Workgroup Tools

What does it do?

-Workgroup Tools is designed to automate repetitive setup and maintenance tasks in network environments with 50 or fewer workstations.

How does it work?

-Workgroup Tools sends simple commands via broadcast to all the workstations that are listening for its broadcast.

How can it help me?

-Workgroup Tools can minimize your time in performing repetitive tasks for network installations, upgrades, as well as maintenance.
-Workgroup Tools is not meant to be a silver bullet. It’s goal is to help increase efficiency with already efficient Technicians and Engineers.
-We hope a network installation that would normally take you 8hrs with the use of this tool may only take you 6-7hrs. You might even get home at a more decent time, and maybe even eat lunch!
-We worked to keep the cost low so your customer, your boss, and you all have a win win situation!

See it in action: https://youtu.be/zyWPJBnpAsE

Instructions:

1. Download and install Workgroup Tools Server on the computer acting as a server or perhaps on your technician laptop.
2. Make sure all of your workstations and server are on the same ip network and that the workstations have an account that can authenticate with your server.
3. Setup all of your network shares, printer shares, as well as install any software product on your server that may have a client portion that runs on your workstations.
4. Install any remote access program that you use to remotely support the network.
5. Download and install Workgroup Tools Client from workgrouptools.com and install it on workstations with Windows 7 SP1 or higher.
6. Before using Workgroup Tools configure the settings in Workgroup Tools Server. The typical setting for the UDP Port is 11000 and the typical setting for the broadcast address is 255.255.255.255.
7. The Workgroup Tools Client application uses UDP Port 11000 as its default. Defaults can be changed for the client by editing the Workgroup Tools Client.exe XML configuration file located under the install folder for Workgroup Tools Client application.
8. Make sure that firewall, antivirus and other programs do not block Workgroup Tools Server or Client and the UDP port that you have configured.
9. Now go to the computer where Workgroup Tools Server is installed. Open remote access sessions using your preferred remote access support tool to each workstation.
10. Now from Workgroup Tools open the Network Page. From here you can create a login script that will run on the workstation on login. After entering in the commands for your login script select “Save” this will deploy the login script to the workstations. Then select “Run” this will run the login script on the workstations. (The default file it will run is named login.cmd and will reside on the workstations. Make sure your antivirus or malware programs do not block this file.)
11. Next open the Command Page. From here you can enter most commands that you would typically use from a command line. You can specify a client setup program, or run a dos command such as mkdir. After typing your command select “Run”
12. Finally open the Printers Page. From here you can enter in a UNC path to a printer, select “Install”, and this will initiate the installation of the shared printer on your workstations.
13. The key to all of this is reducing the number of times repetitive tasks that need to be executed. Additionally when used with your remote access program you can save time going back and forth to each workstation to open a folder, run installations, and connect to shared resources.

Support:

-Please email [email protected] if you need help using this tool or would like to provide feed back.

FEATURES

• Network Automation Tool