Guide · 6 min read
The first hour on a Windows RDP server
After the credentials arrive: password, Network Level Authentication, firewall, and the habits that keep a Windows desktop off spam lists.
What arrives
RDP plans include the Windows licence. Desk and Studio can be Windows 11 Pro or Server 2022. Office can be Server 2022 or 2025. You get administrator rights and an address.
Machines are usually ready within minutes after payment is confirmed. If the invoice was labelled as a demo, you don't have a server yet. Wait for real payment details.
Change the password first
Sign in, change the administrator password, and store it in a password manager. Don't leave the initial password in your Telegram history if you can avoid it.
Tighten Remote Desktop
Keep Network Level Authentication on. Restrict the firewall rule to your IP if your IP is stable. Changing the RDP port is optional and useful. Write the new port down.
Open a second session to test before you close the first. Locking yourself out means a support reinstall.
Updates and software
Install Windows updates before you install anything else. Then install only the software you meant to. A fresh image is easier to trust than a 'pre-cracked' bundle from a forum, which you should not install.
What not to do with it
Don't send bulk email. Spam is an immediate suspension, on Windows the same as on Linux.
Don't turn the desktop into an open proxy. Administrator rights are for your work, not for strangers.
Related pages
Put it into practice
A VPS S plan is enough for most guides.