eean

Hmm... that's wierd. It's not letting me either. Copy and paste this script into Notepad and save it as defaultprinter.vbs Dim WShell, PrinterPol Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") '****Read the value for the default printer set by group policy 'Switch Error Reporting Off On Error Resume Next 'Attempt to read key strPrinterPol = objShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\DefaultPrinter\DefaultPrinter") 'Turn error reporting back on On Error Goto 0 'Check the length of the key to see if the registry has retrieved anything. If Len(strPrinterPol) > 0 Then Call funSetDefaultPrinter(strPrinterPol) Else ' Wscript.echo "policy doesn't exist" End If Wscript.Quit '########## Functions ############ Function funSetDefaultPrinter(strPrinterName) 'Get details about the printer, e.g. what it uses to spool (e.g. winspool) and port name (e.g NE01:) 'These commands just read from the registry but because the path to the key may contain back slashes the normal regread function won't work 'strPrinterPort is what is returned (it will be like "winspool, NE01:") Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003 strComputer = "." Set objReg=GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv") strKeyPath = ".DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices" objReg.GetStringValue HKEY_USERS, strKeyPath, strPrinterName, strPrinterPort 'wscript.echo StrPrinterPort 'Put the printer name and port name together strDefPrintKey = StrPrinterName & "," & strPrinterPort 'Now Write the values to the registry to set the default printer objShell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Device", strDefPrintKey, "REG_SZ" End Function Copy and paste this script and save it as defaultprinter.adm CLASS MACHINE CATEGORY "Printers" POLICY "Set Default Printer" KEYNAME "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\DefaultPrinter" PART "DefaultPrinter" EDITTEXT VALUENAME "DefaultPrinter" END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY I'm assuming that you've already got printers installing themselves via group policy and pushprinterconnections.exe utility. And also that you know how to add custom adm files to group policy and add vbs files to your logon batch file (you could probably also initate this script using the logon scripts part of group policy though I haven't tested that). If you need help with these, let me know. It's only been tested with Server 2003 and Windows XP. Good luck!

We evaluated 5 packages and, over a 5 year period, Frog was the 3rd most expensive - and significantly less than Kaleidos. Perhaps it's because we're a large school and Kaleidos et. al. charge per user per year. We haven't got it yet though. What I don't understand is why students even need to load files into Frog in the first place. Why can't it just link to their networked home directory?

This Apple WhitePaper says: This would imply that it's possible to lock down clients via Active Directory without requiring an Mac server. However, it doesn't tell you how. If you figure it out let us know as I need to do this soon!

If you register it for one user, then export the relevant registry key will it let you import that key for another user? If it does, it would be fairly easy to script the import of a key then running the program.

In 1997 I wrote an online Auction system for buying and selling milk quota for farmers. In 1998 Ebay launched!

Just a crazy idea: Activate it to one user. Allow kids to log on as normal. Then use Run As... run it in your special user's context. I thought there was a run as mode that let you do this. There are a few Run As programs about that will automate this for you and store the password etc.. or a batch file would do the trick. (Runas command) or Run it in Terminal services, if you have it setup already and/or Tell that company to stop being so bloody stupid and to drag themselves into the real world.

Here's my default printer script - may be useful for someone. It works in a slightly different way. It might be slightly faster because the printer connections are per machine so don't need to be recreated on each logon. Also, it keeps the default printer information all in Group Policy, which makes it easier for editing especially when working with less script-savvy techs. I have also used the method described by the original poster and it does work well. First of all, you install the printer to the local machine using the pushprinterconnections method in Group Policy See here. This makes the printer available to all users on the machine but it doesn't set it as default. As we know, the problem with windows is the default printer option is controlled by the user part of the registry, not the computer. (Daft!). You use a custom ADM file (attached) in Group policy - this writes a the name of the default printer to the local machine in the registry. You can use either the network or local name e.g. "\\svr1\printer" or "Canon 123") We now have a default printer value for the computer, rather than the user. This script runs is called by the logon script (or could be called through GP). It reads the registry value, looks up the port name of the printer, then sets the default printer. It adds a registry key to set the default printer rather than using the WSH SetDefaultPrinter command. The reason is that the printer doesn't actually appear until a few minutes after logon so the SetDefaultPrinter method fails. The script has a few extra If's than needed. This was because I was planning on making it more clever e.g. adding per user option. Or making it so it would set a local printer if there was one attached. It could also do with some error checking - e.g. what do do if the printer that is supposed to be default isn't actually installed. 'Option Explicit Dim WShell, PrinterPol Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") '****Read the value for the default printer set by group policy 'Switch Error Reporting Off On Error Resume Next 'Attempt to read key (This key has been written by Group Policy via the custom ADM file) strPrinterPol = objShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\DefaultPrinter\DefaultPrinter") 'Turn error reporting back on On Error Goto 0 'Check the length of the key to see if the registry has retrieved anything. If Len(strPrinterPol) > 0 Then Call funSetDefaultPrinter(strPrinterPol) Else ' Wscript.echo "policy doesn't exist" End If Wscript.Quit '########## Functions ############ Function funSetDefaultPrinter(strPrinterName) 'Get details about the printer, e.g. what it uses to spool (e.g. winspool) and port name (e.g NE01:) 'These commands just read from the registry but because the path to the key may contain back slashes the normal regread function won't work 'strPrinterPort is what is returned (it will be like "winspool, NE01:") Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003 strComputer = "." Set objReg=GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv") strKeyPath = ".DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices" objReg.GetStringValue HKEY_USERS, strKeyPath, strPrinterName, strPrinterPort 'wscript.echo StrPrinterPort 'Put the printer name and port name together strDefPrintKey = StrPrinterName & "," & strPrinterPort 'Now Write the values to the registry to set the default printer objShell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Device", strDefPrintKey, "REG_SZ" End Function defaultprinterADM.zip

