How to prevent unwanted screen mirroring connections in the classroom with Ditto

Preventing unwanted student connections from school-issued or personal devices to classroom receivers can be a real challenge with the number of devices students have these days. There are several Ditto settings you can use to help prevent unwanted connections and limit how easily students can access classroom room codes:

• Require an on-screen security code
• Hide connection information during signage and screen mirroring
• Using digital signage to hide the room code

Require an on-screen security code

Ditto requires a room code to connect, but you can also require an additional temporary code that appears on the Ditto-enabled display before allowing a device to connect. With the temporary onscreen code enabled, only students who can see the Ditto display will be able to connect their device to it. This prevents any rogue connections from individuals who know the Ditto room code but are not in the class. 

1. Log in to the Ditto Account Portal.
2. Select Receivers.
3. Select the Ditto Receiver you want to secure.
4. Open Settings.
5. Locate the Security setting.
6. Choose one of the following options: 
   1. Onscreen Code — Users must enter the onscreen code displayed on the receiver each time they connect.
   2. One-Time Onscreen Code — Users must enter the onscreen code the first time their device connects to the receiver.
   

1. Click "Save Receiver." 

Requiring an onscreen code can help prevent users who cannot see the classroom display from connecting to the receiver.

Hide connection information during signage and screen mirroring

By default, Ditto shows connection information on the receiver.

If you do not want students to continuously see the room code while signage or screen mirroring is displayed, you can disable Always Show Connection Info for the room.

To change this setting:

1. Log in to the Ditto Account Portal.
2. Select Rooms.
3. Select the room you want to update.
4. Disable Always Show Connection Info.
5. Save your changes.

When this setting is disabled, Ditto connection information will not remain visible while digital signage is displayed or while a device is actively screen mirroring.

Using digital signage to hide the room code

When a Ditto receiver is not being used for screen mirroring or digital signage, the default receiver screen displays the room code and connection instructions.

You can show digital signage instead and disable Always Show Connection Info so the room code is not visible on the display. Having signage enabled and hiding connection information would prevent students from ever seeing or knowing the Ditto room code. Anyone who knows the room code, such as the teacher, would still be able to mirror to the display even when the room code is hidden as long as mirroring remains enabled on the receiver. 

To set this up:

1. Create or select digital signage content in the Ditto Account Portal.
2. Assign the signage to the desired room.
3. Make sure Always Show Connection Info is disabled for that room.

When signage is displayed with Always Show Connection Info disabled, the signage fills the display without showing the Ditto room code or connection instructions. See the image below.

This is useful for classrooms where you want the display to show announcements, schedules, school information or other content instead of continuously displaying connection instructions.

If Always Show Connection Info is enabled, the room code and connection instructions remain visible over the digital signage. See the image below.