PlunkIt! FAQ

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Frequently Asked Question

How much does PlunkIt! cost? How can I purchase copies or add more copies to my existing network?

Why can't I see all the other users on the network?

Can PlunkIt! take advantage of fast user switching offered by Windows Vista, XP and Mac OS X?

Why would I want to volunteer a computer on my system as a server?
How do I go about doing it?

How do I set up PlunkIt! to operate over multiple LANs using the Internet?

How do I add custom sounds to PlunkIt!?

What is Bonjour and how can I enable it for user discovery?

Q: How much does PlunkIt! cost? How can I purchase copies or add more copies to my existing network?

A: PlunkIt! is sold on a per-user basis with volume discounts as you increase your purchase quantity. (current pricing)

When you first install PlunkIt! it will run in full working demo mode for 45 days. Once you purchase PlunkIt! and receive your registration code via e-mail, you simply enter that code directly into PlunkIt! (use the "Enter Registration Code" option in the Help menu). Note that you only need to enter in this code on one computer and PlunkIt! will take care of informing all the other PlunkIt! users that they are now fully registered!

You can purchase more licenses at any time to increase the number of PlunkIt! users on your network. Just make sure you are connected to the Internet, go to the About Box or the Help menu and choose "Purchase Additional Users" and buy the number of extra users you want right from our Web Site. We will send you a new registration code for you to enter just as above.

Q: Why can't I see all the other users on the network?

A: There are a number of possible reasons:

All users on your network need to have the same port listed in
the Networking tab of the Preferences Window. We recommend port number 3548. You can check which port PlunkIt! is
using by choosing the Networking tab in the PlunkIt! Preferences Window and looking at "Listen for connections on port".
If you are configuring your network TCP/IP settings manually you need to make sure that the Subnet Mask is exactly the same for all the computers on your network. Sometimes people mistakenly enter in both 255.255.0.0 and 255.255.255.0 at the same time. This won't work!
If your computer is protected by a firewall you need to add the PlunkIt! port number (3548) to the firewall's list of allowed ports (both for TCP and UDP packets). Windows Vista, XP and Mac OS X have built-in firewalls. Additionally many wireless routers (including Airport) may act as firewalls. OS X users can check this in the Sharing panel of System Preferences. Windows XP users, open Network Connections, located in the Network and Internet Connections Control Panel. Choose "Change settings of this connection" for the desired network. On the Advanced tab, note whether "Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet." is checked. If it is, make sure to add a Service for PlunkIt! by clicking on Settings. Also make sure any third party firewalls are configured properly.

Q: Can PlunkIt! take advantage of fast user switching offered by Windows Vista, XP and Mac OS X?

A: With fast user switching, multiple users are logged on to the same computer simultaneously. It is not possible at this time for multiple users of PlunkIt! to be logged on to the same computer. When you switch users and would like to access PlunkIt!, you'll need to log out of the previous user first.

Q: Why would I want to volunteer a computer on my system as a server?
How do I go about doing it?

A: All networks can volunteer one computer as a server and we recommend it for networks with more than 5 users. Please choose a computer which will be on all of the time that your PlunkIt! network is in use. Open up the Preferences Window and choose the Networking tab. Select "Volunteer this computer as a server" and close this window with OK. Note that only one computer per LAN should be volunteered as a server.

Q: How do I set up PlunkIt! to operate over multiple LANs using the Internet?

A: Here are 10 easy steps to networking remote LANs. Suppose you have two LANs, home and office. Let's start with your office LAN:

1)	Choose one computer to be a server, let's call it officeServer. Open PlunkIt! on officeServer and on the Networking tab in the Preferences window, select "Volunteer this computer as a server."
2)	Identify the internal IP address of officeServer by looking on the Users tab of the Preferences window.
3)	On your office LAN, configure the router to allow traffic on port 3548 to go to officeServer's IP address, found in step 2.
4)	Identify the external or WAN IP address of your office LAN, most likely by using your router's setup utility. Save that number, because you'll need to bring it home.
Now we go to the home LAN:
5)	Choose one computer to be a server, let's call it homeServer. On the Networking tab in the Preferences window, select "Volunteer this computer as a server."
6)	Identify the internal IP address of homeServer by looking on the Users tab of the Preferences window.
7)	On your home LAN, configure the router to allow traffic on port 3548 to go to homeServer's IP address, found in step 6.
8)	Identify the external or WAN IP address of your home LAN , most likely by using your router's setup utility. Save that number, because you'll need to bring it back to the office!
Now we tie the two networks together! At home:
9)	Open PlunkIt! on homeServer and open the Networking tab in the Preferences window. Select "TCP/IP scanning" and click on "Edit Scan List." Click on "New" in the TCP/IP Scanning Addresses window and enter the external IP address of your office LAN which you found in step 4. Hit OK to close the TCP/IP Scanning Addresses window and again to close the Preferences window.
At the office:
10)	Open PlunkIt! on officeServer and open the Networking tab in the Preferences window. Select "TCP/IP scanning" and click on "Edit Scan List." Click on "New" in the TCP/IP Scanning Addresses window and enter the external IP address of your office LAN which you found in step 4. Hit OK to close the TCP/IP Scanning Addresses window and again to close the Preferences window.

Please note that while PlunkIt! will pass around registration information on your office LAN, for security reasons, it will not do so for remote LANs. That means that the registration information will need to be entered on one computer on each LAN which you are trying to connect.

Q: How do I add custom sounds to PlunkIt!?

A: You can easily add custom sounds to our software. With PlunkIt! not
running, locate the following folder:

Windows Vista	C:/Users/<user name>/AppData/Roaming/PlunkIt!/Data
Windows XP & 2000	C:/Documents and Settings/<user name>/Application Data/PlunkIt!/Data
OS X	Mac HD/Users/<user name>/Library/PlunkIt!/Data

Create a folder in the Data folder and name it "Sounds". Place the sound files you'd like to use within PlunkIt! in this new Sounds folder. On a Mac (or a Windows computer with QuickTime installed) the sound files can be in a large variety of formats, .aif, .mov, .wav etc. If you don't have QuickTime installed, the sound files should be in the .wav format. Launch PlunkIt! and open the Preferences window. All sound lists will now include your choices for your custom sounds.

Q: What is Bonjour and how can I enable it for user discovery?

A: Bonjour is a networking tool used by PlunkIt! to find the other computers on your local network which are also running PlunkIt!. Bonjour must be manually installed on Windows Vista, XP and 2000. When you run the PlunkIt! installer on Windows, you are given the option to run the Bonjour installer. If you would like to install Bonjour at a later time, you can download the Bonjour installer from the Apple website. Mac OS X users do not need to manually install Bonjour.