Windows 11 2022 Update causes issues to Remote Desktop users

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Microsoft is continuously rolling out the Windows 11 2022 update, but more problems unravel as it reaches more users. One of the biggest unresolved issues now has something to do with Remote Desktop clients. According to those affected, installing the update caused their Remote Desktop on Windows 11 system to fail to connect (or connect only to disconnect or freeze later). 

“All of our Remote Desktop Users using Windows 11 are having problems connecting to Remote Desktop after installing this update. It just hangs at connecting,” reported an Insider named Jeff Cleath on the Microsoft Community page. “We have found that there is a bug in the Remote Desktop client so that it is only trying the UDP connection and not trying TCP connection. We only allow the port 443 connection through on our firewall.”

Users in the community found a workaround to end the negative impact of Windows 11 2022 on Remote Desktop clients. Apparently, it is still suggested to roll back the update. Nonetheless, for those who still wish to have it, Cleath suggests adding a specific registry setting to allow the Remote Desktop Connection to work, which involves disabling UDP connections on clients. To do so, you need to go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client using the Registry Editor. From there, affected users need to right-click and create a new DWORD entry named fClientDisableUDP and change its value to 1. To complete the process, a restart is necessary. Many users claim this process quickly resolved the issue.

On the other hand, users can also resort to the Turn Off UDP On Client policy option without restarting their machines. Follow the path Computer Configuration > Administration Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Connection Client via the Group Policy Editor.

While this suggestion seems to work for many affected users, some are still doubtful about it.

“My understanding is that changing that registry to 1 would actually not use the UDP,” one user wrote. “Would anyone know whether this would cause any “unreliability” in the RemoteApp connection if it is left turned off?”

“From my limited understanding, I think UDP allows the RDP connection to remain connected even if it doesn’t get an acknowledgment from the remote server, as TCP requires a full handshake between client and server before it does anything,” another user commented. “So disabling UDP just means that it only uses TCP to connect, and that it needs a stable connection to the server at all times to maintain the handshake.”

Cleath, the Insider who suggested the remedy, on the other hand, says using it on his end pose no problems. “I have heard from others that changing this registry could lead to performance issues with file downloads and video from Remote Desktop environment, especially with poor or long distance connections,” Cleath said. “I personally have been using this setting for about 4 months and have had no issues. I have very good internet connectivity remotely and am only about 40 miles from the server environment.”

As of now, Microsoft still doesn’t have any official fix available for the issue though the company is already aware of the situation. In the meantime, affected users can try the above suggestions or wait for the official solution from Microsoft. 

More about the topics: microsoft, Microsoft Remote Desktop, remote desktop, windows 11, Windows 11 2022 update

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