft forum rather than here. However your problem may be with your understanding of the secure remote connections requirements between your server and remote connections. I doubt you'd be aware of any of this as generally server administrators won't necessarily discuss them. By default a mac will not have server-client trust certificates installed simply because the exchange won't happen transparently between an MS based server and non MS-OS such as OS X.


You begin to solve the problem by asking your server administrator for the server's root certificate. He/she has to export this using the built-in tools. They should know how to do this? Once exported save it to a memory stick, insert it into your mac, double click on the .cer file and when prompted install it as a system keychain. On further prompts make sure you select 'Always Trust'. Launch RDC for Mac and you should be OK?


If your server administrator does not know how or, worse still, won't do this for you, then you have far deeper problems that go well beyond OS X in particular and IT as a whole in general.

Jan 12, 2015 11:05 AM in response to rcook349

It's more likely that its the Mac's fault than that the remote server is refusing you. It's probably something to do with a failure to establish an encrypted connection to the Server.


I'd recommend using Microsoft Remote Desktop. It's a free app in the app store for OS X and iOS devices and connects flawlessly to PCs from Apple devices.

Aug 5, 2015 6:58 PM in response to jaredfs

Thanks jaredfs. Im running Mac OS X Yosemite and just upgraded to Win10. I used to use the Remote Desktop Connection App but after the upgrade to Win10, I couldnt connect from my Mac. I installed Microsoft Remote Desktop and now I can connect to my Win 10 machine with no issues. Thanks for the quick fix!

Oct 23, 2015 8:43 AM in response to _GeeBe

i have been fighting this since first installing windows 10 on one of my test systems....i FINALY have the solution.


So i HAVE been using CORD to log into my PCs from OSX. But it was not working on the Win10 box. I was in the insiders Beta program. and after some update CORD finaly started working. Well as said above, that was short lived with the next update CORD stopped working again. I can remote desktop in from a PC but not from CORD on my Mac.


So following the advice above i downloaded MICROSOFTS's remote desktop. and as soon as i tried to remote into my Win10 box, a message come up about generating a security certificate for this user. I said Yes, and boom! remote desktop ed in perfectly!

Sadly CORD (my preferred client) is still NOT working, but now we know WHY! Win 10 looks for this "security certificate" and if it doesnt find it Win10 will REFUSE the connection. This must be a PC to PC handshake that we never see.


So for CORD we need to ether:

1. Disable this "security certificate" check in remote login (best solution)

2. Get CORD updated to deal with this "security certificate" (doubt this will happen)

Dec 28, 2015 10:02 AM in response to Ryan Duff

FRUSTRATING!!!!

So I did a inplace upgrade to Windows 10, from a Working window 7 system. CORD logged in PERFECTLY just as under Windows 7!


Now I need to play the difference game. What setting is WORKING on the newly upgraded box, that is not set on my original Windows 10 system.


All the setting for Remote Administration looks the same. All the firewalls are off.


Again the only lead I have is that Microsoft Remote Desktop app works on the original box, but not CORD. And i THINK this is due to a security certificate issue. Problem is I have not idea where to find that in Windows 10


Any new ideas?

Remote Desktop for Mac won't connect (but will from Windows)

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.