FileWave Client Configuration

Essential so devices can contact the FileWave Server, with optional entries, but may require altering.

FileWave Custom Installer

Why

When installing the FileWave client on computers, it is necessary for the client to know certain information, for example, the FileWave Server address, whilst other information may also be useful to include: Boosters, Booster Routing, Enabling/Disabling Remote Connections, etc.

Similarly, when installing Boosters, they also require essential information including the FieWave Server and ports.

For this reason, the FileWave Custom Builder allows details to be entered and then for Clients download an MSI or PKG ready for provisioning devices or with Boosters there is the addition of creating a Debian custom installer.

When

Each of the installers could be used manually on devices, but the custom MSI is particularly useful when imaging Windows onto devices, whilst the custom PKG achieves the zero-touch enrolment for macOS and DEP.

Information

The FilleWave Custom Installer is available via two URLs:

Enter the details to match the FileWave Environment, e.g server's FQDN, Client or Booster version, etc.  Once completed, hit the 'Build' button and FileWave will create the custom installer.

Superprefs Fileset

Description

When creating a Custom Client installer, client preferences are packaged inside the installer, e.g. server name, ports, Boosters, etc.  However, it is not always the case that one set of preferences is appropriate for all devices.

Superprefs is a plist file, which can be deployed to macOS or Windows devices to alter settings.

The Custom Client installer could be considered to contain the base settings required.  Multiple Superprefs Filesets could then be used to customise clients based upon, e.g., Smart Group criteria.

Alternatively, future changes may require alteration to the settings defined.

This means, one single Superprefs Fileset can configure FileWave Clients en masse, when associated.

Ingredients

Directions

The process involves creating the Superprefs plist and then adding this into a Fileset for association with devices.

Superprefs Editor

Default installation of the editor is in the same location as the FileWave Central Admin Application:

macOS /Applications/FileWave/Superprefs Editor.app
Windows C:\Program Files (x86)\FileWave\FileWaveSuperPrefsEditor.exe

It is possible to edit current plist files.  When opening the software a navigation window will open offering that choice.  This may just be cancelled if creating a new Superprefs.

Only items added/edited in the editor will be included in the plist file to deployed.  All other items will be excluded.  On deployment, only these included items will be set on the device; all other settings will remain untouched.

Example

Consider altering the Debug Level.  Debug has 3 possible values:

10 Standard logging (default)
99 Debug logging
101 Trace logging

Imagine the desire to set Debug  logging level on a client for further analysis.

After opening the editor and cancelling the Finder or Explorer window, there are several tabs to choose from.  The Options tab contains the Debug Level.  Set this as 99 and Save.

The name of the file must be: fwcld.newprefs.plist

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The contents of the file should show as:

Dict {
    debugLevel = 99
}

As suggested, only the item altered in the editor has been saved to the file.

The fwcld.newprefs.plist file may be placed in any location within a Fileset, however consider where sensible locations could be.  

For example:

macOS /usr/local/etc/Superprefs/debug/fwcld.newprefs.plist
Windows C:\ProgramData\FileWave\Superprefs\debug\fwcld.newprefs.plist

By creating a Superprefs folder, it makes it clear what this contains.  By adding subfolders, it is then possible to have multiple subfolders with differing Superprefs if desired.

One Superprefs file could contain all desired changes or multiple files could be created for differing types of preferences.

The created file could be added to an existing Fileset, but it may be better to create a Fileset dedicated to this use.  Taking the latter as an example.

Create Fileset

From the FileWave Central Admin Application:

Using the above Debug Log Level example for macOS, the Fileset could look like:

image.png

When deployed to a client, the Debug Log Level should switch to 99 and the log file should reflect this change immediately on Fileset activation.

Always test with one or a small subset of devices, before deploying further.

Consider making another similar Superprefs to return the device back to the Standard Log Level of 10, once analysis has been completed.

GUI Observation

When using the Superprefs Editor, some entries are Boolean, e.g. Booster Routing.  As a Boolean entry there are only two possible values, True or False.  Where a '-' is shown, this is standard GUI practice to indicate that the value is not set.  

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With each press, one of three images will be shown:

image.png

 False

image.png

 True

image.png

 Unset

Configuration Settings

The following KB describes the possible FileWave Client settings:

FileWave Client Configuration Settings

Configuration Settings are found in the Windows registry or macOS plist:

Please refer to Creating a Superprefs Fileset to find out how to change these settings on any number of clients using a fileset.

