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Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is a Microsoft protocol that lets you see and control the desktop of a remote Windows computer over a network. Your keyboard and mouse input goes to the remote machine, and its screen comes back to you, so you work on it as if you were sitting in front of it. People usually say “an RDP” to mean a Windows server you reach this way.

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How RDP works

  1. You open an RDP client, such as Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc) on Windows, and enter the server’s IP address.
  2. The client connects to the server on TCP port 3389 (and UDP 3389 when available) and sets up an encrypted TLS session.
  3. You sign in with a Windows account. Network Level Authentication (NLA) checks your credentials before a full desktop session starts.
  4. The server sends compressed screen updates; the client sends back keystrokes and mouse movements. Clipboard, drives, printers and audio can be redirected between the two.
Because every click makes a round trip to the server, latency matters more than raw bandwidth. Pick the server location closest to you, or closest to the service your software talks to, such as your broker. FlashRDP has two: Phoenix, Arizona and Paris, France.

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What RDP is used for

People use a Windows RDP server when Windows software has to keep running around the clock, or when they want one Windows desktop they can reach from any device. The server sits in a data center, so it doesn’t depend on your own computer, power or internet connection staying up.
  • Automated trading: MetaTrader 4 and 5 Expert Advisors (EAs) only trade while the terminal runs. At home, a power cut, a Windows update reboot or a dropped Wi-Fi connection stops them. A server with a 99.9% uptime target (see status.flashrdp.com) keeps them running; pick the location nearer your broker’s trade server. See MT4 / MT5 on a VPS.
  • SEO crawlers and marketing tools: Screaming Frog SEO Spider and rank trackers can run for hours and use a lot of memory. Run them on the server over its 1 Gbps port, close your laptop and check the results later. See Host SEO crawlers.
  • Remote work and agencies: one persistent Windows desktop where client files and logins live, instead of on personal laptops. The server has its own IPv4 address, so client systems can allow-list a single address, and your team connects from Windows, Mac, iPad or Android.
  • Development and testing: full Administrator access lets you install anything, change the registry and run Selenium or Puppeteer away from your main workstation. If something breaks, reinstall Windows from the server’s Reinstall tab in the Billing Portal.
  • Server administration: managing Windows Server without physical access to the machine.
  • Keeping data off personal devices: files stay on the server, so a lost laptop doesn’t expose them.

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What to look for in a Windows RDP server

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How to get started

1

Order a server

Pick a plan on the FlashRDP Windows RDP page, choose Windows Server 2019, 2022 or 2025, and pay with cryptocurrency, a credit or debit card, or a regional payment method. See Deploy a server.
2

Get your login details

The server’s IP address, the username Administrator and the password arrive by email, on average in under 3 minutes after payment.
3

Connect

Open Remote Desktop Connection on Windows, or Windows App on a Mac, and sign in. Step-by-step instructions for every device are in Connect to your Windows RDP.
An RDP server on the internet is a constant target for password-guessing attacks. Use a long, unique password and follow Secure your Windows RDP.

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FAQ

RDP is a way to use another Windows computer’s desktop over the internet. You see its screen and control it with your own keyboard and mouse.
A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is the remote machine. RDP is one way to connect to it, used for Windows servers. A Linux VPS is usually managed over SSH instead. See RDP vs VPS.
An RDP client and your server’s IP address, username and password. Windows includes Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc); on macOS, iPhone, iPad and Android, use Microsoft’s free Windows App or Remote Desktop app.
RDP encrypts the session, but it is only as safe as the account you sign in with. Use a strong password, keep Windows updated and limit who can reach port 3389. Secure your Windows RDP lists the steps.
Low latency to your broker’s trade server matters most, so pick the location closest to it. After that: a published uptime target, enough RAM for the number of terminals you run, and Windows so MT4 and MT5 run natively. See Best VPS for MT4 and MT5.
BRONZE (2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM) covers light desktop use. Choose SILVER (4 vCPUs, 8 GB RAM) or higher for several browsers, multiple terminals or heavier automation. vCPUs are shared, so pick a larger plan for sustained heavy CPU use. See Plans and pricing.

Connect to your Windows RDP

How to use mstsc

RDP vs VPS

Secure Your Windows RDP

Last modified on October 16, 2026