Deploying NetSupport School via Microsoft Intune

This article details how to deploy NetSupport School via Microsoft Intune using the full Intune console (if you’re using the Intune for Education console, then the steps will be slightly different).

Before starting, it’s recommended that you install NetSupport School on a device (that won’t have the software distributed to it via Intune) at least once with the Setup.exe installer (you can download the NetSupport School installers from the My Support area https://support.netsupportsoftware.com/ or the NetSupport School main download area www.netsupportschool.com/download/). We also suggest creating, within the environment you’re going to deploy NetSupport School, a group containing all the devices you wish to install (or allow the software to be installed onto). Please note, you may need to create multiple groups if you plan to deploy different components of the software to different devices within your environment (e.g. one group for deploying the NetSupport School Tutor to teaching staff’s PCs and one group containing the devices you wish to install the NetSupport School Student to). For information on creating a group within Intune, please see the following Microsoft documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/fundamentals/groups-add.

Creating an installation package (line-of-business app) in Intune
In order to install NetSupport School via Intune, you must create a line-of-business app within Intune. Line-of-business apps are essentially applications that you install via an installation file.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Endpoint Management admin centre.
2. Select Apps > Windows > Add.
3. Within the “Select app type” pane, under the other app types, select Line-of-business app.
4. Click Select. The Add app steps should be displayed.
5. Under the “Add app” pane, click Select app package file.
6. Click the Browse button and then select the .msi installer for NetSupport School.
7. Click OK on the App package file to add the app.
8. Go to App information and enter the following:
   • Under “Name”, enter a name (for example, “NetSupport School Tutor” or “NetSupport School Student”).
   • Under “Description”, provide more information on what the package is going to install (for example, “NetSupport School Tutor Console and Student Configurator installation” or “NetSupport School Student installation”).
   • Set “Ignore app version” to No.
   • Under “Publisher”, enter “NetSupport Ltd”.
     Note: Some of the information may have already been filled in automatically for you.
9. When distributing via Intune, you can tell the installer what to install by using command-line arguments:
   • If you want to install a licensed NetSupport School Tutor with the Student Configurator, you should enter the following (note you will need to change the licence information to match the information on your licence sheet):

     /qn NSM_EVAL=0 NSM_LICENCEE="LICENCEE" NSM_SERIALNO=SERIAL NSM_MAXCLIENTS=0 NSM_AUTHCODE=0x0000000a Configurator=1 ConfigShortcut=1 Tutor=1 DesktopShortcut=1

   • If you want to install a licensed NetSupport School Student, you should enter the following (note you will need to change the licence information to match the information on your licence sheet):

     /qn NSM_EVAL=0 NSM_LICENCEE="LICENCEE" NSM_SERIALNO=SERIAL NSM_MAXCLIENTS=0 NSM_AUTHCODE=0x0000000a Student=1 DesktopShortcut=1

   • If you want to install an evaluation of the NetSupport School Student, you should enter the following:

     /qn NSM_EVAL=1 Student=1 DesktopShortcut=1

   • For a full list of command-line arguments that can be used with NetSupport School’s installers, please see the following technical article:

     Installing NetSupport products via Command-Line

10. Click Next to proceed to Assignments.
11. Choose how you would like the package to be assigned to your devices. You can select from one of the following:
    • • Available for enrolled devices
      • Required
      • Uninstall
        • This will only uninstall the package if Intune previously installed the package onto the device via an “Available for enrolled devices” or “Required” assignment using the same deployment.

12. Click Add Group (under the method you would like to use) to assign the package to the devices you want the software to be installed onto or allow the software to be installed to.
    • If you’re not ready to deploy the app to your devices yet, you can leave this blank, click Next and configure the assignments later.
13. Once you’re happy with the groups selected, click Next.
14. You can now review everything before creating the app. If everything is configured correctly, click Create to start uploading the package.
15. Once the package has been uploaded, your devices that are part of the assignment sync with Intune (note this can take some time) and pick up the app assignment changes. If you set the app to be Required, it will attempt to automatically install the software.

Please note that depending on your environment, you may need to configure some additional settings for the software. The three most common ways to configure our software is via Group Policy, via “Configuration profiles” in Microsoft Intune or manually configuring the software. For information on configuring our software via Intune, please contact our Support team.