Olga Weis
Last updated Jul 29, 2024
Setting up a remote desktop camera passthrough can be challenging. You may need to go through a complex setup to use your webcam in a session. This article will help, but we will also suggest simple-to-use and advanced tools for remote desktop redirection, such as FlexiHub.
NOTE: Webcam usage on an RDS server requires significant CPU resources. This is in part due to the CPU cycles needed to transmit the raw USB data through RDP.
Another potential problem is network latency. Redirecting webcam traffic with an RDS server requires a considerable amount of network bandwidth to achieve smooth and reliable communication.
Now, if you’re managing both ends of the session, set up the server:
The server should be visible in MSTSC and available for connection, with webcam support.
RemoteFX is a component that can improve the visual quality and overall performance of RDP sessions, and this includes USB passthrough for webcams as well. It requires specific group policies to be modified on the host and the client. GPO modification to allow webcams can carry security risks, so be cautious and consult security specialists if you’re planning to do this in a work environment.
To open the Local Group Policy Editor, search for “group” and select “Edit Group Policy”. All the necessary policies can be found under “Computer Configuration” > “Administrative Templates” > “Windows Components” > “Remote Desktop Services”, both on the client and on the host. Use the “Administrators and Users” group whenever possible.
On the client, you need to go to “Remote Desktop Connection Client”, then “RemoteFX USB Redirection”, and enable “Allow RDP redirection of other supported RemoteFX USB Devices from this computer”.
On the server, go to “Remote Desktop Session Host”. Several settings will need to be changed:
You can restart the machine to apply new policies, or, to be safe, run “gpupdate /force”. The next time you start a session through MSTSC, enable all local devices and resources so your webcam is allowed to connect.
“Show Options” > “Local Resources“ > click on “More”> Select all the options available under “Local devices and resources”
Enter the server credentials, including the username and password. Once you have provided this information, you can proceed with establishing the RDP connection.
One problem you may encounter when trying to share a webcam over RDP is getting the remote session to recognize the physical peripheral device.
We are going to show you a solution that makes it easy for a remote desktop to use a local webcam. It solves the problem of accessing locally attached USB devices for RDP users.
FlexiHub is a reliable and high-performance tool that enables redirected webcams to operate with any video conferencing software.
USB peripheral devices made available to RDP sessions with FlexiHub provide the same functionality for a locally connected piece of equipment on the remote machine.
FlexiHub uses virtualization to make it appear as if your RDP session is directly connected to a webcam attached to the local host computer. You don’t need any additional configuration to achieve clear and reliable video transmission. FlexiHub allows you to enjoy high-quality and low-latency video conferencing from any remote desktop session.
Watch this video for the visual instructions on how to use a webcam in remote desktop:
After communication is established, the device will be recognized by the remote computer and appear in its Device Manager. The virtualized devices offer remote users the same functionality of a direct physical connection.
✦ Supports a wide range of webcams
FlexHub does not require any special configuration to provide remote access to a wide variety of USB hardware devices.
✦ Compatibility with popular video conferencing solutions
This webcam for RDP redirection software works with all popular video conferencing applications. The tool supports Skype, Zoom, Slack, Google Hangouts, and many others.
✦ Advanced security
The security of your communication is vitally important and FlexiHub uses 2048-bit SSL encryption to safeguard data transmission. Shared webcams are fully protected from misuse when accessed through FlexiHub and your network.
✦ Redirect webcams to multiple platforms
This flexible software solution supports cross-platform configuration of Windows, Linux, and Mac remote desktops. Any platform can act as the server for clients of any other supported platform. Users on a Windows remote desktop can use webcams connected to Linux or Mac servers.
✦ Webcam drivers are not required
Client computers do not need to have webcam drivers installed to be able to access the shared peripheral. This feature eliminates the troublesome and potentially time-consuming of installing drives for each new device introduced to the environment.
✦ Optimize network traffic
Data transfer compression helps minimize the stress of transmitting video streams through your network. It also speeds up your interaction with the remote desktop cameras.
