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      How to Mass Deploy the Ditto Windows Receiver

      This guide allows Ditto and Windows administrators to zero-touch deploy the Ditto Windows Receiver across multiple Windows computers simultaneously.

      Any service can be used to deploy and manage MSI files. The following steps explain how to utilize Group Policy to effortlessly distribute the Windows Ditto Receiver to multiple client machines simultaneously. The Ditto receiver is packaged as a standard MSI installer, and no additional considerations are necessary during deployment.

      The following steps must be performed in order:

      1. Deploy the Ditto deployment registry key
      2. Deploy the Ditto Windows Receiver MSI
      3. Set the Ditto receiver to automatically launch at startup
      4. Reboot the computers you're deploying to
      5. Wait a few minutes and navigate to the Ditto Account Portal
      6. Link your newly paired receivers to rooms

      The instructions below assume/require:

      • Your Windows computers are remotely managed by Windows Server or similar
      • You are familiar with Windows Group Policy and Group Policy Objects (GPO)

      Pro-Tip:

      Deploying Large Numbers of Receivers?
      Parts of this process can be automated even further. Please contact your Ditto account representative for additional Windows deployment options before continuing.

      Step 1 - Obtain Ditto deployment files

      1. Log in to the Ditto Account Portal
      2. Navigate to the "My Organization Area"
      3. Select "Deployment"
      4. Select the "Ditto Windows Receiver" tab
      5. Download the deployment registry key
      6. Download the 32- or 64-bit Ditto Windows Receiver .msi file

      Step 2 - Deploy Ditto with Group Policy

      Important!
      These steps must be performed in order. Make sure you deploy the pairing registry key before deploying the Ditto Receiver MSI file.

      Deploy a registry entry to automatically pair Ditto Receiver to your Ditto account

      To automatically pair Ditto Receiver to your Ditto account, you also need to deploy the registry file downloaded from your Ditto account portal as instructed above.

      1. Be sure you've downloaded the deployment registry key from your Ditto Account Portal as instructed above.
      2. Open the Group Policy Management console (gpmc.msc)
      3. Create a new (or edit the existing) GPO, link it to the necessary container (OU) in AD with the computers (or users) on which you want to deploy the registry key, and go to the policy edit mode
      4. Expand the GPO section Computer (or User) configuration -> preferences -> Windows settings -> registry and select "New" -> registry wizard in the context menu
      5. The Registry Wizard allows you to connect to the registry on a remote computer and select the existing registry key
      6. Specify the computer name you want to connect to. This computer will have the registry key imported manually, by saving and double-clicking on the .reg file downloaded earlier. This could be a remote machine, or you could use the local computer that will be making the GPO.
      7. Using the registry browser, select all the registry parameters that you want to deploy through the GPO, then click on "Finish."
      8. For the deployment key, two parameters are selected, which are “OrganizationId” and “DeploymentCode.” You can find these in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Squirrels\Ditto receiver tree.
      9. The specified registry entries are imported into the GPP console along with the regular path
      10. You have now created a group policy to deploy your pairing information. The next time group policy settings are updated on target computers, they will be paired to your Ditto account.

      Deploy the Ditto Receiver MSI file

      1. Open Server Manager on your domain server
      2. Click "Tools" and select "Group Policy Management"
      3. In the Group Policy Management console, right-click your domain name, then click Create a GPO in this domain, and link it here
      4. In the New GPO box, type "Deploy Software" in the name box and then click "OK"
      5. In the Group Policy Management console, right-click "Deploy Software GPO" and click "Edit"
      6. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under computer configuration, expand "Policies" and then expand "Software Settings"
      7. Right-click "Software Installation," click "New" and then click "Package"
      8. In the open dialog box, browse to the previously downloaded Ditto Windows Receiver .msi file and then click "Open." Note: In the Open dialog box, you may type the full UNC path of the shared installer package that you want. For example, \\file server\share\file name.msi.
      9. In the Deploy Software window, ensure that the "Assigned" option is selected and then click "OK"
      10. Wait for a few seconds and verify that Ditto is listed in the Group Policy Management editor
      11. Ditto Windows Receiver is now deployed

      Deploy a registry entry to automatically launch Ditto Receiver when the system is started

      1. Open "Server Manager" on your domain server
      2. Click "Tools" and open Group Policy Management
      3. In the Group Policy Management console, right-click your domain name and click "Create a GPO" in this domain, and link it here
      4. In the New GPO box, type "Deploy Software" in the name box and then click "OK"
      5. In the Group Policy Management console, right-click "Deploy Software GPO" and click "Edit"
      6. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under computer configuration, expand "Policies" and then expand "Software Settings"
      7. Right-click "Software Installation," click "New" and then click "Package"
      8. In the Open dialog box, browse to the previously downloaded Ditto Windows Receiver .msi file and then click "Open." Note: In the Open dialog box, you may type the full UNC path of the shared installer package that you want. For example, \\file server\share\file name.msi.
      9. In the Deploy Software window, ensure that the "Assigned" option is selected and then click "OK"
      10. Wait for a few seconds and verify that Ditto Receiver is listed in the Group Policy Management editor
      11. Create a new Group Policy Object
      12. Enter a name for the object, such as Ditto receiver
      13. Go to the settings tab
      14. Right-click on "Computer Configuration" or "User Configuration" and select "Edit" — Deploy the registry key on a per-user basis
      15. Right-click on the "Registry" option, and select "New Registry Item" from the dropdown menu
      16. Enter the following details to create the registry key:
        • Key path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
        • Value type: "String"
        • Value data: C:\\Program Files\\Ditto Receiver\\DittoReceiver.exe
      17. Click "OK" and the registry key will be deployed
      18. Now restart and login to a client PC and the Ditto receiver will launch and pair to your account

      Step 3 - Link Devices to Rooms in Ditto

      At this point, your Windows machines are now configured and paired to your Ditto account. You now need to link each receiver to a room.

      If you haven't created rooms for your receivers yet, follow these steps:
      1. Return to the Ditto Account Portal
      2. Navigate to the Rooms Section
      3. Create a room for each receiver you added through Group Policy
      4. The Ditto Windows Receiver is now ready to use. Users can now mirror their screens using Ditto Connect.

      If you already created rooms without receivers, follow these steps:

      1. Return to the Ditto Account Portal
      2. Navigate to the My Organization section
      3. Select "Deployment"
      4. Click the "Ditto Windows Receiver" tab
      5. Under quick link rooms, select "Begin Linking" and you will be presented with a list of unlinked receivers added through Group Policy
      6. Select the room each receiver should be assigned to from the drop-down beside the receiver name