Configuring NetSupport School for subnet browsing
If your network is running across multiple TCP/IP subnets, you need to configure NetSupport School to use the additional subnets when browsing for Students.
Before configuring NetSupport School to browse on a remote IP subnet, it is useful to understand how IP addresses are made up and, in particular, what an IP broadcast address is.
To configure the NetSupport School Tutor to browse IP subnets:
-
Select the Settings icon on the NetSupport School Tutor start screen.
-
Select the Add
icon under Subnets and Ports to Browse. -
The Browse screen appears, allowing you to enter a variety of different browse entries depending on the range of NetSupport School Students you wish to find.
Subnet Address: This option provides an efficient method, in terms of the network traffic it generates, for finding Students. Enter the IP address you wish to browse for.
Subnet Mask: By entering a target IP address and the subnet mask that you wish to browse, NetSupport School will send a broadcast packet to the specified network. When you subsequently perform the browse action, all Students found on the target subnet will be listed.
Address Range: This differs from the above option in that it provides a reliable method for finding a specific range of Students. It may generate additional network traffic in that individual packets are sent to each device in the range, but at least you are targeting the required Students.
Terminal Services: Use this option to find Students in a Terminal Server environment. Enter the IP address of the Terminal Server and the port range to browse.
Multicast: This option will only browse for Students using the specified IP multicast address; the default address is 225.16.8.68. This will reduce network traffic as the multicast packet is sent in a single transmission only to the required machines.
-
Select the Save
icon.
When adding the address of a remote subnet, you must ensure that the broadcast address for the local subnet is also present. If not, the Tutor will not find any local Students when browsing.
Some network routers will suppress broadcast packets from being transmitted across WAN links. If this is the case, then even if the Tutor is correctly configured, you will not be able to browse the remote subnet.
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