Net Control ² Blog

February 1, 2015

Net Control 2 version 10.21 (Build 10.2.1.5526)

This update integrates minor updates, modifications and bug fixes collected from the version 10.2 release. We recommend this update for all registered customers.

To update the software remotely:

– in Professional Edition: load the installation package to the Update repository in Connection Server Management Console (“Update” tab) on the computer where Connection Server components are installed.

– Standard and SmallClass Editions: select student computers in the teacher console, click the main menu command N – Help and Support – Update Client; open the installation package for Net Control 2 version 10.21.

 

May 22, 2014

Net Control 2 version 10.2 (Build 10.2.0.5446)

1. New version of Internet Restrictions Protocol Layer mode engine.

New version of Protocol Layer mode of Internet Control Engine provides better compatibility with third party applications, server services and system software, supports Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.

By default Net Control 2 uses Internet Explorer plug-in mode of Internet Control Engine, which allows applying Internet restrictions in Internet Explorer only. To prevent access to blocked web-sites through alternative browsers, like Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari Net Control 2 blocks these applications on student computers while restrictions are applied.

Enabling Protocol Layer mode makes possible to expand restrictions to all modern browsers, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Safari and Netscape, without necessity of blocking them. This means that students can use Chrome or Firefox in their work with restricted access to undesirable content and web-sites. As an additional feature, in this mode Net Control 2 provides also a simple way to prevent access of any other applications to particular network ports or services.

Please note, Net Control 2 version 10.2 still uses old Internet Explorer plug-in mode by default, and in order to use Protocol Layer mode you need to enable it in the process of installation or, if the software is already installed, remotely from the teacher module.

You also need to re-install the mode if a previous version of Protocol Layer Mode was used on student computers.

To enable the mode in the process of installation:

• installing the software with standard executable (.exe) installation package, use “Advanced Installation” mode on Setup Type step of the installation process;
• on Select Components page enable “Internet Control Components: Protocol Layer Mode” option and continue with installation.

If the software is already installed, to enable or re-install the mode:

• select student computers in the teacher console;
• click the main menu command N – Options – Client Options;
• on Internet page of the appeared Net Control 2 Client Configuration window enable “Install as Protocol Layer” option;
• click OK. Changes will be applied after restart of computer.

2. Support of clipboard operations in Control mode

Now Net Control 2 supports clipboard operations in Remote Desktop Viewer (Control command of the top toolbar of the teacher console). These operations include exchanging of text fragments copied to Clipboard between controlled and controlling machines. Only text format is supported currently, clipboard operations will not work in mobile clients (for iOS, Android, Mac OS).

For better compatibility with previous versions of Net Control 2, to avoid conflicts between old and new versions Clipboard operations are disabled by default, in order to enable them:

• open Control session with any student computer;
• in the appeared Remote Desktop Viewer window on the teacher machine enable (check) “Enable Remote Clipboard” menu command of Tools menu.

3. Browser View mode for Broadcast Desktop tool.

New Browser View mode may be enabled for Broadcast Desktop tool. When this mode is enabled a picture of the teacher desktop will be available for viewing in any Internet browser connected to the teacher network, and when Broadcast Desktop session is active. This makes possible to expand significantly number of devices where the teacher desktop may be shown in the process of broadcasting.

To enable this mode on the teacher computer:

in the teacher console click the main menu command N – Options – Options;

on Control/Broadcast page enable “Browser View” option;

when it is necessary, correct a default network port for the service in the Browser View Port field;

click OK.

On student computers to get a picture from the teacher computer, in a browser’s address field type:

http://computer:1080

where computer – is an IP address or DNS name of the teacher computer; 1080 – is a Browser View Port, as was set on Control /Broadcast page of the teacher module Options as described above (1080 by default).

4. Better performance of Broadcast Desktop and Remote Desktop tools in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

Version 10.2 includes new Video Hook Driver for Windows 8 and 8.1, which improves performance of Broadcast Desktop and Remote Desktop tools in these operating systems.

 

Version 10.2 includes also numerous other minor improvements and bug fixes.

January 28, 2014

Net Control 2 Student Module for MacOS

We at Net Software P.C. are happy to announce Net Control 2 Student Module for MacOS.

This classroom management software is based on Net Control 2 Mobile Client platform (http://www.netcontrol2.com/mobile) , available in Standard and PRO Editions and provides access to the following features:

Currently the mobile client supports the following features:

• Broadcast Desktop Viewer – view image of a teacher computer desktop, when the teacher is broadcasting his/her desktop to students;
• participate in polls and quizzes;
• “raise hand” virtually;
• send help requests to a teacher;
• receive messages and notifications from a teacher;
• chat with a teacher (by teacher’s request);
• see the class whiteboard;
• connect a selected teacher module by an IP address or a DNS name (for Standard Edition);
• connect a teacher from the list of available teachers (self-registration), for PRO Edition.
• get lesson information from connected teacher module;

Teacher components and Connection Server software (for PRO Edition) should be installed on Microsoft Windows-based computers separately.

The classroom management software modules are provided as .DMG packages for manual installation.

This mobile client is provided for free, but requires a respective student license on the teacher module or Connection Server computer.

For actual information, download links, hardware and compatibility notes please refer to the home page of the product: http://www.netcontrol2.com/mobile .

Net Software P.C.

 

January 28, 2014

Net Control 2 Mobile Clients version 10.3.1010

Next update for Net Control 2 Student Module for Android is already available in Google Play Store. Version 10.3.0.1010 includes several improvements for better compatibility with Android devices and full support of Net Control 2 Quizzes.

Additional information and download links are available on the Net Control 2 Mobile Clients home page: http://www.netcontrol2.com/mobile

The corresponding version for iPhone/iPad should be available in Apple Store in 7-10 days.