Unless you've got an amazing internet connection I think you're going to run into problems. Imagine it: 30 kids saving 30mb images over a net connection - something's going to give.

175 was the kinda speed I was hoping for! (I'm guessing that's SpeedFlex speed - is that with or without encryption?). I tried enabling 40mhz on Radio A/N (5ghz). On 2.4ghz it only has 20 as an option. After doing so, my clients would only connect to 2.4. When I disabled 2.4 on the client they would not connect at all. This could suggest a client issue, however Macbooks can reportedly support 40 and when running Windows there is an option to disable it. Even if they are both serving clients in the same room? Surely they can't avoid interference if they are each is connected to clients virtually sitting next to one another? But I thought the client didn't really control which AP it connects to but it was the AP controller that decides. In this thread you say: Would the client decide it roams or the AP controller makes the client roam? I'm not trying to be awkward - just if it's the client then how would it know, surely it's almost accidental. If its the AP controller that decides then that's clever! That'll be it. Your help is really appreciated. Thanks. I have high expectations of how intelligent the system can be and I need to be 100% certain it's right before spending a big pile of cash on it!

I fear it's not working quick enough. I opened a few pictures into a paint editor - it was almost instant on a wired connection but took over 45 seconds on wireless. Now imagine 24 kids doing that at once. For web it was fine - but so was our old gear. n can be either (if you have a dual band AP). However, I thought it could bundle both simultaneously, which it can't. I also thought it used wider bands (i.e. 2 channels) to achieve it's top speed (which is why it works better on the 5ghz spectrum). I didn't spot it doing this on my frequency monitor - any one know if it does, or why it didn't? EDIT: I've just spotted the 'channelization' option is set to Auto. Should that be 40? Why wouldn't it select 40 itself? That'll be it. Thanks. I thought that was the point of tha Access Point controller - that it chose the AP rather than the client, which is how the load balancing works and which is why a managed solution is better than an unmanaged one. No, that's not it. We are using the older 8.0.1 firmware, so that might have something to do with it. Thanks for your help. Any more help on these issues would be appreciated. Thanks.

