Windows Server 2022 remote web access without a domain? (private server)

[Bardmaster]

Hi, I only use Windows Server as a home server for personal use, such as a fileshare for family and friend use and to stream home movies and other personal content.  95% of the time this is only needed for home LAN access, but that 5% of the time I want to be able to access my fileshares and RDP into the server for maintenance from a remote site.

I have used WS Essentials from its inception, going from the original to 2012 to 2016.  I have upgraded my hardware and decided to purchase WS 2022 to also upgrade my software.  There is no longer an Essentials offering except through OEM, so I purchased Standard.  

I have wracked my brain trying to figure out how to access my new Win2022 server remotely since I am not a company and don't have a domain gateway and don't want to purchase an SSL certificate.  Is there a free option available to replace the super-simple Remote Web Access / Anywhere Access of Essentials where Microsoft allows you to create your own domain @ remotewebservices.com?

OR, since I have an existing license still for WSE2016 can I leverage that to still use my <username>@remotewebservices.com domain?  I did try this as part of the Remote Desktop Gateway installation process, but of course to no avail.

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[#2]

@Bardmaster 

In Windows Server 2022 Standard, the Remote Web Access feature is not available out of the box as it was in Windows Server Essentials. However, there are alternative options you can explore to enable remote access to your server without a domain and without purchasing an SSL certificate. Here are a few suggestions:

1. VPN (Virtual Private Network):
   • Set up a VPN server on your Windows Server 2022. This allows you to securely connect to your home network remotely.
   • Configure your router to allow VPN traffic to pass through to your server.
   • Connect to the VPN from your remote location using VPN client software on your device.
   • Once connected, you can access your file shares and RDP into your server using its local IP address.
2. Dynamic DNS (DDNS):
   • Register for a free dynamic DNS service that assigns a domain name to your home network's public IP address.
   • Set up your router to update the dynamic DNS service with your current IP address.
   • Configure port forwarding on your router to forward the necessary ports (e.g., 3389 for RDP) to your server's internal IP address.
   • Use the assigned domain name to remotely access your server, such as using RDP software and entering the domain name as the destination.
3. Remote Desktop Gateway (RD Gateway):
   • Install and configure the Remote Desktop Gateway role on your server.
   • Configure your router to forward port 443 (HTTPS) to your server's internal IP address.
   • Obtain a free SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt or use a self-signed certificate.
   • Use a remote desktop client to connect to your server using the RD Gateway and the server's public IP address.

Regarding using your existing Windows Server Essentials 2016 license, it's not possible to use the @remotewebservices.com domain from that version on a Windows Server 2022 Standard edition. The Essentials features, including the domain name, are specific to the Windows Server Essentials edition.

Remember to take appropriate security precautions, such as using strong passwords, enabling firewall rules, and keeping your server and router firmware up to date, to ensure the security of your remote access setup. The text and steps were created with the help of AI.

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

Hope this will help you.

[#3]

@Bardmaster 

Below URL for some insight:

How to install VPN on Windows Server 2019 - Thomas Maurer

[#4]

@Bardmaster 

Late to the party on this one, but check out TheOfficeMaven's info on installing the Windows Server Essentials Experience on Server 2019/2022/2025 

https://www.theofficemaven.com/news/installing-windows-server-essentials-experience-on-windows-serve...