Introduction
Net Orbit is software designed to allow educators and instructors to monitor a large number of computers at the same time, simultaneously and easily. Using a sophisticated monitoring application, Net Orbit allows one person to see the activities of each workstation, and provide direct on-screen feedback to the users.
Net Orbit is unique in its ability to handle multiple computers at the same time, using a split-screen display to allow Net Orbit users to see up to one hundred remote systems at the same time. While there's a lot of monitoring software on the market that lets you see what's happening on ONE system, Net Orbit stands alone in the multiple-screen monitoring solution market, especially up to one hundred systems!
Trial Version
Want to try it before you purchase? Feel the unrestrained power of Net Orbit on your network for one client PC using our free version. After the easy installation you will be able to view the user in real time and take complete remote control - all from YOUR own network workstation!
The trial download of Net-Orbit offers solid real-time Network capability for your network. It's absolutely free!
Full Version
Net Orbit is the advanced way to control and maintain a more educational student environment. By starting with the full version you will be able to monitor as many PC's as you need. The full version can be downloaded instantly after ordering. You can have your entire network setup in under an hour using the instructions provided.
This user guide is for the full version of Net Orbit. For trial version users, please refer to the trial user guide at the link above. Please also note this online guide is only a summary of what is available inside the help file within Net Orbit. For more detailed help, see the help file within the program.
The Installation Process
Now that you've ordered the full version of Net Orbit, its time to get started on your installation. There are two installation files provided with Net Orbit, one for the Administrator's system and one for the client desktops (student computers). Being by installing the Administrator's system following the instructions below, then install the client software on each client machine following the instructions for installing Client systems.
Admin Application Installation Walkthrough
Net Orbit has an updated and easier installation process than the earlier version of Net Orbit. To install Net Orbit on your system, follow the instructions below:
1. Download the Net Orbit ZIP file from the Net Orbit Web site
2. UnZIP the file to extract the Net Orbit installer. You can place the installer anywhere on your system.
3. If you are on a system that requires logins (such as Windows Server versions), ensure your login has Administrator rights, otherwise the installation of Net Orbit may not complete successfully.
4. Launch the installer (double-click on the extracted EXE file). The first installation screen appears:
5. Click the Next button. You are asked to read and agree to the License Agreement:
6. If you agree with the terms and conditions displayed, click the I accept the agreement radio button and click Next. You next need to choose the installation directory:
7. If the default installation directory is acceptable, click the Next button. Otherwise, use the Browse button to select the desired installation directory and then click Next.
8. The installer now asks for the Start Menu Folder to use for the Net Orbit files:
9. The Net Orbit installation can create a desktop icon and a Quick Launch icon for you, allowing for rapid launch of the application:
10. If you wish a desktop icon for Net Orbit to be created, select the Create a desktop icon checkbox and click Next. A confirmation dialog appears:
11. If there are no changes to the installation configuration, click the Install button. To make changes, click the Back button until you arrive at the item you need to modify, then continue through the installation wizard again. When you click Install, a meter appears showing the installation's progress:
12. After the installation is complete a confirmation dialog appears:
At this point, the Net Orbit Admin Application is fully installed.
You can launch Net Orbit either from the desktop or Quick Launch icons (if you elected to have them created) or through the Start menu. For Net Orbit to communicate with client machines, they must have the Net Orbit Client software installed. See the next section for the procedure to install on client machines.
Client Application Installation Walkthrough
For Net Orbit to manage client machines, the clients need to have the Net Orbit client software installation in advance. The procedure for installing the client software is straightforward and explained below. The Net Orbit Client software needs to be copied on to the remote machine first, then the installation can be launched. You can place the installer in a network folder from your workstation, then copy it to each machine to launch it.
1. Launch the Net Orbit Client installation by double-clicking on the application. This will display the Welcome to the Net Orbit Client Setup Wizard dialog. Click the Next button to begin the installation process:
2. The next dialog asks you to agree with the License Agreement. To do so, click the "I accept the agreement" radio button and click the Next button:
3. The destination of the Net Orbit Client files is next requested (the default will be suitable in most cases). Click the Next button:
4. A summary of the installation configuration is displayed. If this is acceptable, click the Install button:
5. The installation begins, displaying a progress bar as the process continues:
6. When installation is complete, a confirmation dialog is displayed:
Click the Finish button and the Net Orbit Client installation is now complete.
There is no Net Orbit group created in the Program Manager, or icons anywhere on the desktop to indicate Net Orbit has been installed. This allows Net Orbit to operate without interference from the remote desktop user. There is a program group created under the Program Files directory, which includes an uninstallation utility.
Admin Application Interface Rundown
The Desktop Ribbon
The Desktop Ribbon is the main ribbon interface shown when Net Orbit launches. It can be selected at any time by clicking on the Desktop tab above the ribbon interface, or by using the "D" keyboard shortcut. The Desktop Ribbon has a number of icons arranged in groups according to their purpose:
The Create or Modify Client group of icons allows you to add, modify, or remove client machines from your Net Orbit window. It also allows you to search for machines across a network to add to the monitored devices. There are four icons in the Create or Modify Client group:
· Add Client: adds a new machine to the list of monitored desktops
· Edit Client: lets you change the configuration information for a monitored desktop
· Delete a Client: removes the selected machine from the list of monitored desktops
· Search Client: locate a client by IP address
The second group of icons allow you to perform some basic actions on the main interface:
· View: lets you see the selected desktop in full-screen mode
· Multiple Screen Shots: lets you see screenshots of the remote desktop at predefined intervals to observe progress and activity
· Broadcast Admin: shows the administrator's screen on one or more remote desktops
The Icon Control group lets you show or hide the icons displayed on remote desktops:
· Hide Icon: hides the desktop icons on the selected remote desktop
· Show Icon: displays the desktop icons on the selected remote desktop
The Taskbar Control group lets you show or hide the desktop taskbar on a remote desktop:
· Hide Taskbar: hides the taskbar on the remote desktop
· Show Taskbar: shows the taskbar on the remote desktop
The Control Ribbon
The Control/Monitor Ribbon is the second ribbon in the Net Orbit interface. It can be selected at any time by clicking on the Control/Monitor tab above the ribbon interface, or by using the "C" keyboard shortcut. The Control/Monitor Ribbon has a number of icons arranged in groups according to their purpose:
The Control Client PC group consists of three icons that allow you to perform basic actions on a remote desktop:
· Shut Down: shuts down the selected remote desktop
· Restart: sends a restart instruction to the remote desktop, which shuts down and then restarts
· Log Off: forces the current user to be logged off
The Control Program group lets you manage files and processes on remote desktops:
· File Manager: launches a file manager window that lets you move through the remote desktop’s filesystem and copy files to or from the remote machine
· File Distribution: allows you to send one or more files or folders to more than one remote desktop at the same time
· Terminate Program: sends a terminate program message to the remote desktop for the selected process
· Minimize Windows: minimizes all windows on the remote desktop
The Keyboard and Mouse Management group lets you perform a lock or unlock of a remote keyboard, as well as send the Ctrl-Alt-Del sequence:
· Lock System: locks the remote keyboard (so the user cannot use the keyboard to interact with the desktop)
· Unlock System: unlocks the remote keyboard
· Send Ctrl-Alt-Del: sends the sequence to the remote desktop
· Lock Mouse: locks the remote desktop's mouse and prevents any actions from occurring via mouse actions
· Unlock Mouse: allows the remote desktop's mouse to function normally
The Messaging Ribbon
The Messaging Ribbon is the third ribbon in the Net Orbit interface. It can be selected at any time by clicking on the Messaging tab above the ribbon interface, or by using the "E" keyboard shortcut. The Messaging Ribbon has a number of icons arranged in groups according to their purpose:
The Messaging Operations group lets you send messages to one or more remote desktops, or establish a chat session with a selected remote desktop:
· Chat: establishes a chat session with the selected remote desktop
· Send Message: sends a message to the selected remote desktop but does not establish a two-way chat session
· Send Public Message: sends a message to some or all remote desktops at once
The Annotate group contains one icon that allows you to add comments directly to a remote desktop's screen:
· Annotate Screen: lets you add comments or draw on a remote desktop screen
The Web group contains one icon that lets you launch a Web browser and surf to a URL:
· Web: launches the default Web browser on the remote desktop with a specified URL displayed
The Activity Ribbon
The Activity Ribbon is the last ribbon in the Net Orbit interface. It can be selected at any time by clicking on the Activity tab above the ribbon interface, or by using the "A" keyboard shortcut. The Activity Ribbon has a number of icons arranged in groups according to their purpose:
The Activity ribbon divides its icons into three groups, each group having a similar purpose.
