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Follow this article to silent install the Windows and macOS Roaming Client through a command-line script or trigger using an Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool.

Installing the Roaming Client via silent install is useful for environments with repeated installations, multiple computers to deploy at once, or to keep end users out of the installation process.   

Windows agent silent install

✍️ Version 2.1.0 introduced updated Operating System minimums for .net framework and .net core. Confirm your system meets the requirements before installation to avoid errors.  

Deploy the Windows Roaming Client via a command prompt to complete a silent install. 

1. Follow the Roaming Client deployment guide for details to setup a Site, copy the Site Secret Key, and download the installer
2. Install the Roaming Client with all default options
3. Open an Administrative Prompt
4. Add the Site Secret Key and run this command:

   • msiexec /qn /i "C:\path\to\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi" NKEY="SITESECRETKEY"

   • msiexec /qn /i "C:\path\to\DNS_Agent_Setup.msi" NKEY="SITESECRETKEY"

Additional Command-line options

Customize the silent install with these additional command-line options. 

Windows agent RMM install

If using an RMM or other tool to install the Roaming Client, use this PowerShell script to download and install the Roaming Client without the need to distribute the MSI file to the computers.

Follow the Roaming Client deployment guide for steps to create a Site and copy the Site Secret Key for this script.

• mkdir C:\temp
  Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.dnsfilter.com/User_Agent/Windows/DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi" -OutFile "C:\temp\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi"
  msiexec /qn /i "C:\temp\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi" NKEY="SITESECRETKEY"

• mkdir C:\temp
  Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.dnsfilter.com/User_Agent/Windows/DNS_Agent_Setup.msi" -OutFile "C:\temp\DNS_Agent_Setup.msi"
  msiexec /qn /i "C:\temp\DNS_Agent_Setup.msi" NKEY="SITESECRETKEY"

Here are other helpful scripts and instructions designed for specific tools. Deploy the Windows agent via Entra ID by following the linked steps. 

• Distribute the Windows agent MSI file with customizations as an Orca transform file. This is useful for mass deployments without using Entra ID to perform the installation, e.g. MSPs that use RMM software.

  Follow the silent install steps above to generate an MST file and deploy with this command or RMM equivalent:

  msiexec /qn /i "C:\path\to\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi" TRANSFORMS="C:\path\to\orcatransformed.mst"

• Installing the Roaming Client must be the last step of the image setup process if using a standardized image to deploy or reinstall computers.

  If the Roaming Client is installed with an active network connection and allowed to register with our API, the Roaming Client will not receive a unique ID on each computer that received the standardized image.

  Follow these steps to install the agent without registration.

  1. Download the Roaming Client Installer from the DNSFilter dashboard
  2. Disconnect all active network connections
  3. Install the Roaming Client
  4. Finalize Image

• Ensure Site Key variables called from Datto RMM pass appropriately with this command:

  # Set variable for site key from Datto Variable
  $siteKey = $env:SITESECRETKEY
  
  # Create C:\temp
  mkdir C:\temp
  
  # Download DNSAgent.msi to c:/temp
  Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://download.dnsfilter.com/User_Agent/Windows/DNS_Agent_Setup.msi" -OutFile "C:\temp\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi"
  
  # Install DNSAgent
  msiexec /qn /i "C:\temp\DNSFilter_Agent_Setup.msi" NKEY="$siteKey"

macOS agent silent install v1.8.6 and older 

An MDM solution is required to perform a silent install for agent version 2.2.0+. 

There are two methods to deploy the v1.x.x macOS Roaming Client via silent install: with or without the need for additional location-based settings, like Local Domains.  

Deploy without location-based settings

1. Follow the Roaming Client deployment guide for details to setup a Site, copy the Site Secret Key, and download the installer
   1. Confirm the installer is in the mac's Downloads folder
2. Add the Site Secret Key and run this command:

   • cd ~/Downloads && echo "<your site key here>" > dns_agent_site_key && sudo installer -dumplog -pkg "DNSFilter Agent-Installer.pkg" -target /

   • cd ~/Downloads && echo "<your site key here>" > dns_agent_site_key && sudo installer -dumplog -pkg "DNS Agent-Installer.pkg" -target /

Deploy with location-based settings

Use a configuration file during installation if more settings are required by location.

The Config file must be called dns_agent.conf and it must be in the same directory as the .pkg file.

1. Prepare the Config file by adding the Site Secret Key and local domains. Use this example for reference:

   SITE_SECRET_KEY=123456789012345678901234
   LOCAL_DNS_AND_DOMAINS=10.0.0.1:53,10.0.0.2:53=domain1.local,domain2.local,domain3.local;192.168.0.1:53,192.168.0.2:53=domain1.loc,domain2.loc,domain3.loc
   OVERRIDE_CONFIG_FILE=no

   Config File details

   LOCAL_DNS_AND_DOMAINS is a comma separated list of local domains. Separate local domain lists with a semicolon (see example config). Domains ending in .local are automatically sent to the original DNS settings of the machine.

   OVERRIDE_CONFIG_FILE if set to yes, this will overwrite any previous Roaming Client settings with those in the config file.

2. Download the installer into the mac's Downloads folder. Follow the Roaming Client deployment guide for detailed download steps
3. Add the Site Secret Key and run this command:

   • cd ~/Downloads && sudo installer -dumplog -pkg "DNSFilter Agent-Installer.pkg" -target /

   • cd ~/Downloads && sudo installer -dumplog -pkg "DNS Agent-Installer.pkg" -target /

macOS agent RMM install

If using an RMM or other tool to install the Roaming Client, use this bash script to download and install the Roaming Client without the need to distribute the PKG file to the computers.

As of v2.2.0, silent installs require an MDM tool due to Apple security settings. RMM tools can still be used to push the agent PKG to devices, however end-users must accept system prompts to complete the installation process. 

Follow the Roaming Client deployment guide for steps to create a Site and copy the Site Secret Key for this script. 

#!/bin/bash
curl https://download.dnsfilter.com/User_Agent/MacOS/DNSFilter%20Agent-Installer.pkg -o /tmp/DNSFilter%20Agent-Installer.pkg
cd /tmp
echo "your site key here" > dns_agent_site_key && sudo installer -dumplog -pkg DNSFilter%20Agent-Installer.pkg -target /

Third-Party deployment support

Recommendations

We recommend testing any third-party solutions before use. For additional support, consult vendor documentation or search and post in our Community for content specific to your tool.

Below are available Community posts related to deploying the Roaming Client with RMM/MDM tools: