RDS is a complex service, and things will inevitably go wrong. Please look over the information below if you run into problems. We will update this page with information as it becomes known to us.

Connection to SU campus

The RDS service is hosted on servers at SU's main campus. Geographic distance from Syracuse, as well as other ISP and home network issues can impact RDS performance.
- For optimal performance, we recommend connecting your computer directly to your router with an ethernet cable
- If you're using a wireless connection, make sure you have a good signal strength and that your wireless device drivers are up to date
- VPN's, including corporate VPN's on business-owned devices, may be routing your RDS traffic inefficiently and cause performance issues. Try disabling it.
- If you're sharing a network connection, make sure no one else is hogging bandwidth with activities like gaming or streaming video
Run a connection speed test available here: http://speedtest.syr.edu and include the results with any report of performance-related issues.

RDS in your browser

As a first step, clear your web browser's cache, or try using a different browser you haven't used previously to access RDS. Instructions to clear the cache for various OS/browsers are below:

Note: You can also bypass your browser's cache by using a "private" (Firefox), "Incognito" (Chrome) or "InPrivate" (Edge) browser window.

MacOS	Windows
Chrome	Chrome
Firefox	Firefox
Safari	Edge

Known issue: RDS desktop screen turns black and/or becomes unresponsive

Reload (refresh) the browser page. You will be brought back to your active session, where you left off, after you log back in.

Known issue: Keyboard and mouse input issues

Some users have reported their keyboard input is "laggy" or types extra characters. And/or the mouse cursor does not track properly.
Some devices or device drivers are not compatible with RDS in a browser. Use the RDP connection method or another computer if that's an option.

RDS via Remote Desktop

Download a new RDP file (instructions can be found under "Retrieving an RDP file" on this page: https://answers.syr.edu/x/GopDBg).

Server-side updates to RDS may invalidate the RDP file you have saved on your computer. If you experience a connection problem with your RDP file, follow the instructions above to get a new one.

Make sure you are using a supported RDP client and that it is fully up-to-date.

The Windows Store version of Remote Desktop and other third party (non-Microsoft) remote desktop applications are not supported by RDS. Use the builtin client (mstsc.exe) on Windows or the Microsoft app on MacOS.
On Windows, run all available Windows Updates for your system
On MacOS, ppen your "App Store" application and verify that there's no available updates for the "Microsoft Remote Desktop" app