December 3, 2013

Net Control 2 Mobile Clients – Installation and Configuration Guide

New user guide Net Control 2 Mobile Clients – Installation and Configuration Guide is available for download:
http://www.netcontrol2.com/getfile?id=GUIDE110MC

This document describes the procedure of installation of mobile clients Net Control 2 Student Module, Standard and PRO Editions for Android, iPhone and iPad; their configuration; compatibility details and notes, supported features list.

 

November 19, 2013

Net Control 2 Student Module for iPad, iPhone and Android.

We are happy today to announce four new mobile clients for our classroom management software Net Control 2. With this release, we are launching a new product range in Net Control 2 product family and hoping that these new products will be useful for our customers and will make the teaching process even more effective and comfortable.

New products include:

• Net Control 2 Student Module. Standard Edition for iPad and iPhone;
• Net Control 2 Student Module. PRO for iPad and iPhone;
• Net Control 2 Student Module. Standard Edition for Android;
• Net Control 2 Student Module. PRO for Android.

Taking into account a significant difference between desktop and mobile environments, the mobile clients support only part of the features set of Windows version of Net Control 2 Client.

Currently the mobile client supports the following features:

• Broadcast Desktop Viewer – view image of a teacher computer desktop, when the teacher is broadcasting his/her desktop to students;
• get a lesson information from a connected teacher module;
• “raise hand” virtually;
• send help requests to a teacher;
• receive messages and notifications from a teacher;
• chat with a teacher (by teacher’s request);
• participate in polls;
• see the class whiteboard;
• connect a selected teacher module by an IP address or a DNS name (for Standard Edition);
• connect a teacher from the list of available teachers (self-registration), for PRO Edition.

Net Control 2 Student Module can work only over Wi-Fi local network connection, teacher components and Connection Server software (for PRO Edition) should be installed on desktop computers separately.

This mobile client is provided for free, but requires a respective student license on Connection Server computer.

For actual information, download links, hardware and compatibility notes please refer to the home page of the product: http://www.netcontrol2.com/mobile .

Net Software P.C.

 

September 11, 2013

Net Control 2 version 10.1 released

Today we are happy to announce next update for our classroom management products Net Control 2 Classroom, Net Control 2 PRO and Net Control 2 SmallClass.

In this version you will find the following changes:

– Leader groups (except for SmallClass Edition). Teacher can join several users to a student group, transferring a part of teacher privileges to some leader of the group, the leader can chat with other students of a group with text or voice chat, broadcast his/her screen to others, broadcast any user’s screen to others, control and monitor computers of the student group, use Whiteboard and Send/Collect Files tools (depending on permissions given to the leader by the teacher).

– Direct broadcast mode, for complex environments where UDP Broadcast and Multicast protocols don’t work. (The mode is disabled by default, should be enabled in the teacher console settings).

– Conference mode for Speech tool, enables a voice chat between teacher and several students at a time, so everyone can hear others (the default mode assumes bi-directional voice chat, i.e. only teacher can hear all students, other students can hear only teacher voice). The conference mode is disabled by default, should be enabled in the teacher console settings.

– Speech tool supports hi-quality sounds by default. Low-quality mode may be enabled to increase performance.

– Quick Question tool draws charts upon poll completion.

– Quiz tool: teacher can pause time restricted quizzes.

– Quiz tool: teacher can add time for time restricted quizzes.

– Quiz tool: teacher can suspend quizzes, the quiz state will be stored on student computers and the teacher will be able to restore the suspended quiz and continue testing at any other time.

– Quiz tool: teacher can enable random order for questions of a quiz (before the quiz is started).

– Quiz tool: teacher can allow displaying a detailed results table on test completion. Students can see correct answers with detailed description of earned and available points for each question.

– Customizable pop-up panel is displayed on teacher computers when the teacher console is minimized to the task bar. Teachers can execute commands without opening of the teacher console.

– Co-play tool supports shared network folders that are accessible only on a user level (and are inaccessible for system services, for example).

– Desktop Recorder Player supports DRR format of previous versions (9)

– Arabic language support for user interface.

– Unicode support for profiles, workspace, configuration files

 

PRO Edition: support of reference text files for group contents. The reference file is an external text file that contains a list of Computers, Student IDs or IP addresses forming the group. The file content may be dynamic, i.e. Connection Server reads content of the file (and form groups respectively) at a time of the server startup.

Other minor improvements and bug fixes.

Downloads are available through the download section of our website: http://www.netcontrol2.com/downloads

Download links delivered to our registered customers for version 10 are valid for this update.

 

May 31, 2013.

Good news for customers from the EU!

Till August 31, 2013 the value added tax for customers from the European Union is included in regular prices. Don’t miss the chance to save up to 27% on purchase.

Have any questions regarding the offer? We always will be happy to assist you: http://ask.netcontrol2.com

May 17, 2013

Net Control 2 version 10 build 5178 released

The classroom management software Net Control 2 version 10 Build 5178 is available now.
What’s new in this version:

• All additional tabs of the teacher console (Screenshot View, Chats, File Manager, Poll Monitor, Quiz Monitor, Journal and others) may be closed at any moment with new Close button placed on the tab.
• With Send Message tool you can speak the message on student computers instead of displaying it on the screen. 
• Includes bugfixes for found issues and other minor improvements.

Downloads are available through the download section of our website: http://www.netcontrol2.com/downloads

 

Net Control 2 version 10 is updated (build 5162):
– updated translation of user interface for Spanish, German, French and Italian;
– minor updates and improvements in Connection Server Management Console (sorting for elements within groups); views profile editor.