Installation and initial configuration

Top  Previous  Next

Software installation

Here are the steps necessary to install CafeSuite on your computer:

1.Download the latest version of CafeSuite from our website.
2.Install the downloaded package on the main (server) computer.
3.Run CafeStation (you'll find the shortcut in the Start menu).

When asked to create owner's account, enter necessary details and set owner's password.

4.Configure server software
5.Configure client software
6.Install client software on the workstations

Basic server configuration

Use the Options command from the Program menu to open the configuration window.

Get to know available options. The default values should be appropriate for most installations, however you might need to adjust them to suit your specific requirements.

Here's the list of things you should do after installing the software:

If you employ operators, create accounts for them on the Operators page.

You should also select the Require operator login option on the Security page.

If you're not using DHCP in your network uncheck the Use hostnames instead of IP numbers option on the Main page.

This option should also be unchecked on the Main page of client software configuration.

Configure charging rates on the Charging rates page. Define new rates or adjust the example ones. You'll find more information about how charging rates work in the Charging rates section.
Configure client software. Please see the Basic client software configuration section below for more details.
Install client software on the workstations. Please see the Installing client software section for reference.
After installing client software on the computers, CafeStation should start detecting and adding workstations to the computer list.

It's a good time to set up computer groups and assign charging rates to them. You can create a new group by simply entering its name into the Group name field in computer properties window. If the group you chose isn't assigned a charging rates, you'll be asked to pick a charging rate for it. You can change rates assigned to a group later using the Set default rates command from the List menu. If you don't enter new group name, the workstation will belond to the default group.

You'll find more information about computer groups in the Computer groups section.

Basic client software configuration

Use the Client setup command to open client software configuration window.

First of all you need to configure connection between client and server software. Open the Main page and enter server hostname into the Main computer address field.

If you're not using DHCP in your network uncheck the Use hostnames instead of IP numbers option and enter server IP number instead of the hostname. This option also be unselected on the Main page in CafeStation configuration.

Set password which will protect client software from unauthorized uninstallation. Click the Set password to protect client software button to enter it. You'll be asked for this password when trying to manually remove client software from the workstation.

If you don't set the password, you'll be asked to do it when saving client software configuration.

Remember the password protecting client software or store it in a safe place. In certain situations uninstalling client software may not be possible without knowing it.

If you are going to use workstation lock, you should configure it on the Workstation lock page and the Lock look page.

Do not run client software on the main computer when system lock is enabled.

Click the OK button to save client program configuration. You'll be asked if you'd like to save client software executable and configuration files into another location. We recommend saving client program to a network shared folder or a floppy to make installation easier.

By default, client software is saved in the Client directory in the installation folder (usually it's C:\Program Files\CafeSuite\Client).

Installing client software

Remember to

configure

client software before installing it on the workstations.

Installing client software, after it's configured, is very easy:

1.Log onto the workstation as the Administrator (you need to have all administrative access rights to the system).
2.Execute configured client software from the location it was saved in (Now you see why we recommend saving it into a network shared folder or a floppy — it makes the installation process easier and faster if you are managing many workstations).

See also:

Configuring CafeStation
Configuring client software