The Remote Computer Requires Network Level Authentication

With proper configuration, Windows 10 can be used to connect to another remote computer over either a local connection or over the internet. However, many users have reported an error, where they cannot connect to remote computers over the network, getting an error that says the following:

“The remote computer requires network level authentication, which your computer does not support. For assistance, contact your system administrator or technical support.”

Or,

“The remote computer that you are trying to connect to requires Network level authentication but your Windows domain controller cannot be contacted to perform NLA. If you are an administrator on the remote computer, you can disable NLA by using the options on the Remote tab of the System Properties dialog box.”

Here, I shall discuss how you can resolve the issue if you get the network level authentication error on your system.

Fixes For The Remote Computer Requires Network Level Authentication

Here are some of the steps that you can follow to temporarily disable network level authentication, in order to solve the network level authentication required error. In the end, I shall discuss a more permanent and secure solution that should allow you to connect to remote devices without worrying about remote desktop network level authentication error messages.

Solution 1: Change Remote Desktop Settings

Here is a simple step that you can follow to disable network level authentication easily. This is done using the System Properties dialog box. Follow these steps carefully to solve the ‘the remote computer requires network level authentication’ error message.

1. Open a Run dialog by pressing Win + R.
2. Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter to launch the System Properties window.
3. Go to the Remote
4. Under the Remote desktop subsection, uncheck the box next to ‘Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network level authentication (recommended)’
5. Click on Apply followed by OK.
6. Reboot your system.

Now check if you are able to connect to the remote computer with this setting disabled. This should solve the error on your device. There are some other ways to disable the network level authentication on your system as well.

Solution 2: Use PowerShell

One of the easiest methods to disable NLA consists using PowerShell commands to perform the desired action. PowerShell allows you to tap into the remote computer and after targeting the machine, execute the command to disable NLA.

1. Open an elevated PowerShell window. To do so, use Win + S to open the search dialog, type PowerShell, right click on the result and select Run as administrator.
2. Execute the following command to tap into the target computer:
   $TargetMachine = “Target-Machine-Name”
   Note: Replace Target-Machine-Name with your machine name
3. Type the following command to remove authentication from the network computer:
   (Get-WmiObject -class “Win32_TSGeneralSetting” -Namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices -ComputerName $TargetMachine -Filter “TerminalName=’RDP-tcp’”).SetUserAuthenticationRequired(0)

Solution 3: Use Group Policy Editor

Group policy editor is a powerful tool that can help you customize many important Windows settings without having to go through editing registry. Disabling NLA using the group policy editor can be very useful especially if you are blanket disabling. Follow these steps to disable ‘remote desktop network level authentication’ using local group policy editor.

1. Open a Run dialog by pressing Win + R.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. Navigate the following path to reach the appropriate settings file:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Security
4. Under the Security settings, in the right pane locate the following entry:
   Require user authentication for remote connections by using Network level authentication
5. Double click on this entry to modify the value.
6. Click the Disabled radio button.

Check if the error has been resolved on your device by attempting to connect to the remote desktop using NLA disabled.

Solution 4: Use Registry Editor

You can also use the registry to solve the ‘the remote computer requires network level authentication’ error on your network system. Follow these steps to solve the remote desktop authentication error on your remote desktop.

Note: The registry is one the most powerful and important tools in Windows, and making any changes without knowing the consequences can possibly brick your device. Make sure to prepare a backup before making any changes to your device, and follow the provided steps precisely.

1. Open a Run dialog by pressing Win + R.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to launch the registry editor. Click on Yes in the user account control prompt.
3. Navigate to the following location by pasting the path in the address bar of the registry editor:
   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
4. In the right pane, locate and double click the Security Packages multi-string value to modify the value.
5. In the value data box for the entry, type tspkg and press OK.

6. Next, navigate to the following registry key:
   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders
7. In the right pane, double click to modify the value of the SecurityProviders string value.
8. In the Value data box for the entry, type credssp.dll and press OK.

9. Close the registry editor and reboot your device.

Now check if the network level authentication error is resolved on your device.

Wrapping Up

Remote desktops can be very useful in sharing and interacting with computers in other locations in a local manner. However, the ‘the remote computer requires network level authentication’ error can prevent remote connections and prevent sharing of resources. Now you know how to solve this using the solutions provided above. Comment below if you found this useful, and to discuss further the same.