# Broadcast messages on Windows 2003 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805 "2005-10-31T22:10:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/1 "2005-10-31T22:10:29Z")
I’ve been trying to find a way to send a broadcast message to everyone in a Windows Server 2003 domain. As far as I can tell there is no built-in utility that can do this. I miss the feature from Novell 5 which let me broadcast a simple message to all network users (such as the server is shutting down). Anyone know an easy way to do this with server 2003? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/2 "2005-10-31T22:22:43Z")
“NET SEND” at a command line. Note that a lot of folks will have the receiving software (Windows Messenger Service, not to be confused with the IM client of a similar name) turned off because a lot of spam used to be delivered this way. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/3 "2005-11-01T14:45:39Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > “NET SEND” at a command line. > > Note that a lot of folks will have the receiving software (Windows Messenger Service, not to be confused with the IM client of a similar name) turned off because a lot of spam used to be delivered this way. Thank you for the tip, I forgot all about that command. I tried it this morning but no dice. I am guessing that one of the may Windows updates hosed the messenger service since I can’t seem to locate it on any of my updated PCs. The entry in the services area no longer appears in the list. Is there any other way to do this function? Thanks again for the assist. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/4 "2005-11-01T14:49:35Z")
Our IT staff uses email. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/5 "2005-11-01T15:18:50Z")
> [@unwashed brain](#): > > Our IT staff uses email. Email won’t work in this case. We’re trying to keep people from entering orders after the month has closed. The time can change depending on volume and people are not always at their desks when announcements are made over the PA. Ideally I was hoping to find something that would prevent them from working until they acknowledge the message but I’d settle for a pop-up that would do the job. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/6 "2005-11-01T15:30:10Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > Email won’t work in this case. We’re trying to keep people from entering orders after the month has closed. The time can change depending on volume and people are not always at their desks when announcements are made over the PA. Ideally I was hoping to find something that would prevent them from working until they acknowledge the message but I’d settle for a pop-up that would do the job. Looks like it’s going to be sticky notes on the monitor, either that or take the back end dataabase offline, so they _can’t_ enter orders. Or you could install some kind of third-party (or even bespoke) messaging client on all of the machines ---
**Author:** ![MyNameIsEarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@MyNameIsEarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyNameIsEarl)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/7 "2005-11-01T18:47:40Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > Thank you for the tip, I forgot all about that command. I tried it this morning but no dice. I am guessing that one of the may Windows updates hosed the messenger service since I can’t seem to locate it on any of my updated PCs. The entry in the services area no longer appears in the list. > > Is there any other way to do this function? Thanks again for the assist. Are you usre you’re looking in the right place? It’s listed as “Messenger” in services.msc, not “Windows Messenger”. If you have a domain, it would be super-easy to enable and start the Messenger service via login script on the domain boxes. Also, don’t forget the NET SEND syntax: you’ve got those /DOMAIN and /USERS switches to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/8 "2005-11-01T19:51:41Z")
> [@MyNameIsEarl](#): > > Are you usre you’re looking in the right place? It’s listed as “Messenger” in services.msc, not “Windows Messenger”. > > If you have a domain, it would be super-easy to enable and start the Messenger service via login script on the domain boxes. Also, don’t forget the NET SEND syntax: you’ve got those /DOMAIN and /USERS switches to deal with. hmm, now that’s weird. I have been using MSCONFIG to get to the startup services and it does not appear there. However, when I just run services.msc from the Run menu I can see it there. Could you give me an example of how I might script the activation of the service? Or would this be better suited to Group Policy? I’m pretty sure I remember reading that there is a policy that can enable messenger by default. Thanks to everyone for the tips, it has been very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/9 "2005-11-01T20:02:14Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > Or would this be better suited to Group Policy? I’m pretty sure I remember reading that there is a policy that can enable messenger by default. My mistake, the policy template exists to disable it but not enable it on startup. If this could be done via a logon script I would very much appreciate an example as scripting is not my strong suit. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/10 "2005-11-02T01:19:47Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > My mistake, the policy template exists to disable it but not enable it on startup. If this could be done via a logon script I would very much appreciate an example as scripting is not my strong suit. You can set the Messenger service’s Startup Type to Automatic under **Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\System Services**. Note that this node is only available in GPOs applied to sites, domains, or OUs; it does not appear in the editor for an individual computer’s local policy. ---
**Author:** ![MyNameIsEarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@MyNameIsEarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyNameIsEarl)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/11 "2005-11-02T05:17:23Z")
> [@Bongmaster](#): > > My mistake, the policy template exists to disable it but not enable it on startup. If this could be done via a logon script I would very much appreciate an example as scripting is not my strong suit. Well, login scripts are stored on the server (\domaincontroller\SYSVOL\domain.local\scripts\script.bat is the default location) but run on local machines at startup, so you can use add the line **NET START MESSENGER** Of course, this only works if the Messenger service is NOT set to “disabled” on the workstations. If is you add the following line to the login script: **SC CONFIG MESSENGER START=auto** Here’s a complete example of a login script that will set the Messenger service to AUTO and start the service on the client machines: @echo off cls sc config servicename start= auto net start servicename exit If you need any help with login scripts, let me know. Also, remember that Group Policy trumps login scripts, so if you have Messenger disabled in Group Policy, the login script won’t work. The Messenger service uses UDP ports 135, 137, and 138 and TCP ports 135, 139, and 445, so make sure those ports are closed on your firewall (they should be by default). ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broadcast-messages-on-windows-2003/328805/12 "2005-11-02T15:50:16Z")
Wow, you guys are awesome. Thanks so much for the assistance. I’ll try the group policy first, failing that I’ll use the login script. Thanks again for everyone’s help!