Many companies avoid exposing certain machines to the Internet to reduce security risks, requiring offline methods for product activation and operations. This is a common practice today.
Imagine a scenario where you are using offline installations of Windows 10 and Windows 11 and you want to monitor them using SNMP. Before monitoring, you need to install SNMP.
If you try to execute a standard PowerShell command for the SNMP installation, as shown in the screenshot below, you will encounter an error.
Installing SNMP on the offline machine is slightly different from Windows 10 and Windows 11 connected to the internet.
I will show you how to install SNMP on offline Windows 10 using the FOD (Features on Demand) package. The same procedure applies to Windows 11.
Step 1: Download the Features on Demand ISO file
Since Windows 10 doesn’t have internet access, you’ll need to download the SNMP feature manually. Microsoft provides the Features on Demand (FOD) ISO file, which includes the SNMP client.
To download the FOD, you must have access to either MSDN or VLSC. If you don’t have access to MSDN or VLSC, drop me a comment or email, and I will share it with you.
Download the ISO file on a machine with Internet access, then transfer it to the offline Windows 10 machine.
Once the file is downloaded, mount it on your Windows 10 machine by right-clicking on the file and selecting Mount.
Step 2: Install SNMP client
Login to the offline Windows 10 machine, open File Explorer and navigate to the drive.
- Run PowerShell as administrator.
- Enter the following PowerShell command to run the FOD component for SNMP:
Dism /online /add-package /packagepath:"D:\Microsoft-Windows-SNMP-Client-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~.cab"
- Run the following command to install the SNMP client:
Dism /online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:"SNMP.Client~~~~0.0.1.0"
Now, if you open the Services applet (services.msc), you will see that the SNMP Service is running, which wasn’t the case before.
Step 3: Configure SNMP
Since SNMP is installed, it’s time to configure it. If you close the Services applet (services.msc), open it again to continue.
- Navigate to SNMP Service, right click on it, and then click Properties.
- Click on the Security tab to configure the community string and ACL.
- Click on Add… under Community to create a community string. In my case, the community string is called prtg.
- Select Accept SNMP packets from these hosts and click Add… to add the IP of your NMS (Network Monitoring Solution). In my case, the IP is 192.168.88.245 which is my PRTG Core Server. This means the Windows machine will only accept SNMP communication coming and going to my NMS.
- Click Apply and OK and you are done.
That’s it! Enjoy monitoring!
…and feel free to share your comments.
Torsten
September 20, 2024 at 22:15
Hi Jasmin, thanks for this comprehensive and to the point post. Please be so kind to share the FOD iso file with me 😉
Thanks,
T.
Jasmin Kahriman
September 24, 2024 at 22:44
Hi Thorsten,
You can download it here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AmECqrPYoOkxj64fDm7HJTUgUCHGrw?e=hw497k
The link is available for the next 72 hours and will expire afterward.
Best regards
Jasmin
venkata sai
September 24, 2024 at 06:54
please send FOD package
Jasmin Kahriman
September 24, 2024 at 22:45
Hi Venkata Sai,
You can download it here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AmECqrPYoOkxj64fDm7HJTUgUCHGrw?e=hw497k
The link is available for the next 72 hours and will expire afterward.
Best regards
Jasmin
Torsten
September 30, 2024 at 08:52
Dear Jasmin, can you please send the link again, I missed the 72h exipiration….
Thanks,
T.
Jasmin Kahriman
October 2, 2024 at 06:50
Here it is: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AmECqrPYoOkxj64fDm7HJTUgUCHGrw?e=BaNCVU