We have 2 Ruckus APs + 1 AP controller on trial. One is a/g/n the other is g/n. We're using Macbooks which are all a/g/n. Encryption: WPA-PSK. I was very excited about Ruckus, and after by test results I'm feeling less excited. Question 1. What is the SpeedFlex test actually reporting? I've been comparing results from SpeedFlex with iPerf. iPerf is a simple program - it runs on the server and on the client then fires a load of data between the two and times how long it takes (it doesn't write data to the HD). I realise that it not an exact comparison: iPerf is testing the whole route between the client and the server whereas SpeedFlex is just testing the speed between the AP and the Client. Speed between AP and Controller - Speedflex: 91.3mbps iPerf: 74.9mbps. So the uplink to the server is not brilliant, but not the limiting factor when you look at the results. With an a/g/n access point and the client (on a/n) in the classroom - SpeedFlex: 80, iPerf: 31.2 With an g/n access point and the client (on g/n) next door - Speedflex: 56.2 iperf: 23 With an a/g/n access point and the client (on g/n) next door - Speedflex: 56.2 iperf: 23 With an a/g/n access point and the client (on g/n) next door - 8 other users - Speedflex 48mbps iperf: 1.8-3.41 (OK there was obviously some data transfer going on by the other clients - but it was only web and we've only got a 4meg line!) I know that there is overhead with the encryption, but I was expecting better 'real life' throughput from n than that. The best I got was 31.2. I can get better out of a consumer grade Belkin (35). People on the web say you can get 80mbps real life speed out of n. Question 2. Shouldn't proper n use both the 5ghz and the 2.4ghz frequency if it can? The dual band access point balances the clients between a/n and g/n implying that it's one or the other, not both. I thought n used both simultaneously? Question 3. Shouldn't the AP controller sort out which AP is on which channel? We had it set to auto but it put two APs which were in neighbouring rooms on channel 1. I had to move it to channel 6 manually. Question 4. How long does it take to move the clients over to a better AP. It had clients balanced between a AP downstairs and one next door. We unplugged the one downstairs and the clients all switched to the one next door - they didn't even notice! However, when we put the AP in the same room it took a good 5 minutes (after it'd booted up) before even one client connected to it. Question 5. Why is there an 'unknown' SSID attached to one AP? We only have one SSID set up. However, using inSSIDer I noticed that one AP had two SSIDs -ours and another called 'unknown'. It was definitely Ruckus and it reported the same or slightly lower signal on the same channel. Any Ruckus experts or real life users able to shed light on any of these would be much appreciated. I want to be sure that this is the best system that we can afford rather than one that we buy on the basis that other people say 'yeh, it's good'. TBH I wasn't wowed!

I don't understand. Solution 2 (above) should do that - or at least it will pick up AP with the strongest signal, although that doesn't always = fastest throughput. For that you need Ruckus/Aruba @ $$$!

Up to you, but I can tell you that solution 2 does work. I've implemented it myself on several networks using a range of APs and a mix of clients. It's also a standard Edugeek solution to this problem - search the forums and you'll get several threads with the same idea. Just because it doesn't work for one person, doesn't mean it's not going to work for you. In addition, you could set up Automatic Configuration for proxy, which would save you another job. Also it would mean that users don't need to switch settings between college and home. Search Google for WPAD. Good luck.

Hi, Right, this is very complicated to explain. Please bear with me! Background: We are a split-site school. Currently there are 2 domains: upper school and lower school (one for each site). We going to migrate to one domain - phasing out the lower school domain. The upper school has been upgraded to Server 2008. The lower school has a new 2008 domain controller which is set up with 'Sites' to replicate to the upper school. The 'old' (currently in use) domain at the lower school is 2003. Question 1 - how should DNS be set up on the lower school DC? Currently, the contractor has set up a DNS server on the new lower school DC - OK. But, on the IP address setup on the server network card has configured the Primary DNS controller to be at the upper school, then the Secondary DNS controller to be at the lower school. Surely, on a DC with DNS you should have it pointing to itself? Is there a special way which the DNS forwarders/replication should be set? Question 2 On the lower site: We would like to setup and test Windows Deployment Services (WDS) on the new domain whilst leaving the old domain in place. WDS requires DHCP and DNS however, these are still hosted on the old domain. We also want to join and use computers on the new domain. Can we continue to use the DHCP and DNS servers on the old domain? Will this complicate WDS?(Eventually, we'll move it over). Do we need to set up DNS fowarders or something to the upper school site? Thanks!

TBH it would seem unlikely that it's a Windows bug - espcially in your environment where people are probably using different versions of windows, with different network cards (unless it's only affecting some users?). I've used the multi-ap one-ssid setup for years without any problems. Some network cards have problems - particularly if you log onto one AP then move. It will remain 'stuck' to a low signal AP, even when a stronger one is available. There is a setting that can sort that. Or, it could be a network card driver issue. I'd be tempted to check the usual, if you haven't already: AP Firmware. Alternatively, a crude way is to set which clients can connect to an AP using their MAC address. But you'd lose mobility as you'd have to know which clients should connect.

Ok. Your problem is that you are using different SSIDs (i.e the network name that appears). When you set up a network with several SSIDs Windows will always try to connect to the one with highest priority, even if it's signal strength is weakest. Only when the highest priority network is completely out of range will Windows attempt to connect to the next one down. Solution 1. Put signs in each room telling students which network they should connect to. They manually select that network (Not a good solution!). Solution 2 Make the SSID and password the same for all access points. Windows will automatically connect to the access point with highest signal strength. You will now only need to set up one network. In addition, you should try to put the access points on different channels so they don't interfere - use channels 1, 6 and 11 - but try not to put two 1s or two 6s or two 11s within range of each other. Solution 3 Buy a managed wireless network – e.g. Ruckus, Aruba. You will have just one SSID and an access point controller will take care of all the channels and decide the best access point for clients to connect to. (e.g. The one with the strongest signal isn't always the best if has lots of users). These have the added advantage that they can sort out authentication for you – so, for example, users could authenticate using their active directory username and password or provide guest access. Managed solutions are very expensive though . Solution 2 is the easiest to implement with no cost.

