How to Enable Remote Assistance and Allow Access through the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security using Group Policy

Prerequisites

You will require the Group Policy Management Tools on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows10, Windows Server 2008, Windows or Server 2012, Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019.  These are part of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) availabale form the Microsoft web site.

Instructions

To enable Remote Assistance and allow access through the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security using Group Policy (Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012) please follow these instuctions.

Turning on Remote Access using Group Policy

1. 1. Edit an existing Group Policy object or create a new one using the Group Policy Management Tool.
   2. Expand the Computer Configuration/Policies/Software Settings/Administrative Templates/System/Remote Assistance node and open the Offer Remote Assistance rule.
   3. Check the Enabled radio button. Under Options: select Allow helpers to remotely control the computer from the drop down list. Click the Show… button.
   4. Enter the users or groups you want to have permissions to offer Remote Assistance, one per line. Then click OK.
      
   5. Click the OK button to exit and save the new setting.
   6. Make sure the Group Policy Object is applied to the relevant computers using the Group Policy Management Tool.

Allowing access through the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security using Group Policy

1. 1. Edit an existing Group Policy object or create a new one using the Group Policy Management Tool.
   2. Expand the Computer Configuration/Policies/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Windows Firewall with Advanced Security/Windows Firewall with Advanced Security/Inbound Rules node.
   3. Check the Predefined: radio button and select Remote Assistance from the drop down list. Click Next
   4. Check the Remote Assistance rules for the Domain Profile and click Next.
   5. Check the Allow the Connection radio botton and click Finish to exit and save the new rule.
   6. Make sure the Group Policy Object is applied to the relevant computers using the Group Policy Management Tool.