RemoteFX USB Redirection: Definitive Guide

Software method for RemoteFX USB redirection

For users looking for a reliable and easy-to-use tool that makes RemoteFX USB passthrough a breeze, USB Network Gate by Electronic Team Inc. is the ideal solution. It is designed to forward devices over RDP in such a way that they appear in a remote system like they were physically attached to that machine. USB Network Gate is software allowing remote access to any USB device connected to a machine with network access.

Benefits of USB Network Gate for RemoteFX USB redirection

• Cross-Compatibility: Effortless cross-platform redirection for macOS, Windows, Linux, and even Android.
  
  
• Limitless Device Access: Freely redirect any devices during remote desktop sessions.
  
  
• Secure: Advanced encryption options mean powerful protection for your data.
  
  
• No Additional Drivers Needed: No need to install additional drivers on client PCs as long as the server computer has all the necessary drivers.
  
  
• Easy Set-Up: Instantly see and control all USB devices redirected from the host with the same functionality as if they were physically connected to the client machine.

How to enable RemoteFX USB redirection In Windows 10

Follow the below steps to enable the RemoteFX USB redirection feature (which is disabled by default).

1. Run gpedit.msc to configure RemoteFX USB redirection locally on a client machine

   Note: Open Group Policy Management Console via Active Directory Group Policies if the centralized configuration is needed.
   
   After creating and configuring a new policy (see screenshot below), link the policy to the Organizational Unit of the target machine’s location.

2. Open: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Connection Client\RemoteFX USB Redirection.
   
   
3. Set the following option to "Enabled": "Allow RDP redirection of other supported RemoteFX USB devices from this computer".
   
4. Specify which users have RemoteFX USB device redirection permission.
   
   
5. Click OK and close the policy editor window.
   
6. Run "gpupdate /force" to update the machine’s policy.

Compatible OS versions:

• Windows 7 utilizing Service Pack 1 (SP1) or newer.
• Windows Server 2008 R2 using Service Pack 1 (SP1) or newer.

RemoteFX USB redirection requirements

Probably the biggest difficulty you may face when trying to use RemoteFX is the complex configuration it requires. What’s more, you’ll need to make sure that:

• you run Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2, or 2016 on your RDS session host;
  
  
• the Desktop Experience feature is installed;
  
• you run Windows 7 SP1 (with Remote Desktop Connection 8.1), Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 on VDI desktop;
  
  
• you run Windows Workspot client 2.x.x on your client system. (You should have a RemoteFX-capable client (Remote Desktop Connection 8.1 or later)).

As you can see, there are quite a lot of requirements for enabling the RemoteFX USB redirection feature.

What is RemoteFX USB redirection?

It allows users to access and control peripheral USB devices within an RDP session when the default RDP can’t support the redirection/passthrough on its own.

RemoteFX supplements multiple high-level redirections like Port Redirection, s.a. Easy Print, Plug and Play USB Device Redirection, and more.

Starting from Windows Server 2012 and higher, RemoteFX offers extended capabilities for USB redirection over RDP. These include:

• Dynamic forwarding of USB devices to a remote session. It is possible to redirect USB to a remote session not only at the start of such a session (at the moment the connection to the host is being established) but also when a session is already running.
• USB forwarding to any virtual machine whether or not a dedicated GPU is assigned to it.
• The possibility to independently redirect USB devices to the same VM from several clients. For example, you can forward several USB flash drives, which are physically connected to different clients, to one VM with a guest Windows 8 Enterprise, and each of these devices will be isolated and available only in the session during which it was shared.