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Good morning lads!

Just stumbled across this site (think it was one of the top matches in Google when I searched for how to consistently show the solutions on EE without signing up :P)

But what I was searching for on there, and what I will ask on here is:

Does anyone know of a free LAN messaging program that can work as a one-way alerter? (For Windows XP Workstations)

Hopefully, I could simply install as a service on 'client' machines that waits until a message gets sent to it from the 'server' machine, then it displays a popup with the message (broadcast messages most often, like "Server down at 6pm"). I've been poking around the last few weeks, have trialled AChat, IPMsg, and various others. They all seem to work to a degree, but I really need a program that only offers one-way-communication, or an option somewhere to configure it as such. (Else, users will probably play around with and misuse the software).

I've only been able to find free software that does WAY too much and will hook the workplace up with a virtual chat room to waste time in, or software that does exactly what I'm after, yet wants to charge me for it (though, it has LESS features than these open source programs… I guess they know their target market :P)

Ideally, I'd like something with no icons/system tray indicator. Just something humming along silently in the background, listening on its port. The less the user knows they can fiddle with, the better.

The 'server' portion of the program will need to be able to broadcast to all users on a subnet, and be able to broadcast to other subnets… Oh, and I really DON'T want a program that relies on the "Messenger Service" running. For one, 'net send' doesn't like to transverse subnets. There's a company firewall set up obviously, but I'm still not a fan of the security risk I'd open up, at least internally.

LanInfoXP and Bopup Observer would be likely candidates, if my endeavour was funded :P

Has anybody stumbled across anything like this in their travels? It's such a simple concept, but I've had next to no luck in finding a tool to suit my needs.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Ipan_1
Member Avatar for evman

As an update, I've discovered a small program someone made which pretty much does what I need. (There's 2 exe's. One which is the 'server', for sending the messages, and the other which installs itself as a client, hidden away and running in the background.) Only shortcoming is it's non-configurable (will only broadcast to current subnet) and it requires .NET 2.0 framework to be installed. Given that I'll need this 'messenger' to be on 200+ PCs, that'll make this a more arduous task than I'm hoping…

So yea, I'm definitely still looking, if someone's come across anything that's worth me checking out!

Member Avatar for charlieton

As an update, I've discovered a small program someone made which pretty much does what I need. (There's 2 exe's. One which is the 'server', for sending the messages, and the other which installs itself as a client, hidden away and running in the background.) Only shortcoming is it's non-configurable (will only broadcast to current subnet) and it requires .NET 2.0 framework to be installed. Given that I'll need this 'messenger' to be on 200+ PCs, that'll make this a more arduous task than I'm hoping…

So yea, I'm definitely still looking, if someone's come across anything that's worth me checking out!

Hey, what was the name of this program? ty

Member Avatar for evman

Hey, what was the name of this program? ty

I'm not sure if it's really called anything other than "MessageSendApp" Pretty basic eh? :P

Download it at:

http://www.dedderek.org/temp/MessageSendApp.zip

DedDerek from the www.whirlpool.net.au forums hooked me up with the program, and the following information:
"A few notes:
- This software was written very quickly so may still have some bugs in it. WhIM me if you find something wrong with it that you would like fixed.
- Messages will only be sent to computers on the same local network as the server program. The messages will not go through firewalls or over the internet.
- I hope its self explanatory enough for you. The client program especially has no interface so to close it you need to end it from Task Manager

Enjoy,
Derek :)"

Full props to Derek... the program almost does exactly what I need. Just the .NET prerequisite makes it a little less appealing.

Member Avatar for charlieton

OMG!!! PROPs to both of you guys. uneffing believable. i've been looking for something like this for at least a year.

It works. small foot print. amazazazing!!!

thank-you so much!!!

Member Avatar for Ipan_1

Please give me again link url , because the link url link up there is not valid anymore. Thanks

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