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TeamViewer: macOS Client Setup

What

FileWave's TeamViewer integration requires endpoint prerequisites on each supported platform.  In future versions, we may embed some of these prerequisites, but at this time, we erred on the side of letting you control the elements.  So, slightly more work but much greater control.

When/Why

We'll need to meet prerequisites for macOS client devices for TeamViewer to work seamlessly.  We'll need the:

  • FileWave server to be upgraded to at least 14.7 

  • FileWave client to be upgraded to at least 14.7 

  • TeamViewer full client installed where you run FileWave Admin or WebAdmin

  • TeamViewer Pre-Requisites are met, ensuring that clients are set to allow remote control

  • And we'll most likely want to pre-deploy the TeamViewer or TeamViewer Host application. Most customers will want to use TeamViewer Host.

  • Finally, we'll want to deploy a profile to pre-accept that TeamViewer can interact with the device screen (similar to Observe Client and other screen viewing tools).

When thinking about if you want to use TeamViewer or TeamViewer Host, the most important thing is if you want to remove the possibility that devices could initiate a remote session to another device. For a school, they might not want students to be able to create remote sessions. TeamViewer Host is an application that can only receive connections to be controlled but not control another device. 

During an attempt to control a device, users will be prompted to either install or launch a local copy of Teamviewer.  Only the TeamViewer Host version can be launched if pre-installed.

How

FileWave Client

The most recent FileWave client is always included on the FileWave download pages, which you can find here: https://fwkb.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DOW/overviewDownloads

Remember to always use the client updater Fileset to update your clients.  Do NOT push the FileWave client PKG to upgrade macOS clients.

TeamViewer

Consider making a Fileset Group.  The group will contain the following two Filesets and is designed to set up TeamViewer Host.

Profile - TCC Fileset for TeamViewer Host allowing Privacy Access rights for Accessibility and Full Admin Access:

This profile will allow you to enable 2 of the 3 permissions that TeamViewer Host needs. Screen Recording is a permission that can not be allowed by anyone but the user. You can, however, give a Standard User the rights to allow Screen Recording (macOS 11+).

TCC Profile for TeamViewer Host

 
↓ macOS
FileWave Download.png

TCC Profile for TeamViewer Host (Including Standard User Screen Recording Allowance)

Alternatively, below is a profile that allows a Standard User to enable Screen Recording for TeamViewer App (requires macOS 11+):

 
↓ macOS
FileWave Download.png

These profiles may be uploaded simultaneously. The Fileset Requirement Script is designed to identifier either installed.

We are including the below Fileset/payload as an example only to show the use of the settings file.  You'll always want to download the most recent version of TeamViewer yourself at the link above for your own installer. 

PKG - Install TeamViewerHost.pkg

To put the latest TeamViewer Host PKG in this Fileset, you should download the installer from TeamViewer and then right-click the installer app and Show Contents which will reveal the Install TeamViewerHost.PKG file. Edit the example Fileset below and add the PKG installer to /usr/local/etc/TeamViewer/ and replace the one in the Fileset.

Requirements for Script:

This Fileset example includes the below Requirement Script that checks for the profile from the TCC Fileset. This way, TeamViewer Host won't install until that profile is present. The check_profile script can be found by selecting the imported Fileset and clicking Scripts in the toolbar. You will need to put your Profile’s Identifier in the script as shown below. If you’re using the provided Profiles, the ID will be one of the following:

TCC Profile without Screen Recording option: ml1063.lan.30916554-5d82-4d52-a86d-3cd457330717.Configuration.30916554-5d82-4d52-a86d-3cd457330717

TCC Profile with Screen Recording option (macOS 11+) : ml1063.local.5a57bcb9-7293-4cba-a20b-126eb2660b25.Configuration.5a57bcb9-7293-4cba-a20b-126eb2660b25

If you are using your own Profile or you had to regenerate the Identifier, you can find yours in the Profile Info window (double-click on Profile in Admin).

properties-tvfileset.png

#!/bin/zsh

found_profile="Type Your Identifier Here"

while [ $# -gt 0 ]
do
	found_profile=$(profiles list all | awk -v search=$1  '$0 ~ search {print $NF}')
	if [ ! -z $found_profile ]
	then
		echo "Found installed profile: $found_profile"
		exit 0
	else
		echo "Did not find $1" 
	fi
	shift
done
 
exit 1

The Fileset also includes this script which makes the installation silent for TeamViewer Host and hides the Wizard that would normally appear after the install. 

#!/bin/zsh
installer -applyChoiceChangesXML /usr/local/etc/TeamViewer/choices.xml -pkg "/usr/local/etc/TeamViewer/Install TeamViewerHost.pkg" -target /
exit 0

Install TeamViewer Host

Choose an embedded TeamViewer Fileset:
Note that you only need one of the below, but we may offer several versions in case you need an older version.

 
↓ macOS
FileWave Download.png

15.40.8.0
 
↓ macOS
FileWave Download.png

15.30.3.0

Associate the Fileset Group to devices.  A requirement script ensures the Teamviewer Profile is installed before installing the TeamViewer software. TeamViewer also provides guidance here on mass deployment that may be helpful: https://community.teamviewer.com/English/kb/articles/50739-mass-deployment-on-macos