Endpoint Agent Installation Reference for Windows
This article provides in-depth information about Windows Endpoint Agent installer configuration options, including browser extensions, command-line flags, Extended Network Tests (Npcap), and connection strings.
Browser Extensions
The Endpoint Agent browser extensions can be installed at the end of the GUI installation process or as part of Windows command-line installation.
Do not enable browser extensions for Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome during Endpoint Agent installation if their browser settings are managed by a separate mechanism, such as Windows Group Policy or Google Chrome Browser Cloud Management. Enabling these extensions during installation may cause conflicts because the Endpoint Agent installer modifies registry keys.
This does not apply to the Internet Explorer extension, which can only be enabled during the installation process.
Endpoint Agent Installer
The Feature Selection page of the installer wizard provides a drop-down menu to select the desired extension and disable support for Extended Network Tests.
From January 31, 2023, the TCP Network Tests installation feature has been included as part of Extended Network Tests. The installer supports Extended Network Tests by default. More information is in the Changelog.
As the Selection Tree widget is a standard Windows Installer control with limited customization, the Will be installed on local hard drive and Entire feature will be installed on local hard drive options are identical.
After you configure extensions, click Next to continue the installation wizard.
If you opt not to install extensions as part of the Endpoint Agent installer process, you can install them separately. See Install the Endpoint Agent Browser Extension on Windows.
Command-Line Options for Msiexec
ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport
Extended Network Tests Support
Install Npcap driver if no Npcap driver is installed.
EdgeExtension
Microsoft Edge Browser Extension
Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Microsoft Edge.
ChromeExtension
Google Chrome Browser Extension
Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Google Chrome.
IeExtension
Internet Explorer Browser Extension
Enable support for collecting network metrics for approved pages in Internet Explorer.
Agent
Endpoint Client Agent
Optional switch for base agent installation. Does not include Extended Network Tests support.
TcpNetworkTestsSupport
TCP Network Tests Support
Install Windows driver and enable support for TCP tests. Deprecated. See TCP Tests Renamed and On By Default.
If no switches are passed, Extended Network Tests are installed and no browser extensions are installed.
Default
If the MSI runs without options, the Endpoint Agent is installed with Extended Network Tests support and without browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart
You can also include the reinstallation token:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_METHOD=MERGE_BY_HOSTNAME ENDPOINT_REINSTALLATION_KEY="<reinstallation_key>"
With Extended Network Tests Support
Install with Extended Network Tests support and no browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>"
Install with Extended Network Tests support and all browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"
Install with Extended Network Tests support and Microsoft Edge browser extension:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,EdgeExtension"
Install with Extended Network Tests support and Internet Explorer browser extension:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,IeExtension"
Install with Extended Network Tests support and Chrome browser extension:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport,ChromeExtension"
Without Extended Network Tests Support
Install with no Extended Network Tests support and no browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="Agent"
Install with no Extended Network Tests support and all browser extensions:
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart ACCOUNT_CONFIG="<connection_string>" ADDLOCAL="Agent,IeExtension,ChromeExtension,EdgeExtension"
Remove Extended Network Tests Support
To remove Extended Network Tests support, add REMOVE="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport":
msiexec.exe /i <path_to_msi> /quiet /norestart REMOVE="ExtendedNetworkTestsSupport"
For software deployment guidance, see Guidance for Windows Software Deployment Teams.
You can run the command-line switches above without the Connection String parameter and register afterward with te-agent --register <connection_string> from an administrator console.
Extended Network Tests Support for Windows
The ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent can install a compatible Npcap OEM driver for Windows via command-line installation.
The Npcap driver version must be v1.55. Reboot the system to ensure the Npcap driver is installed.
Verify the currently installed Npcap version:
reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\NpcapInst
If Npcap is already installed (for example, as part of Wireshark or NMAP), the installer does not change it. If the pre-existing version is approved for your account group, the Endpoint Agent uses it for TCP tests. If the version is not allowed, the agent does not run TCP tests.
Contact ThousandEyes Support to enable additional Npcap versions if needed.
For Npcap upgrade planning, see NPCAP Driver Upgrade Management.
Verify the Npcap driver is running:
sc query Npcap
After successful installation, ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent and Npcap OEM appear under Apps & Features. Npcap OEM installs to:
C:\Program Files (x86)\ThousandEyes\Third Party\Npcap(64-bit Windows)C:\Program Files\ThousandEyes\Third Party\Npcap(32-bit Windows)
Do not uninstall Npcap OEM individually from Apps & Features. Uninstalling the Endpoint Agent also uninstalls Npcap OEM.
Connection String
Installation on Windows (and registration for Cisco RoomOS, PhoneOS, Cisco Secure Client, and other integrations) requires the Connection String parameter. Access the connection string in the Agent Settings section of the ThousandEyes web application.
The connection string is visible only to users in roles with the Download Endpoint Agents permission. See Built-in Roles and Permissions.
The connection string acts as a token that identifies the account group where the agent should register.
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