Mass Deploying LanSchool Air for Chromebook Student

Mass Deploying LanSchool Air for Chromebook Student

This guide walks site administrators through the process of deploying the LanSchool Air app to students using Chromebooks and getting LanSchool Air ready for instructors to use. For information on installing the LanSchool Air app to Windows or Mac platforms, see: 
For a video walkthrough of the steps for deploying LanSchool Air for Chromebooks, watch this 5-minute video:

System Requirements 

Administrators  

  • LanSchool Air Site Administrator access 
  • Google Admin Console access to the Google Workspace domain the students are using
  • Permission to manage User & Browser settings and Apps & Extensions policies for the student accounts in your domain

Students 

  • Chromebooks with the latest ChromeOS stable version or the Long-Term Support (LTS) release.
  • Users must be managed by a Google Workspace domain.

Procedure 

Log in to LanSchool Air 

  1. Log into LanSchool Air as a a site administrator. 
  2. From the left navigation menu, select LanSchool Air Settings. 



  3. Select Setup. 



  4. Under Chromebooks, select Setup Instructions. The setup instructions for mass deploying to Google Chromebooks display. 



  5. Refer to these setup Instructions for your organization's extension ID's. You will need these to complete the deployment.  

Sign in to Google Admin 

Sign in to the Google Admin console for your organization's G Suite domain by going to  https://admin.google.com/ .
You must login with an administrator account that has permission to manage User & Browser settings and Apps & Extensions policies for the student accounts in your domain. If you do not have permission to manage User & Browser Settings, please contact the main account holder for your Google Admin Console.

The remaining steps cannot be completed without signing in to the Google Admin console.

  2. In Google Admin, select the  Devices icon. 
      
      

  3. Under the Devices menu, navigate to  Chrome > Apps & Extensions. Then select Users & Browsers from the navigation pane.

     
  4. Select the organizational unit (OU) that contains the student user accounts to which to deploy the LanSchool Air for Chromebooks app and extension. 


Force Install the LanSchool Air Chrome Extension

Please refer to the LanSchool Air for Chromebooks Setup Instructions found under  Settings > Setup > Chromebook for the extension ID's unique to your organization.
  1. On the Users & Browsers page, hover over the   Add      icon at the bottom right. 
     
  2. Select the   Add Chrome app or extension by ID       icon.  
     
  3. Refer to the  LanSchool Air Chromebook Setup instructions (in app) for your organization's first unique extension ID and URL:  



  4. Enter your organization's unique  Extension ID.
  5. Ensure  From a Custom URL is selected in the list.
  6. Enter your organization's  Custom URL provided in the LanSchool Air Settings
  7. Select   SAVE . 


     
  8. In the list next to the newly added extension ID, select  Force install as the Installation Policy.  


  9. Set "Permissions and URL access" to  Allow All Permissions
  10. Select   SAVE   at the top right of the page. 


Force Install the LanSchool Air for Chromebooks App

Please refer to the LanSchool Air for Chromebooks Setup Instructions found under Settings > Setup > Chromebook for the extension ID's unique to your organization.
  1. On the Users & Browsers page, hover over the   Add      icon at the bottom right. 
     
  2. Select the   Add Chrome app or extension by ID       icon.  
     
  3. Refer to the  LanSchool Air Chromebook Setup instructions (in app) for your organization's second unique extension ID and URL:  



  4. Enter your organization's unique  Extension ID.
  5. Ensure  From a Custom URL is selected in the list.
  6. Enter your organization's  Custom URL provided in the LanSchool Air Settings
  7. Select   SAVE . 


     
  8. In the list next to the newly added extension ID, select  Force install as the Installation Policy.  


  9. Set "Permissions and URL access" to  Allow All Permissions
  10. Select   SAVE   at the top right of the page. 


Configure Chrome User and Browser Settings 

The following settings are recommended to ensure the best experience with LanSchool Air. Many of these settings are optional, but are recommended to prevent students from disabling the LanSchool Air app or extension.

To save some time you can search for the settings rather than having to scroll, just type in a portion of the setting text and it will jump to the section!
  1. Under the Devices menu, navigate to  Chrome > Apps & Extensions. 
  2.  Make sure the correct student OU is selected. Click on User app settings.




  3.  Under Additional app settings, click on Allowed types of apps and extensions. Select Extension and Chrome packaged app are selected. Click Save.
    This will ensure that both the LanSchool Air app and extension are not prevented from running.


  4. Navigate to Devices > Chrome > Settings > User & Browser Settings for the correct OU. 



  5. In the Apps and extensions section, click on Task Manager. Select Block users from ending processes with Chrome task manager. Click Save.
    This prevents students from disabling the LanSchool Air app.



  6.  In the Power and shutdown section, click on Idle Settings. Select Logout from the Action on Lid Close list. Click Save.
    This forces students to refresh their user session more often. This is not required, but if a student device appears as offline, asking them to login again may resolve it.



  7. In the Security section, click on Incognito mode. Select Disallow incognito mode. Click Save.
    This prevents students from avoiding the LanSchool Air browser extension.



  8. In the Security section, click on User management of installed CA certificates. Select Disallow users from managing certificates. Click Save.
    This prevents students from changing the trust settings LanSchool Air. 



  9. In the Security section, click on User management of installed client certificates. Select Disallow users from managing certificates. Click Save.
    This prevents students from changing the trust settings LanSchool Air. 



  10. In the Content section, click on Screenshot. Select Allow users to take screenshots. Click Save.
    This allows LanSchool Air to show the student's screen to instructors.



  11. In the Content section, click on Cookies. Apply [*.]lenovosoftware.com to Allow cookies for URL patterns. Click Save.
    This allows the LanSchool Air student application to connect to the server if the student happens to block all cookies in the Chrome browser.



