Frequently Asked Questions 

How does the installation work?

Windows deployments can be found in Org Management. The silent installer can be deployed with GPO, SCCM, or however your organization deploys software.  We also require and recommend specific policies are configured in Group Policy Object (GPO) Management. The configuration and installation process will typically take between 20-90 minutes depending on the complexity of the windows environment, and the GPO policy can be unlinked at any time if issues arise.

How does the Native Application work? 

The native application is installed to student devices via .MSI package.  The app will facilitate communication between the GoGuardian extensions and the Windows device. When the GoGuardian extensions are present and running on a Windows machine in the chrome browser, it will attempt to reference the registry key that points to the install location and proceed to kick off the communication between the two. 

When configured/installed Native Application will:

• Send full-screen data to our extensions for GGT
• Send application data to our extensions for GGT
• Execute the teacher commands on the Windows devices for GGT
• Grab the login info for a user without requiring further sign-in into the browser (when in a properly synced environment)
• Block the Edge browser by default

How does Active Directory and GPO (Group Policy Object) relate to Google Admin Console?

Active Directory manages the OU structures for users and GPO manages the device/user settings for Windows devices similarly as Google Admin Console does both for Chrome devices. If Google Admin Console is not used, Clever can be used in its place. 

How is it licensed?

GoGuardian for Windows is licensed the same as when products are licensed for Chromebooks. There is no separate SKU.  

Will GoGuardian for Windows have full remote desktop access?

With GoGuardian Teacher for Windows, Teachers will be able to remotely close apps, open and close tabs, and lock the entire screen. However, full remote access into the student device is not a feature.

Do Beacon and Admin work on GG for Windows and do they work outside of the browser?

GoGuardian Beacon require the extension to monitor student activity. Browsing activity within Chrome or Edge browser will continue to be monitored by Beacon. For GoGuardian Admin, this depends on the type of deployment, any browser can be monitored. Note: Theft Recovery does not currently function for Windows devices due to it being a Chrome Device Management extension. 

Does GoGuardian on Windows also filter browsers other than Chrome (Edge, Firefox, IE)?
GoGuardian Teacher and Beacon for Windows filters Chrome and Edge browser. GoGuardian Admin can filter any browser, depending on the deployment type.

How does GoGuardian differ on a Chromebook rather than on Windows?

All products that utilize the GoGuardian extension will predominantly function the same or with increased functionality in some cases on Windows.

• For GoGuardian Admin, monitoring, filtering, and smart alerts will remain the same. Theft Recovery is not a feature for GoGuardian for Windows.
• For GoGuardian Beacon, monitoring will remain the same.
• For GoGuardian Teacher, the entire desktop will be viewable rather than only the browser view. Teachers will also have the ability to close undesired apps and open a tab even when the browser is closed.  In addition to seeing the browser, the entire desktop will be viewable and lockable. These features are distinct to GoGuardian Teacher.

We need to utilize other browsers for testing purposes. Can I allow specific browsers for a span of time?

Yes, you are able to edit your configuration as needed to allow specific third party web browsers, and revert back when they are no longer in use.

Can GoGuardian sync with Active Directory?

Yes!

Do I need Active Directory and why?

Yes, Active Directory will hold the OU structure in Windows. Active Directory Group Policy Management is needed to manage GoGuardian Windows devices. 

Do I need Google Admin Console and why?

GoGuardian can sync directly with either Google Admin Console or Active Directory. 

How do I get started?

Please navigate to https://manage.goguardian.com/windows to get started!