The following list shows the default settings in the left row, describes the function and valid alternative settings (native)

Basic/Minimal Configuration

server = "no.server.set" FileWave server IP or DNS
primaryPort = 20015 FileWave Server Port
fwPassword = "" Encrypted FileWave Client Password - used for remote configuration through client monitor
fwUser = my.filewave.client.name FileWave Client name (visible in FileWave Admin)

Note: The default port setting above is 20015. However, SSL is now required, and the system will automatically use port 20017 instead when 20015 is entered. Do not manually set the port to 20017. Always enter 20015, and the system will handle the SSL port change for you.

Booster configuration

booster1 = "no.booster.set" Booster 1 IP or DNS Address - When clearing the value it should be "no.booster.set"
booster1Port = 20013 Booster 1 Port - Should be 20013 by default when defining a booster
booster2 = "no.booster.set" Booster 2 IP or DNS Address - When clearing the value it should be "no.booster.set"
booster2Port = 0 Booster 2 Port - Should be 20013 by default when defining a booster
booster3 = "no.booster.set" Booster 3 IP or DNS Address - When clearing the value it should be "no.booster.set"
booster3Port = 0 Booster 3 Port - Should be 20013 by default when defining a booster
booster4 = "no.booster.set" Booster 4 IP or DNS Address - When clearing the value it should be "no.booster.set"
booster4Port = 0 Booster 4 Port - Should be 20013 by default when defining a booster
booster5 = "no.booster.set" Booster 5 IP or DNS Address - When clearing the value it should be "no.booster.set"
booster5Port = 0 Booster 5 Port - Should be 20013 by default when defining a booster
boosterRouting = 0 When set as 1, client connects to server through boosters, only for non HTTPS traffic (e.g. except for inventory / profile deployment ) - 1 is recommended.
connectorProbeAttemptDelay = 3 Number of Seconds the client waits between trying to reach boosters
connectorProbeAttempts = 10 Number of unsuccessful connections that lead to booster being marked "offline"

TeamViewer (was Observe Client)

vncManaged = 0 Controls whether remote connection is allowed:

* Teamviewer – FileWave 14.7+
* FileWave Client (fwcld) prior to 14.8
vncPromptClient = 1 Controls whether end user is prompted to allow remote connection:

* Teamviewer – FileWave 14.7+
* FileWave Client (fwcld) prior to 14.8

Ports the client listens on

   
monitorPort = 20010

Client Monitor connects here, over the network

 

* Only on Filewave 15.5.x or lower
kioskPort = 20020 Kiosk / Reboot Dialog connects here, from localhost

Client behaviour

debugLevel = 10 Controls fwcld log verbosity; 10(normal),99(debug),101(trace)
fileCheckInterval = 86400 Number of seconds between verification cycles (default once every 24 hours after launch)
freeSpaceMargin = 2147483648 Minimum Number of free bytes left on disk so filesets can be deployed
setUsersFilesOwner = 1 Set ownership of Users files/folders to appropriate user
syncComputerName = 0 If set to 1, fwcld will query OS to retrieve computer name at startup, and use that as fwUser value
tickleInterval = 120 Number of seconds between attempts to contact FileWave Server for new Commands
locationRefreshInterval = 0 If set to >0, number of seconds between querying the OS for location data
deviceState = 3 Client State, e.g.: Missing, Tracked, Untracked
denyPersonalDataCollection = 0 If set to 1, disables Location Services

Obsolete / Unused keys

testMode
desktopOwner
currentFileWaveClientName
niceTime
priority
useSSL
srvPublishPort = 20005 ZeroMQ messaging port (Deprecated from FileWave 14.8+.  Removed from FileWave server 15.0 and notifications from earlier clients (pre 14.8) will no longer work at this point)
vncRelayPort = 20030 Port used to connect towards the filewave server to forward VNC Data (Deprecated from FileWave 14.8+)
vncServerPort = 20031 Local Port VNC Data is relayed to/from (set to 5900 to use builtin VNC service)  (Deprecated from FileWave 14.8+)
booster1PublishPort = 20003 Booster 1 ZeroMQ prior to 14.8
booster2PublishPort = 0 Booster 2 ZeroMQ prior to 14.8
booster3PublishPort = 0 Booster 3 ZeroMQ prior to 14.8
booster4PublishPort = 0 Booster 4 ZeroMQ prior to 14.8
booster5PublishPort = 0 Booster 5 ZeroMQ prior to 14.8