Citrix USB Redirection

Ever had trouble getting your USB devices to work in a Citrix session? You’re not alone! Citrix USB redirection can be tricky, but it’s essential if you want to use things like flash drives, webcams, or smart card readers in a virtual environment.

In this guide, we break down how Citrix USB redirection works, how to set it up, and what to do if things aren’t working as expected. Plus, if Citrix’s built-in redirection isn’t cutting it, we’ll introduce you to USB Network Gate - a handy tool that lets you share and access USB devices over a network, even when Citrix struggles.

Whether you’re an IT admin or just someone trying to get your USB devices to cooperate, this article will help you get everything running smoothly.

What does ICA stand for Citrix

ICA (Independent Computing Architecture) is a proprietary protocol for an application server system that was designed by Citrix. It is a cross-platform protocol that specifies how data is transferred between a server and its clients. ICA provides an alternative to Microsoft’s Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) when remote access is required.

Using the ICA protocol, Citrix affords many benefits such as secure remote access and cost savings. However, setting up Citrix USB redirection can be challenging.

A step-by-step guide to enable Generic USB Redirection

1. Open Desktop Studio on XenDesktop server, click Start > All Programs > Citrix > Desktop Studio.
2. Expand HDX Policy.
3. Select Users.
4. Click Edit > Settings.
5. In the Policy console, scroll down to USB Devices.
6. Click Add on Client USB device redirection.
7. Select Allowed and click OK

USB Network Gate for enhanced USB redirection

While Citrix offers built-in USB redirection, certain devices or network restrictions may prevent seamless functionality. If you’re experiencing issues with Citrix’s native redirection or need more flexibility, USB Network Gate provides a powerful alternative.

USB Network Gate is a simple yet powerful tool that lets you access USB devices over a network - even in Citrix sessions where native USB redirection falls short. Whether it's a printer, scanner, webcam, or smart card reader, this tool makes it feel like the device is plugged in right where you need it.

USB devices can be redirected using the Citrix ICA protocol, which USB Network Gate has natively supported. This gives you even more flexibility in how and where you can connect your USB devices in a Citrix environment.