  12. In the User Experience section, click on Developer tools. Select Never allow use of built-in developer tools and Do not allow use of developer tools on extensions page. Click Save.
    This prevents students from interfering with the LanSchool Air app or other device settings.


          

Authorize Client Access to Student Names 

By default, LanSchool Air only displays a student’s email address or username. To display students' first and last names as configured on their Google accounts, you must first grant the LanSchool Air client permission. 
The Google account selected must be a "super admin" account in your G Suite domain. 
  1. Log in to LanSchool Air as a site administrator. 
  2. Starting from the left navigation menu, select   Settings > Setup > Chromebook Setup Instructions . 

     


  3. Follow the instructions in step 4 of 5 and select the   Authorize with Google button. 

     

  4. A Google log-in pop-up window displays. Log in with your organization's G Suite domain administrator account that is part of the organization's G Suite domain. Click Next . 



  5. Select Continue to grant LanSchool Air read-only access to your G Suite domain. This allows the service to look up and display students' full names to the teacher. 

     

Test the Configuration 

To test that LanSchool Air has been configured correctly, login to a Chromebook using a student account that resides in the appropriate G Suite organizational unit (OU). If Google Admin has been configured correctly, the LanSchool Air app will be force-installed immediately following the student's first login.
  1. Login to LanSchool Air as a site administrator 
  2. Navigate to Settings > General > Provisioning window and make sure the window is set to Open. 
  3. Navigate to Settings > Students . If the app and extension installation policies were successfully applied, student usernames will be displayed here after they have logged in to their Chromebook at least once. The device type will be labeled as Chrome. 
  4. Navigate back to the My Classes page and create a test class containing at least one student.
  5. Start Class and confirm that the student appears online and you can view their screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to mass deploy LanSchool Air to Chromebooks?

You need Site Administrator access to LanSchool Air, administrator access to the Google Admin Console, and student accounts managed through your organization's Google Workspace domain. Student Chromebooks must run a supported ChromeOS version: the latest stable release or the Long-Term Support (LTS) release.

Can I deploy LanSchool Air to Chromebooks without Google Admin Console access?

No. Chromebook deployment requires access to the Google Admin Console to configure and force-install the LanSchool Air app and browser extension. Contact your organization's Google Workspace administrator if you do not have the required access.

Why is the LanSchool Air app or extension not installing on student Chromebooks?

Check the following:

  1. Confirm that you selected the correct student organizational unit (OU) in Google Admin Console.
  2. Verify that both the LanSchool Air app and browser extension have been added using the organization-specific IDs and custom URLs from LanSchool Air.
  3. Confirm that both components are set to Force install and that Allow All Permissions is selected.
  4. Verify that the student's Google account is managed by your organization's Google Workspace domain.
  5. Have the student sign in to the Chromebook with their school-managed account.

Why is a Chromebook student not appearing in LanSchool Air?

First, verify that the LanSchool Air app and browser extension are deployed correctly and that the student has signed in to the Chromebook at least once.

Then, log in to LanSchool Air as a Site Administrator and check the following:

  1. Go to Settings > General and confirm that the provisioning window is open.
  2. Go to Settings > Students and search for the student's username.
  3. If the student is listed, create a test class, start the class, and confirm that the student appears online.

Why does the student appear offline even though LanSchool Air is installed?

Confirm that the LanSchool Air app is running on the student's Chromebook and that both the app and browser extension are installed. If the student still appears offline, ask them to sign in again to refresh their session.

A Site Administrator should also verify that the provisioning window is open and check the organization's network, firewall, proxy, and content-filter settings.

Why can I see a student's email address but not their first and last name?

By default, LanSchool Air displays the student's email address or username. To display the student's first and last name from their Google account, a Google Workspace super administrator must authorize access through LanSchool Air Settings > Setup > Chromebook Setup Instructions.

Follow the in-app instructions and select Authorize with Google to grant the required read-only access.

Can students use personal Chromebooks with LanSchool Air?

Students using Chromebooks must sign in with a school-managed Google Workspace account that receives the required app and extension policies. Using consumer Gmail accounts for Chromebook deployment is not supported.

Your organization's administrator must configure the deployment through Google Admin Console.

Why can't I access Users & browsers in Google Admin Console to deploy LanSchool Air?

Having a Google Admin account does not automatically grant permission to manage Chrome apps and extensions. If you can provision Chromebooks but cannot access Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers, your account may not have the required administrator privileges, or your access may be restricted by the organization that manages your Google Workspace domain.

If your organization or another organization manages the Google Workspace domain or controls its administrator permissions, you cannot bypass those restrictions through LanSchool Air.

To resolve this issue:

  1. Contact your Google Workspace super administrator or the IT team responsible for managing your organization's Google Admin Console.
  2. Explain that you need permission to deploy the LanSchool Air student app and browser extension through Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers.
  3. Ask the administrator to grant the required Chrome management privileges for the student organizational unit (OU), or have an authorized administrator complete the deployment for you.
  4. Once you have the necessary access, follow the Mass Deploying LanSchool Air for Chromebook Student instructions.

If you are unsure which organization controls your Google Admin Console or who can grant access, contact your organization's IT administrator. LanSchool Air Support can help with LanSchool deployment questions, but Google Workspace administrator permissions must be managed by an authorized Google administrator.

Where can I get help with Chromebook deployment?

If you cannot deploy the LanSchool Air app or extension, or students remain offline after you verify the configuration, contact LanSchool Air Support. Include the affected student account, the deployment steps completed, and the specific issue observed to help expedite troubleshooting.