Ticket Options

Question Profile

Question Details

TICKET ARCHIVE -> mac in a school setting

chinleacc - Nov 19, 2007 - 6:37 pm

How can I lockdown macs that kids use on a network. We connect to an Active Directory and have home directories there but how can I protect the mac itself from kids rearranging things.
Thanks

GrantG - Nov 20, 2007 - 3:33 am

You should have full control over what the kids can and can't do using the User Management tools on your server. I'm assuming you have OS X server installed.

chinleacc - Nov 20, 2007 - 11:15 am

No Mac server. I was thinking that I could use the option to pick users from a list at login time on the mac and then run some sort of script that would ask for login name. Is there no other way than a macserver?
Thank you for your patience with my lack of macsense.

GrantG - Nov 20, 2007 - 12:51 pm

It looks like R0b010146 has some good solutions. I'll reopen the ticket to see if anyone else has some ideas.

leonard.leotech - Nov 20, 2007 - 3:47 pm

Hi-Welcome to Macosx.com.

Could you explain what you want to do exactly? Do you want to give students access? If so, what do you want them to able to do? What won't you allow them to do?

Thanks!

Leonard Slutsky
Macosx.com Tech

chinleacc - Nov 20, 2007 - 4:20 pm

Thanks
I can use the Active Directory Plugin to get them to the network and their stored network files but I can't find a way to protect the mac itself from having files deleted, desktops changed around, stuff left on the desktop, you know the stuff that kids love doing.

chinleacc - Nov 21, 2007 - 5:20 pm

Cheryl - Nov 23, 2007 - 10:54 am

Anne,

With OS X, you can limit what the user can do. Using the Simple Finder would limit what the student can do. You can set this in Accounts>User name.

I do recommend that you set a separate user for the students. You can use one user name for all students, or individualize them. Depending on what version OS X you are running will depend on how you set the 'permissions'.
Let me know what OS version you are running and I can give you the instructions on how to limit their access.

Cheryl

chinleacc - Nov 23, 2007 - 1:52 pm

I have 10.4 on about 30 little ibooks. If students login with the same student login, how will I get them to their home folders in the Active Directory?
Thank you for your help.
Anne

Cheryl - Nov 23, 2007 - 2:48 pm

Anne,

How do you have those iBooks set up now?

Create a Student User account, then in Parental Controls.
Select Some Limits, then uncheck those items you don't want the students to play with such as Mail.
You want Finder & System checked. Click the Configure button. Click on the arrow next to Applications. Now you can select the programs the students can/cannot use.
In that same window, click on Locate.
Now you need to select the Server from the window that opens>Network, then the specific app or folder. Click on Add.
Now just make sure it is listed in the window of allowed and there is a check mark on the box.

You are all set.

An alternate set up is to set the student user with a Simple Finder and an alias of the Network in the My Applications folder in the Student User Home folder.

Cheryl

chinleacc - Nov 25, 2007 - 9:50 am

Thanks Cheryl,
I will get to this first thing Monday, this being a long weekend, and let you know.
Thanks for your help..

chinleacc - Nov 25, 2007 - 9:50 am

Thanks Cheryl,
I will get to this first thing Monday, this being a long weekend, and let you know.
Thanks for your help..

Cheryl - Nov 25, 2007 - 2:23 pm

Anne,

I do understand as I am a teacher myself.

Cheryl

chinleacc - Nov 26, 2007 - 3:32 pm

OK..I created a Student User account and set those limits , where is the Network WIndow that you refer to. Then, how do individual students login and get to their own network folder? Sorry to be such a dunce.

Cheryl - Nov 26, 2007 - 9:37 pm

Anne,

You have to select the Network server for the student access. Go to the Student's account and click on Parental controls.
Click the Configure button next to Finder and System.
Click on the locate button at the bottom of the window that opens.
Now you need to manuver and locate Network from the far left pane.
Click on the open button.

Now your students should be able to access the network and move nothing else.

When the students log in, they should be able to access the network and get to their folder.

Cheryl

chinleacc - Nov 27, 2007 - 3:21 pm

I'm still confused about the login process. I have 220 students. Will i need to make 220 different accounts on all 30 ibooks?

chinleacc - Nov 27, 2007 - 3:51 pm

I see now that I can use the "Other" login for students. I will just have to put notes on the ibooks instructing them how to mount their network drive. IS there such a thing as a script that would do it for them?

Cheryl - Nov 27, 2007 - 6:29 pm

Anne,

Your students will log in using the generic Student account you created. Yes, all those students can log in and use the same user name.

Yes, there is a script you can create to mount the network drive. See this web site for instructions:

http://support.riverdeep.net/techtips_detail.asp?id=155

Let me know if you need further help.

Cheryl

Cheryl - Nov 29, 2007 - 9:24 pm

Anne,

Are you doing okay?

Cheryl

Cheryl - Dec 1, 2007 - 1:33 pm

Anne,

I am just wondering how you managed on your Macs.

Cheryl