Troubleshooting Web Limiting

Troubleshooting Web Limiting

Overview

With LanSchool, teachers can help students focus on their work by limiting online access to approved websites and even disabling internet access during tests and quizzes. LanSchool relies on the LanSchool Student client running on the student devices to enforce these policies. To support web limiting in most browser, a companion browser extension is also required.

Who Should Use This Guide?

This article is designed to help IT Administrators troubleshoot instances where LanSchool Web Limiting is not being enforced. The LanSchool Web Helper browser extension must be installed in each web browser in order to enforce the teacher's desired limiting policy.  The steps to troubleshoot this are different for each web browser.

Teachers should refer to this overview of how to setup and use web limiting for use in their classroom.

If the student devices are macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) please see Granting macOS Privacy Approvals for LanSchool Using an MDM on how to apply browser extension profiles for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based, Version 85+).
If you are using LanSchool Classic in a Thin Client/ Terminal Services environment, web limiting is not supported. 

Troubleshooting Web Limiting

Google Chrome

Web limiting for the Google Chrome browser utilizes the LanSchool Web Helper browser extension. By default, this browser extension is installed as part of the student install on Windows and Mac devices below 11.0 (Big Sur).  

Step 1: Confirm Extension Is Installed

  1. On a student device, open the Chrome browser and navigate to Settings > Extensions or enter chrome://extensions in the address bar. 
  2. Confirm that the LanSchool Web Helper extension is installed and enabled
  3. If the extension is not installed, contact your LanSchool IT Admin or proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Re-deploy the Extension If Required

By default, the LanSchool Student installer will attempt to automatically install the Web Helper extension into Chrome. In some environments, this will fail if Chrome has not yet been installed or local policies require extensions be deployed another way.

Deploying Chrome Extension Using Google Admin
Students will need to authenticate to the Chrome browser on their device in order for assigned extensions to be force-installed. To assign the LanSchool Web Helper to students so it is force-installed with they sign in, follow these steps.
  1. Login to Google Admin
  2. Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Apps & Extensions > User and Browser Settings
  3. Select the OU containing student user accounts.
  4. Add an extension from the Chrome Web Store
  5. Search for LanSchool Web Helper and select it.
  6. Set the Installation Policy to Force Install
  7. Click Save
Deploying Chrome Extension Using Active Directory Group Policy (GPO)
If the LanSchool student client fails to install the LanSchool Web Helper extension, or if you have an existing list of force installed extensions in the Chrome browser, you may need to create/modify the following Group Policy to deploy the extension to student Windows devices:
  1. Open the Group Policy Management Console
  2. Navigate to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Google\Google Chrome\Extensions
  3. Go to "Configure the list of forced-installed apps and extension" and enable it.
  4. Click the Show button.
  5. Enter the following in an available line: honjcnefekfnompampcpmcdadibmjhlk;http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx
  6. Deploy the policy, then refresh the Group Polices on the student machine.

Step 3: Confirm Windows Proxy Settings

If your organization is utilizing a proxy server to manage internet traffic, you will need to modify the following setting in Windows either locally or through Group Policy.
  1. Open the control panel on the student computer and navigate to Internet Options
  2. Click on the Connections Tab
  3. Click on the LAN Settings button.
  4. Select the option for "Bypass proxy server for local addresses" and click OK
Once you have performed these steps, open the Chrome browser and enter localhost:56797 in the address bar.  If a window opens asking for authorization, please reboot the student computer and try these steps again. LanSchool requires that the student device be able to access this port locally without being interrupted by the proxy.


Mozilla Firefox

Due to changes in Mozilla Firefox's requirements, Web Limiting does NOT work with Firefox. The Mozilla Firefox extension is currently not supported and is under review. It's recommended to utilize the Limit Apps feature to restrict the Firefox browser.

Microsoft Edge

LanSchool Classic 9.0.1.154 and above now supports web limiting for the Microsoft Edge browser (Chromium-based, Version 85+). By default, this browser extension is installed as part of the student install on Windows devices and Mac devices below 11.0 (Big Sur). 

