TruGrid Secure RDP - RDP over UDP

UDP Transport for TruGrid SecureRDP

TruGrid SecureRDP supports RDP UDP transport, allowing remote desktop sessions to deliver graphics data over UDP alongside the standard TCP channel. This results in higher frame rates and a more responsive session, particularly under graphics-intensive or video-heavy workloads.

UDP transport is available upon request and requires the latest versions of TruGrid Sentry, Secure Connect, and Windows Desktop Connector.

About UDP Transport

Starting with RDP version 8.0, Microsoft introduced a UDP transport extension (MS-RDPEUDP) that runs alongside the traditional TCP connection. When UDP transport is available, RDP uses it for display and graphics data while TCP continues to handle session control and reliable data channels.

UDP transport improves session performance in two ways:

• Reduced throughput throttling. TCP's congestion control algorithm backs off aggressively when it detects packet loss, which directly reduces the number of frames delivered to the client. UDP avoids this by not enforcing congestion-based throttling on display data.
• Forward error correction instead of retransmission. Rather than waiting for lost packets to be retransmitted (which stalls the display pipeline), UDP transport uses forward error correction (FEC) to recover from random packet loss without round-trip delays.

The practical result is that sessions using UDP transport can sustain significantly higher frame rates and lower display latency than sessions restricted to TCP-only transport, especially over connections with any degree of packet loss or jitter.

Requirements

UDP transport requires the following minimum component versions:

Additional requirements:

• The RDP host must be running Windows Server 2012 R2 or later (or Windows 8 or later for workstations) to support RDP 8.0+ UDP transport.
• The RDP transport policy on the host must be set to Use both UDP and TCP, which is the default setting. This can be verified at: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Connections > Select RDP transport protocols
• UDP port 3389 must not be blocked by the Windows firewall on the RDP host. No external or inbound firewall exposure is required.
• The TruGrid Windows Desktop Connector is required on the client side. The Web Connector and Mac Connector do not support UDP transport at this time.

How to Enable

1. Update all TruGrid components (Sentry, Secure Connect, and Windows Desktop Connector) to the latest versions.
2. Verify that your RDP hosts meet the requirements listed above.
3. Contact TruGrid support via live chat or email to request UDP transport activation for specific UPNs within your domain.

Once enabled, UDP transport is negotiated automatically when conditions permit. No additional end user configuration is required.

Verifying UDP Transport Is Active

While connected to a remote desktop through the TruGrid Desktop Connector, click the connection quality icon in the RDP connection bar. The dialog will indicate whether UDP is in use:

FAQ

Q: Does UDP transport change how TruGrid authenticates or secures connections?

A: No. UDP transport only affects how display data is delivered after authentication. Cloud authentication, MFA, and zero-trust policies are unchanged.

Q: Does UDP transport increase bandwidth usage?

A: Yes, moderately. Higher frame rates require more bandwidth. The increase is proportional to the improvement in display quality. For bandwidth-constrained environments, TCP-only transport remains available.

Q: What happens if UDP is blocked on the network?

A: RDP falls back to TCP-only transport automatically. There is no disruption to connectivity.

Q: Does this work with RemoteApp sessions?

A: Yes. UDP transport benefits both full desktop and RemoteApp sessions.

Updated on: 27/03/2026