I’m having trouble getting my USB device to work with my thin client when accessing a remote desktop session. The USB isn’t recognized on the host, and I need it for work tasks. Has anyone dealt with USB redirection on thin clients before? Any step-by-step help or tips would be really appreciated.
Сonnecting a USB device through a thin client is possible, but you’d better have patience.
Alright, let’s set the scene. In theory, plugging your USB gadget (think: flash drive, barcode scanner, headset) into your thin client should beam that device straight into your remote desktop session. But in reality, there can be some issues. Check this guide, where you will find the solution with step-by-step instuctions.
Not every USB device wants to play nice. The fancier or more “driver-dependent” your gadget, the higher the risk.
So you wanted to use a USB webcam for a remote lesson? It might work, but with enough lag to make you question reality.
Admins lock down everything. If you don’t have your redirection policies set just right, forget about it.
A high-latency network will make even basic USB devices stutter, disconnect, or straight up ghost on the session.
Here’s the lowdown from someone who’s lost hours to this:
- Double-check Redirection Software Settings — Sounds obvious, but make sure the redirection feature is enabled on both the thin client and the host. Different vendors have these toggles in all sorts of weird menu corners.
- Stick to Simple Devices — Storage devices (think plain old USB drives) usually work best. Headphones? Maybe. Game controllers? No promises.
- Update Everything — Firmware on the thin client, remote desktop client apps, drivers—keep them fresh. Stale software is the devil.
Some just persistently unplug and replug their USB drives, praying to the IT gods. If you’re looking for more detail, or just want to know you’re not the only one wading through this, poke around the “official” take over here: Thin Clients USB passthrough - Full Guide
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I saw @mikeappsreviewer’s breakdown, and yeah, a lot of it tracks—especially with USB compatibility being a casino roll. But I gotta say, some stuff might still snag you no matter how many times you update drivers or squint at the admin console.
Here’s where I go off-script a bit: Too many people futz around for days with policies and settings when sometimes your backend just doesn’t support full USB passthrough. Like, with some VDI solutions (looking at you, basic RDP or vanilla VMware deployments), those fancy devices simply never show up—by design. It’s not just your settings; it’s feature limitations. I’ve had success with alternatives like USB Network Gate—it’s weirdly more reliable in passing USB traffic from a thin client to your remote host, especially for those specialty gadgets that embedded redirection can’t touch.
Another neglected angle: Power supply on the thin client. If you’re plugging in, say, an external hard drive, your tinker-toy thin client might not deliver enough juice and you won’t even see the device at all—no matter how many registry hacks you find in the forums.
And about updates—sometimes, newer firmware actually breaks things that used to work. Don’t be so quick to update unless the release notes scream “fixed USB redirection.”
For people wrestling with this day-in, day-out, check out this page with a bunch of tips on solving remote desktop USB connectivity issues.
Don’t waste more time than it takes to toast a bagel if your device is non-standard—try USB Network Gate or call it a loss and plug into a regular PC. Thin client USB device redirection is useful, but never as smooth as the marketing slides.
I get what @mikeappsreviewer and @chasseurdetoiles are saying about compatibility and admin policies, but let’s not pretend it always needs to be this complicated. Y’all forgot one angle: sometimes it’s not about THE device, but about the protocol your remote setup is chewing on. If you’re running plain old RDP, it can handle only certain USB classes (storage, printers, HID, and that’s about it). Go with Citrix ICA or Teradici PCoIP, and you get a little more love for fancy gadgets, but even then, there’s always something that just won’t show up.
Forget device types for a second: check if your USB device needs its own drivers running on the host side. A ton of specialty devices (like, I dunno, a fingerprint scanner or a niche medical dongle) require host-level driver access, which the light-touch built-in USB redirection of thin clients can’t provide AT ALL. No settings tweak, no firmware jiggling, nada.
So, here’s the honest hack: if you’re tired of banging your head against policy walls and “unsupported USB” hell, grab USB Network Gate. It virtualizes the USB connection over the network, and works with beastly oddball gear—no kidding.
Also, and this might go against the grain, but sometimes, instead of doing a full-on download for some monster driver pack, you just want to get connected, period. If that’s the case, check this out: Connect USB devices from anywhere—get started easily here. Way more direct than wading through endless admin settings or running circles around group policy.