Always a fan of low-tech, pick-it-up-yourself: One of those cages you get from B&Q to protect a heating flue/tumble dryer output would be about the right shape and size.

This Apple WhitePaper Best Practices: Integrating Mac OS X with Active Directory is quite usefull. According to this, the .local problem is no longer after 10.5.4:

We used PalePurple on their basic package. They gave an educational discount, I think it worked out under 200 quid a year. I probably spent a day fiddling about learning how to use plone then set the site up in a day. It was pretty easy. The complex thing is changing the template. That's the only reason why you'd need to go into the back end. You might just like to pay someone to do that for you - there a plenty of places on the internet offering to design plone templates. I just used the default template and went into the backend to change the colours and picture- pretty basic but it's fine. I liked the idea of work flow (though never set it up!), permissions and the easy interface. I needed to get Pale Purple to install an extra module thing that would allow me to put photo news on the front page - by default, you can get news summaries, I think but no pictures with them. They did this for me for free. It was a few years ago though, that may have changed. I don't work at the school anymore, but some staff still update it. It's nothing special, but does the job. Check it out here. Is there anything else you needed to know?

Why read only? Surely it will just sync like magic?

IIRC, there's a way in Server 2008 of making TS work for just one application - it appears to the user that it is a normal application window even though it is actually running remotely. (I might of dreamt that though) If you have users from site 2, accessing files from site 1 over the vpn then, yes, any interrupts in the internet is going to cause it to stall/crash as most apps can't really cope with this. If you have 'sites' and DFS set up properly then the client is saving to a local server first and then these files can be synced by the servers according to your schedule. But this could still get problematic if you have users on both sites frequently wanting to edit the same files at the same time. What are your users actually doing? If they are doing a mix of internet graphics flash stuff then TS could be a problem. If they are mainly accessing SIMS and doing a bit of word processing then TS is probably the easiest way.

So users on Site2 are currently using TS? As srochford was saying, what you really need is another Domain Controller on Site 2. You will have some sort of VPN link between the two and each site will be on a different IP subnet. If you set up 'sites' properly, windows will know to authenticate against the DC on it's site. It will keep both Domain Controllers in sync, and you can decide when and how often the DCs sync. You can also set up Distributed File System (DFS). This lets you create a virtual name space e.g. \\yourdomain.com\share The files can actually be stored on site1, site2, or both. Again, you can decide when they replicate. This will be much better than trying to access the file over the internet because the computer will first of all save the file ot the server on its site. Then the DC will replicate this over to the other site. This won't work with database apps, e.g SIMS. You'll have to continue using TS for this.

I'm trying to figure out how clever these things actually are. Let’s say, hypothetically, I had 10 access points all in the same room. Would it put 3 APs on the n (2.4ghz + 5ghz) bands, using up the 3 channels in the 2.4. Then the remaining 7 on the A (5 ghz bands). Then, would it put more clients on the full n APs then fewer on a. Or, would it try and stick them all on n, causing loads of interference on the 2.4ghz band? Then distribute the clients evenly. Would it do this automatically or would this have to be configured manually. I’m thinking of, perhaps, providing blanket coverage in all areas. Then having mobile access points to add more bands for when laptops are used as sets. This might mean that if one year group were all using laptops simultaneously, there might be a 5+ APs in fairly close proximity. If it was forced into a situation where there was channel interference (say 5 2.4ghz APs in range), would it use it's directional antenna system to make it so the signals don't interfere.

Perhaps it would be good idea if a few Ruckus users could post some throughput speeds - there is a way of finding that out in the manager software.

Hi, We've just redesigned our ICT curriculum and I would like to create an interactive method of sharing this with staff. Basically, I would like an index page that is a table (year groups along the top, sub sections down the side) filled with objectives. Then, for some of those objectives, I would like it to link to another page. This page would display, and link to, related objectives, contain examples of work, pictures etc... and be easily updatable by anyone - WIKI style. What I need is a quick and simple way of achieving this. I'm OK at windows scripting and old-skool HTML but not much over that. Thought I could do this with WIKI software with each objective a page, but don't know of one that will automatically generate a index page as a table. Any ideas where to start? (Appart from "PHP scripting for dummies!"?)