Fix Remote Desktop Error Code 0x104 on Windows 11/10

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) is a Windows Utility that allows users to access a computer on the same network or even another network without any physical access rights. With this feature, you can control any target system or network with just a few clicks. There are third-party applications that also provide similar services, but some users just prefer to use the Windows Desktop Protocol. Although this is a free tool, however, it also has its downsides and you will encounter several errors, one of which is Error Code 0x104.

Remote screen 0x104 is displayed when you want to connect to a target system on your network or another network. The error message reads as:

We couldn’t connect to the remote PC because the PC can’t be found. Please provide the fully-qualified name or the IP address of the remote PC, and then try again.

This could be due to wrong network detection options or DNS settings. Even firewalls can block connections to invade your privacy settings and block systems on the network.

In this post, we will show how to fix Microsoft remote desktop error 0x104 including causes and solutions, plus some tips that will help you avoid the error.

Cause of Microsoft Remote Desktop 0x104

DNS settings

This is especially the case if you are using a custom DNS server or you have changed your DNS settings in such a way that they do not like Windows Remote Desktop. Removing the custom DNS or whatever setting is causing the problem should help you establish a successful connection.

Port is blocked by firewall

Remote Desktop is using port 3389 when using RDP connection and if this port is blocked by Firewall or any Anti-Virus software you cannot connect to the system you are trying to.

Network Discovery is OFF

When this option is disabled, in “Network Sharing” you cannot establish a connection with your target system and error code 0x104 will be displayed on the Remote Desktop.

These are the three main causes of error code 0x104 on remote computers. Now let's look at possible solutions.

Solution 1. Turn on Network Discovery

Network Discovery is an option using which you can determine if your system can view/scan other systems on the network. You must ensure that this option is enabled to establish an RDP connection. Here's how to do it:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Go to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.

3. Then, on the left side, click Change advanced sharing settings.

4. Expand the network profile you are currently using and select Turn on network discovery

5. Click Save Changes.

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Solution 2. Enable Remote Desktop settings

You must check that Remote desktop is enabled on your computer.

1. You need to press Windows key + I. Then you have to go to System.

2. When the System window appears, on the left side, scroll down to select Remote Desktop

3. On the right side, check if Enable Remote Desktop is switched to ON

After doing this, will you be able to access the remote desktop again.

Solution 3. Allow Remote assistance through the firewall

Sometimes the firewall may not allow some specific rules thus can cause this kind of error.

1. Press the Windows key from the keyboard. Here type Windows Defender Firewall. Then press Enter.

2. On the left side, click Advanced Settings.

3. When Windows Defender with Advanced Security opens, click Inbound Rules.

4. Then you have to scroll down to find Remote Assistance (RA Server TCP-In). Right click on the rule and then click Enable Rule.

5. Just below you will notice two more rules named Remote Desktop – User Mode (TCP-In) and Remote Desktop – User Mode (UDP-In).

6. Same as before right click these two rules one by one and then click Enable Rules to enable both rules.

7. Now check if the 'Local Port' for these two rules is set to 3389.

After doing all this, close the window.

Try connecting to this desktop using remote access.

Solution 4. Clear Custom DNS Servers

1. Open WinX menu using Windows+X keyboard shortcut.

2. From the menu list, select Settings > Network & Internet.

3. Move to the right pane and click on Change adapter options.

4. On the Network Connections page, look for your adapter.

5. Once you find, right-click on it and select Properties option.

6. On the respective properties wizard, make sure you’re on the Networking tab.

7. Thereupon, mark the checkbox next to Internet Protocol Version 4 and then select the Properties button.

8. Also, make sure Obtain DNS server address automatically is selected.

9. Click on the OK button to save the changes and then try to connect it again.

Solution 5. Run SFC Scan with PowerShell

1. Press Windows + X keys. Select PowerShell (Admin) from the options.

2. Type sfc /scannow and hit enter.

Wait until the process is finished and then check to see if the problem is now resolved.

Here's how to fix error code 0x104 when using remote desktop on your PC. Let us know how things have worked for you, and if you also want to share other methods not mentioned here, feel free to drop them in the comments.