[2024 Tip] How to Remote Access a Computer with IP Address

Remote access to computers has become a new norm. Individuals access their home or work computers remotely to access files, while IT professionals access employees'/customers' computers remotely to troubleshoot issues. Therefore, we have designed this intuitive guide to explain how to remote access a computer with IP address. Here, we will first present the steps to get the remote desktop IP address and then discuss the steps to make the connection with Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

Part 1. How to Find Remote Desktop IP Address?

When you plan to use Windows Remote Desktop Connection, it will ask you to input the remote desktop IP address. There are multiple ways to find the IP address of the remote desktop, as follows:

Method 1: Using Command Prompt

Method 2: Using PowerShell

Method 3: Using Settings > Network Connection

Part 2. How to Remote Access a Computer with IP Address?

Now that you know the IP address, the next phase is to remote access a computer with IP address. For that, you first have to enable a remote desktop connection on the computer you want to control remotely. Afterward, you can use Remote Desktop Protocol (RCP) on the host computer to remote control PC with IP address.

Phase 1. Enable Remote Connection

Phase 2. Change the Windows Firewall Settings

Phase 3. Get the Remote Computer Name

Phase 4. Remote Control PC with IP Address

Once done, you have successfully completed the connection and can now remote access a computer with IP address. This way, you can use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to remote control PC with IP address.

Part 3. Better Way to Remote Access a PC Without IP Address

The above method involves finding a remote desktop IP address, enabling remote access, and using the Remote Desktop Connection. This process is time-consuming and complex for less tech-savvy users. In contrast, many handy remote access software solutions now provide a click-based way to access a PC without the IP address.

Let's take AirDroid Remote Support software as an example. It is a powerful remote access software that allows users to remotely access a Windows or Mac computer with a few simple clicks. Here's how to access a remote computer with AirDroid Remote Support:

That's it! This way, AirDroid and similar other software eradicate many complex steps associated with remote access a computer with IP address.

Additional Knowledge: Dynamic vs. Static IP Addresses

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique identifier assigned to every device that accesses the internet or local networks. Just like a street address in a letter lets the postman know where to deliver the address, the IP address identifies computers on the internet. There are two types of IP addresses, i.e., dynamic and static IP addresses.

A dynamic IP address is a constantly changing IP address. Internet service providers (ISPs) allottees dynamic IP addresses temporarily through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. This IP address changes every time you reboot the computer or router. When the dynamic IP address is not in use, it can get automatically assigned to a different device. So, this makes it more useful for home networks than organizations.

A static IP address is a manually configured IP address assigned to a device that never changes across different network sessions. It is useful for organizations hosting their own servers. For instance, account and server administrators can use specified static IP addresses to handle sensitive assets by blocking all other IP addresses. Furthermore, a static IP address is also useful for easy remote connection because the IP address remains the same.