Start Windows Server VM Open a PowerShell console with admin privilege Check your Windows Server users to verify you have at least two users defined for which you know login credentials Get-LocalUser runas /user:loginID cmd (to test a login) Check your Windows Server hostname & IP address hostname ipconfig (use IPV4 address for Ethernet adapter in VMware VM) Test-NetConnection (no parameters - use SourceAddress) Note that ICMP not required for Remote Desktop access but just establishing that we have a network Try to ping your Windows Server from your VM host aka RDP client Use NAT for VMware network, remove & reinstall if necessary ping (Mac, PC, Linux) or (PowerShell) Test-NetConnection Also ipconfig on PC to find IP address Note: this should fail unless for hostname & IP address unless you've made some adjustments already On your Windows Server aka RDP host use New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Allow ICMPv4-In" -Protocol ICMPv4 (or adjust firewall manually) to allow ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) Pinging should now work Try Remote Desktop from VM host (aka the RDP client) - shouldn't work Windows use desktop program or app On Mac use app Enable Remote Desktop (on Windows Server VM aka RDP host) adding at least one non-admin to allowed users Use GUI or reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server" /v fDenyTSConnections /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="remote desktop" new enable=yes net localgroup "remote desktop users" LoginID /add net user LoginID (to check groups) RDP from client to IP address or hostname should work With RDP session active look at Windows Server query user /server:$SERVER Get-EventLog -LogName Security | ` Select-Object -Property TimeGenerated ` -ExpandProperty Message ` -First 20 Exit RDP Client. Try RDP for user not in allowed list (should fail)