Configure the Number of Simultaneous Remote Connections Allowed for a Connection

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

You can configure the number of simultaneous remote connections that are allowed for a connection. Restricting the number of simultaneous remote connections can improve performance of the computer because fewer sessions are demanding system resources.

If the Terminal Server role service is not installed on the computer, a connection can only allow a maximum of two simultaneous remote connections to the computer.

Use the following procedure to configure the number of simultaneous remote connections allowed for a connection.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To configure the number of simultaneous remote connections allowed for a connection

  1. Open Terminal Services Configuration. To open Terminal Services Configuration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.

  2. Under Connections, right-click the name of the connection, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Properties dialog box for the connection, click the Network Adapter tab.

  4. Select the Maximum connections option, enter the number of simultaneous remote connections that you want to allow for the connection, and then click OK.

    If the Maximum connections option is selected and is dimmed, the Limit number of connections Group Policy setting has been enabled and has been applied to the terminal server.

You can also set the maximum number of simultaneous connections allowed for a terminal server by applying the Limit number of connections Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Connections and can be configured by using either the Local Group Policy Editor or the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). Note that the Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Terminal Services Configuration.

For more information about Group Policy settings for Terminal Services, see the Terminal Services Technical Reference (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?Linkid=89673).

Additional references