Net Control 2

[Bramble]

Hi,

 

I have noticed the classroom management software; Net control 2, it appears to be very reasonably priced and seems to be a good piece of software.

But; I am wondering if anybody has had any experience in Net Control 2, if so - what your opinions are of it with particular reference to policy application to client computers.

 

Regards,

Matt

[netadmin]

I've been using Netcontrol 2 for a few years now. You can deploy the application to the student computers using group policy (they provide an MSI upon request). It takes a couple of minutes for it to install this way.

 

Activation is not required, you just have to enter a registration code on the teacher computer. However, the code does not always work and sometimes it takes multiple attempts of entering the code for it to actually consider the software registered (even if it says "Registered", it sometimes forgets this next time you start the program). Mine has also randomly lost the registration in the middle of the year.

 

I have not tried any of the restrictions that can be applied to student computers. They probably work fine, I just have never gotten around to testing that part of the program.

 

The connections to the student computers occasionally get lost, but that could be because our network equipment and desktops are quite old. Regardless, restarting the student and teacher computers resolve that problem. Teachers don't usually like having to restart in the middle of a lesson though...

 

We have tried the screen sharing function, but could never get it to work properly for all computers. (There was always at least one or two student computers that would just show a black screen).

 

One concern I have with Netcontrol is that you cannot hide the icon on the student computers. This icon changes colors and pops up a balloon alert above the clock when the teacher connects. This can be turned off, but the icon will always be visible. I emailed Netcontrol 2 support asking if there is anyway to hide it, but they said no. (Selecting the "always hide" on taskbar properties also does not work).

 

I am considering switching away from Netcontrol 2 to another program in the future. I'm hoping to find something a bit more reliable with less glitches.

 

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions for a present Netcontrol 2 user.

Edited January 2, 2010 by netadmin

[p858snake]

One concern I have with Netcontrol is that you cannot hide the icon on the student computers. This icon changes colors and pops up a balloon alert above the clock when the teacher connects. This can be turned off, but the icon will always be visible. I emailed Netcontrol 2 support asking if there is anyway to hide it, but they said no. (Selecting the "always hide" on taskbar properties also does not work).

That is most likely because because it's illegal to monitor people without notification in certain regions (eg: a icon can cover this) so they don't want to risk any liability for this so they force the icon to show.

[FN-GM]

One concern I have with Netcontrol is that you cannot hide the icon on the student computers. This icon changes colors and pops up a balloon alert above the clock when the teacher connects. This can be turned off, but the icon will always be visible. I emailed Netcontrol 2 support asking if there is anyway to hide it, but they said no. (Selecting the "always hide" on taskbar properties also does not work).

 

You can do this with LanSchool, NetSupport and Ranger. Might be worth looking at them if its a big issue for you

[ninjabeaver]

Check out ABTutor as well.

[Steven_Cleaver]

You could also try Italic which is free it seems to do most the things that the commercial ones do including share screens, lock computers, view pupil screens etc, I have been using this here for about year now & staff seem reasonably happy with it.

[eddyc]

We use SMART Sync (Originally SynchronEyes) we did originally use Viglen Remote Learning when we had our old classlink network and had lots of problems with it.

 

Smart Sync is an excellent piece of software IMO, the only thing I dislike is that it does not connect to the student computers unless they are logged in.

[Bramble]

the only thing I dislike is that it does not connect to the student computers unless they are logged in.

 

I assume that means there is no remote login then?

 

You could also try Italic which is free it seems to do most the things that the commercial ones do including share screens, lock computers, view pupil screens etc, I have been using this here for about year now & staff seem reasonably happy with it.

 

It keeps crashing (for me) and is buggy, also I need something with an easy interface for policy application.

Edited January 2, 2010 by Bramble

[powdarrmonkey]

You could also try Italic which is free

 

iTalc?