The Records group contains a single icon:
· Synchronize Logs: copies the logs from remote desktops to the administrator's system (a progress bar shows the transfer and a confirmation dialog is displayed when the logs have been transferred)
The Logs group handles the log files on remote desktops:
· Keylogs: shows the keystroke log from the selected remote desktop
· Screenshot Log: shows the screenshot log from the selected remote desktop, with screenshots captured on that machine
· Application Logs: shows the application log from the selected remote desktop, showing each application that has been launched
· URL Logs: shows the URL log from the selected remote desktop, showing each URL entered into a Web browser on that desktop
The Client PC Information group allows you to query the selected remote desktop for more information about the hardware and software:
· Hardware: shows the hardware installed on the remote desktop
· Installed Application: shows the applications that are installed on the remote desktop
· Services: shows the Services control panel on the remote desktop
· Running Application: shows all applications that are currently running on the remote desktop
· Running Process: shows all processes that are currently running on the remote desktop
The Settings Menu
The Settings menu, available from the top of the ribbon interface of the main Net Orbit window, allows you to control many aspects of the behavior of the Net Orbit system. To see the available options, click on the Settings title or use the "S" hotkey, either of which will display the drop-down Settings menu:
The options available through the Settings menu and their purposes are:
· Shut Down: initiates a shutdown process for the selected remote system
· Restart: initiates a restart process on the selected remote system
· Logoff: triggers the logoff process on the selected remote system
· Lock System: locks the selected remote system
· Unlock System: unlocks the selected remote system
· Lock Mouse: locks the mouse on the selected remote system
· Unlock Mouse: unlocks the mouse on the selected remote system
· Client Settings: opens the Settings panel on the selected remote system
All of these Settings options require you to select a remote system first. Also, all these options affect the selected remote system only, and do not have any effect on the administrator's system.
The Tools Menu
The Tools menu at the top of the Net Orbit ribbon interface provides access to a number of useful utilities. To view the Tools menu options, click on the Tools title, or use the "T" hotkey. This will open the Tools drop-down menu:
The options available through the Tools menu are:
· File Manager: opens the File Manager on the selected remote system
· Remote Desktop: opens a Remote Desktop connection to the selected remote system
· Keyboard Logs: displays the keyboard log on the selected remote system
· Screenshot Logs: displays the screenshots stored in the screenshot log on the selected remote system
· Application Logs: shows the application log on the selected remote system
· URL Logs: displays the log of visited URLs on the selected remote system
· Chat: initiates a chat session window between the administrator's machine and the selected remote system
· Terminate Program: terminates the program on the selected remote system
· Annotate Screen: allows you to add notes to the screen image of the selected remote system
Each of the options available under the Tools menu refer to the selected remote systems and not the administrator's system. For more information on these utilities, see their respective Help pages.
In-depth Help File
Inside the Net Orbit Admin Application there is a more in-depth help file. The file explains how to use each feature in more detail. You can also download this help file here.
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