Automatic logoff

[subjones]

We are looking for a program to logoff users if network cable is unplugged. We thought some thing a long the line of pinging the sever IP if no ping response log of user. We have just started using Lanschool and the little darling unplug the network cables to stop Lanschool working.

[Hightower]

The thing is, what happens if the switch loses connectivity through a power outage etc - then the user is logged off when innocent and any unsaved work is lost.

[subjones]

Thanks we did think of that but with a power outage you lose the room anyway.

[p858snake]

The thing is, what happens if the switch loses connectivity through a power outage etc - then the user is logged off when innocent and any unsaved work is lost.

Setup SNMP on one of the switches then and ping it?

 

When would this script/tool run? on login or every X minutes?

 

No matter what you choose there will always be issues when it comes to unping-iness (such as switches loosing power... dead servers)

[subjones]

The script would ping X minutes and have to run on each work station. The problem we have hit is that with Lanschool if contact is lost with the Teachers console the students are no longer blocked from programs. This is OK if internet is blocked but not if programs or key board locked.

[Hightower]

Thanks we did think of that but with a power outage you lose the room anyway.

 

Well, what I meant was what if the circuit the switch is on trips but the circuit the computer room is on doesn't.

 

Happens here quite regularly.

[TimH]

No matter what you choose there will always be issues when it comes to unping-iness (such as switches loosing power... dead servers)

 

Rather than using Ping, why not ipconfig and check connection status?

 

Or whatever system calls (via WMI ?) are available for such checking.

 

tim

[Hightower]

I suppose a lot of this comes down to classroom management though surely?

[PaulCoram86]

I suppose a lot of this comes down to classroom management though surely?

 

I work along side Mr Jones and classroom management is an uphill struggle here . We've found some software but nothing promising.

 

We've had a longer thought about this, and what we think we ideally need is a way of stopping the kids unplugging the network cables. I've had a look to see if there's a protective cage for the wall plate (if it exists?) to stop them unplugging the network cables.

 

Does anyone know if this is possible.

[p858snake]

We've had a longer thought about this, and what we think we ideally need is a way of stopping the kids unplugging the network cables. I've had a look to see if there's a protective cage for the wall plate (if it exists?) to stop them unplugging the network cables.

Although that wouldn't stop them unplugging unplugging at the back of the machine.

 

I know that clipsal used to sell what you were looking for which suited their range of fittings but they no longer seem to sell it and only have its big brother the 255 which is designed more for powerpoints.

[subjones]

Thanks TimH my thoughts were moving along similar lines. I suppose my college and myself will have to put on our thinking cap and do a bit of VB work. Hoped that some one had solved the problem already. We have plenty to do this is just one more to add to the pile. Class management might seem the answer but with 33 kids to watch a teacher cannot be everywhere.

[TimH]

Thanks TimH my thoughts were moving along similar lines. I suppose my college and myself will have to put on our thinking cap and do a bit of VB work.

 

(Is posting code snippets frowned upon ?)

 

strComputer = "."

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer)

Set colItems = objWMIService.InstancesOf("Win32_NetworkAdapter")

For Each objItem in colItems

Wscript.Echo objItem.Description

Wscript.Echo objItem.NetConnectionStatus

Next

 

NetConnectionStatus described here;

 

Win32_NetworkAdapter Class (Windows)

 

Workarounds needed for Windows older than XP.

 

tim