Using WMI Explorer: Connect to a Remote Connection

You can use WMI Explorer to search and query WMI on a local or remote computer. In this section, we'll explain how to connect WMI Explorer to a remote computer.

In this section:

• Find the current computer
• Connect to a remote computer
• Disconnect and reconnect
• Update connection data
• Update WMI Data
• Need more?

Find the current computer

To determine which computer WMI Explorer is currently searching:

The name of the current computer is displayed in the title bar at the top of the screen and in the status bar at the bottom of the screen.

Connect to a remote computer

To connect to a remote computer:

1. In the WMI group of the ribbon, click Connect.
2. In the Connect box, type the computer name, an SSH root (if necessary) and the credentials of a user with connection privileges.
   
   
   
   Or, to browse through a list of connected computers, click the ellipsis (...).
   
   
3. When the command completes, the name of the remote computer appears in the title bar and status bar.
   
   

Disconnect and reconnect

When you connect to a remote computer, WMI Explorer saves the connection settings for that computer, including the user name and password.

• To reconnect to the local computer, click the Connect arrow, and select the name of the local computer.
• To reconnect to a remote computer, click the Connect arrow, and select the name of the remote computer.
• To connect to a new computer, click Connect.

Update connection data

When you connect to a remote computer, WMI saves your connection information. That makes it quick and easy to reconnect.

• If your credentials change, click Connect and enter the same computer name with the new credentials. WMI Explorer automatically updates the entry.
  
  -or-

• To manage stored connection information, click the File and then click Servers. Click a computer name, and then edit or delete the stored information.
  
  

Update WMI Data

To make WMI Explorer respond quicker, it "caches" or saves the WMI data for each computer when it connects to that computer. WMI data doesn't change frequently, so the data that WMI Explorer saves when the session starts is likely to be accurate throughout the session.

However, you can update the WMI data for a computer during a session.

To update the WMI cache for a computer :

• On the ribbon, click File, and then click Clear Cache.

WMI Explorer prompts you for confirmation, explaining that it updates the cache when it connects. If you click Yes, it updates the WMI cache on the local computer. This might take a few moments to complete.

Troubleshooting connections to Windows 8

It's particularly difficult to connect a computer running Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 to another computer running Windows 8 or 8.1.

To enable a WMI connection, you must:

1. Allow remote administration through the Windows Firewall.
2. Allow remote access to COM security.
3. Allow remote access to WMI root namespace and sub-namespaces.

To set these permissions you can run a script, Set-WMIExplorerPermissions.ps1, that we have provided. This script must be run elevated, that is, with the permissions of a member of the Administrators group on the computer.

You can also use a manual process to set each of the permissions individually. For detailed instructions, see WMI Explorer Windows 8 Remote Connection Issues.

If you've followed these instructions and you still cannot connect, post an issue on the SAPIEN WMI Explorer forum .

Need more?

This manual guides you through the features of WMI Explorer. If you have questions that aren't answered here, search the SAPIEN Blog and the WMI Explorer forum (for licensed users) or the Trial Software Questions forum (trial users). If you can't find what you need, post a question on either forum. We'll get back to you quickly.