Step 1: Confirm Extension Is Installed

  1. On a student device, open the Edge browser and navigate to Settings > Extensions.
  2. Confirm that the LanSchool Web Helper extension is installed and enabled.
  3. If the extension is not installed, contact your LanSchool IT Admin or proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Deploy the Extension via Group Policy If Required

If the LanSchool student client fails to install the LanSchool Web Helper extension, or if you have an existing list of force installed extensions in the Edge browser, you may need to create/modify the following Group Policy to deploy the extension to student Windows devices:
  1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.
  2. Navigate to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Edge\Extensions (Edge ADMX Templates Required)
  3. Go to "Control which extensions are installed silently" and enable it
  4. Click the Show button.
  5. Enter the following extension ID: hbonijggfojboimdmhilgnikbkeodiha
  6. Deploy the new policy and perform a Group Policy update on the student devices.
  7. Confirm that the LanSchool Web Helper extension was successfully installed.

    • Related Articles

    • Limiting Website Use

      Overview To block troublesome or distracting websites or limit students to a select few websites pertinent to the class, use the Limit Web feature in LanSchool Classic. The teacher can choose to restrict all web activity, allow only certain websites, ...

    • Disabling Edge Split Screen

      Overview LanSchool Air is unable to limit the web in Microsoft Edge when the student uses the Edge Split Screen feature. The LanSchool Air extension does not register the second screen and will not block the website. It is recommended to disable Edge ...

    • Granting macOS Privacy Approvals for LanSchool Using an MDM

      Overview For student devices running macOS Mojave (10.14) and later Apple introduced new privacy protection systems that must be configured correctly for LanSchool to work. It can be challenging to configure settings correctly so that all installed ...

    • Installing LanSchool Student for macOS

      Update March 26, 2024: Release of macOS 14.4 has broken the ability to use SSID Whitelisting. Anyone currently using SSID Whitelisting, it is recommended to delay updating to macOS 14.4 until this issue has been fixed. Overview The following ...

    • LanSchool System Requirements

      LanSchool 9.1 Teacher Console Requirements The LanSchool Teacher Console software must be installed on each instructor device. Supported device operating systems include: Windows 10 or 11 Windows Server 2016 (for Terminal Services / Thin Client ...

    • Popular Articles

    • Limiting Website Use

      Overview To block troublesome or distracting websites or limit students to a select few websites pertinent to the class, use the Limit Web feature in LanSchool Classic. The teacher can choose to restrict all web activity, allow only certain websites, ...

    • LanSchool Classic Teacher Guide

      LanSchool Classic Teacher Console The LanSchool Teacher Console is the interface teachers will use to manage their classroom and students. It contains all the tools necessary for a teacher to effectively interact with students and create a ...

    • Installing LanSchool Teacher for Windows

      Overview The following instructions will assist you with manually installing LanSchool Classic Teacher Console on a single Windows device. For information on installing the student client or mass deploying LanSchool throughout your organization, see ...

    • Latest Release Notes

      LanSchool Classic Release Notes Customers with an active LanSchool subscription will have access to download the latest version from the LanSchool Classic Portal. For instructions, see Downloading LanSchool Installers. LanSchool Classic 9.3.0.56 ...

    • Unloading LanSchool from the Student Device Temporarily

      Overview A teacher can temporarily unload the student agent from Windows or Mac device. This function is useful in situations where students must use an application that requires the LanSchool Student be removed or disabled, such as secure browsers ...

    • Recent Articles

    • Troubleshooting WiFi Tampering

      Overview With the latest version of Windows 11, LanSchool Classic is unable to retrieve a list of available SSIDs on the student machine unless Location Services is enabled on the device. Enabling Location Services To enable Location Services ...

    • Disabling Edge Split Screen

      Overview LanSchool Air is unable to limit the web in Microsoft Edge when the student uses the Edge Split Screen feature. The LanSchool Air extension does not register the second screen and will not block the website. It is recommended to disable Edge ...

    • End of Life LanSchool Classic Chromebook Student

      End of Life LanSchool Classic Chromebook Student Google is no longer supporting Chrome OS apps like LanSchool Classic on Chromebooks, as of ChromeOS version 132. However, users now have the option to enable a setting in their Google Workspace Admin ...

    • End of Life LanSchool Classic Android Student

      As of August 15, 2024 LanSchool Classic Android Student has reached End of Life and will no longer be developed.

    • Disabling Teacher Console Registration Prompt

      Overview New installations of LanSchool Classic Teacher Console will receive a prompt to register LanSchool. This prompt may be disabled to prevent disrupting teachers. Disabling Registration Prompt Using Registry Key Navigate to this policy key: ...