FileWave Client Configuration

• FileWave Custom Installer
• Superprefs Fileset
• FileWave Client Configuration Settings

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:

• https://custom.filewave.com
• https://custom.filewave.ch

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

What

When you create a Custom Client installer, the FileWave Client preferences are packaged into that installer: server name, ports, Boosters, and related client settings. That is useful for the base configuration, but one preference set is not always right for every device.

A Superprefs file lets you deploy selected FileWave Client preference changes to macOS or Windows devices after the client is installed. You can use one Superprefs Fileset for a broad change, or multiple Superprefs Filesets for different groups of devices.

Only the settings included in the Superprefs file are changed. Settings that are not included remain untouched on the client.

When to use this

• Changing client logging level for troubleshooting
• Adjusting Booster or communication preferences for a specific group of devices
• Applying a new client preference without rebuilding and redeploying the Custom Client installer
• Returning temporary troubleshooting settings back to standard values after testing

Ingredients

• FileWave Clients on macOS or Windows
• FileWave Superprefs Editor
• FileWave Central Admin App

Create the Superprefs plist

The Superprefs Editor is installed with the FileWave Central Admin App:

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

When the editor opens, it may ask you to open an existing plist. Cancel that window if you are creating a new Superprefs file.

Only settings that you add or edit in the Superprefs Editor are written into the plist. This keeps the deployment focused and avoids overwriting unrelated client preferences.

Example: set Debug Level to 99

Debug Level has three common values:

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

To enable debug logging, open the Superprefs Editor, cancel the Finder or Explorer window if you are creating a new file, go to the Options tab, set Debug Level to 99, and save the file.

The file must be named fwcld.newprefs.plist.

The saved plist should contain only the changed key:

Dict {
    debugLevel = 99
}

Package the plist in a Fileset

The fwcld.newprefs.plist file can be placed in any reasonable path inside the Fileset. A dedicated Superprefs folder makes the purpose clear and lets you keep separate folders for different preference sets.

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

You can add the file to an existing Fileset, but a dedicated Fileset is usually easier to target, test, and remove later.

From the FileWave Central Admin App:

• Create a new Empty Fileset and name it clearly.
• Open the Fileset and disable Hide unused folders.
• Select or create the desired location for the plist file.
• Drag fwcld.newprefs.plist from Finder or Explorer into that location in the Fileset.

Using the debug logging example for macOS, the Fileset could look like this:

When the Fileset activates on a client, Debug Level should switch to 99 and the client log should reflect the change.

Always test with one device or a small pilot group before associating the Superprefs Fileset more broadly.

For temporary troubleshooting, create a matching Superprefs Fileset that returns Debug Level to the standard value of 10 when analysis is complete.

GUI observation

Some Superprefs Editor entries are Boolean values, such as Booster Routing. Boolean entries can be set to True, set to False, or left unset. A dash means the value is not included in the Superprefs file.

The three states appear as:

	False
	True
	Unset

Related Content

• FileWave Client Configuration Settings
• FileWave Fileset Types
• How the FileWave Client Communicates

FileWave Client Configuration Settings

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

• macOS: /usr/local/etc/fwcld.plist
• Windows FileWave 15.4.2 or lower: HKLM\Software\FileWave\WinClient (32bit OS), HKLM\Software\FileWave\WOW6432\WinClient (64bit OS)
• Windows FileWave 15.5.0 or higher:  HKLM\Software\FileWave\WOW6432\WinClient 

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

Location Related

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