Permission to use msg.exe for all staff

[Ben-at-work]

Hi guys,

 

We had an 'incident' last week and SLT want some form of panic button that teachers can use on their laptop/desktop if they feel a potentially dangerous situation is brewing.

 

But at this stage they don't want to pay for anything!

 

I'm looking at using the msg utility via a batch script that when run will pop a message on identified machines, code below for reference:

 

@echo off
set /p RoomName=Enter your location (include room number if possible): 
msg * /SERVER:blah.domain.local Help needed in %RoomName%

 

Now, this works great except that only members of the domain admins group are able to send the message, anyone else gets the message "[username] does not exist or is disconnected". I've modified the AllowRemoteRPC key on the client machines but need to find a way for staff users to be able to use msg.exe.

 

Any help would be really appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[Chuckster]

How about using this... Net Send GUI, Net Send Command-line Tool (freeware) - FOMINE SOFTWARE

 

Extract using 7-Zip to reveal the MSI and deploy/install onto workstations and laptops that require it.

[scotyboy56]

I saw this post and it looked quite interesting to me and useful, I am trying to set it up aswell, but I keep getting "Error 5 getting session names" Unless I send a message to the machine I'm on or I'm on the server, is there anything I need to enable or install to get it to work?

[Chuckster]

@scotyboy56, is this directed at me? If so, there isn't anything you need to do. You simply install it and the client only gets populated with a list of users when they are logged into their workstations.

[scotyboy56]

@scotyboy56, is this directed at me? If so, there isn't anything you need to do. You simply install it and the client only gets populated with a list of users when they are logged into their workstations.

 

No sorry, I hadn't refreshed the page by the time I came to send the message so didn't see your post.

[strawberry]

What happens when the teacher has flicked the wifi button?. Physical safety is not something that should be done on the cheap, point them in the direction of an outside firm who will provide a proper solution.

[Ephelyon]

@Ben-at-work, @scotyboy56, I would point you to this.

@strawberry, I think we're talking about a situation where it is assumed the teacher has already logged on (to take the register, perhaps).

 

UPDATE: I've now also configured an Outlook rule to play a sound on the workstations staffed by recipient users when such a message is received. Being a die-hard Trekkie, it's the Red Alert klaxon from ST:TNG...

Edited May 18, 2015 by Ephelyon

[Ben-at-work]

Thanks for all the responses, good to get a discussion going!

 

@Chuckster Thanks for the tip, had a look but knowing our staff this would be open to abuse! We want to have something for emergency only ideally.

 

@strawberry We use desktops. I completely agree about physical security and that is something that we will be looking into in the longer term (we're in a PFI building which further complicates things) but after what happened last week they want something in place ready for next term, even if it's a stop gap.

 

@Ephelyon Thanks for the suggestion, I did find your original post but as we use 365 web mail the recipient wouldn't get a visual prompt unless they happen to be on email at the time.

 

For the brief I've been given using msg.exe would work quickly and simply in panic situations, I just need to find a way for users to be able to send messages without being part of the domain admins groups! Thanks again for the responses, it is great to be part of this community.

[clareq]

Which MSI do you use - SIMS has emergency alerts built in, and most teachers here have SIMS open anyway in a classroom.

[Ben-at-work]

Which MSI do you use - SIMS has emergency alerts built in, and most teachers here have SIMS open anyway in a classroom.

That looks like an ideal solution, will have a play. Thank you!