Instructions Change System Manager in Program FRN
Due to the recent decision to change the connection of the Hellas-FRN server from the Primary System Administrator to Alternate for reasons already published, it is necessary to reset the FRN user program in order to be able to access the network.
There are two ways for someone to act:
1. To download the program recommended by the Alternative System Administrator in Java format and fill in his details, so he can then request a code and connect to the global FRN network. Then make registration on the site hellas-frn.net so that, since he is a radio amateur, he can be given access to the Greek server.
2. To appropriately modify the program of the Initial System Manager used until now, choosing one of the following two ways:
First way is to add two lines to the FRN Client.ini file located at This PC> Main Disk (C:) > Program Files (x86) > FreeRadioNetwork > FRNClient. You will open it with notepad, make the addition and save it in the same place in the program. The text of the two lines is as follows:
Second way is to use the FRN_Switch application, which once installed and running on your computer, does the same recording as the first way without you searching and writing to a file.
IMPORTANT: The initial FRN Client program will must be closed BEFORE you modify the FRN .ini with the FRN_Switch program, otherwise that modification will not be saved permanently, because the original FRN Client program always saves the current view of the FRN ini file from working memory to the drive at the end every program! This means that changes made in parallel via FRN_Switch are lost again... The modifications are read and accepted by the FRN program. Client only if you observe the execution sequence of the program.
The compressed fileFRN_Switch_Setup.zip you get it from HERE.
You unzip it and inside the resulting folder you find the executable file with the same name. There is no security issue for viruses. Install where the program suggests and as shown in the following photos:
Here it should be known something that has been left unexplained and essentially becomes a mistake.
In the above way and having let the program have installed the files automatically, basically when you run the same program multiple times on the same computer with different accounts, then the FRN Client .ini files are not all installed in the usual place in program files (Program Files X86) as shown above, but also in LOCAL APPDATA which will be difficult for you to find, because they belong to the hidden files and need a special search. This is done on newer Win10/11 operating systems.
That is, you will also have a secondary .ini file that you did not know existed and you can find it if you search on the way C:\Users\"your user name"\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\ProgramFiles(X86)\FreeRadioNetwork\FRN Client\Secondary.ini
The best way to avoid such hassle is to have FRN Client installed directly to the hard disk e.g. to have the path: C:\FRN\FRNClient
Upon completion of the above actions and having chosen to run the FRN_Switch program you will have this image.
NOTE: If you do NOT have it and you see an error message it is because you are missing some DLL files which cannot be executed. This is due to lack of the required "VC++ Redistributable Packages" on the Windows in question you are using.
To solve the issue go to the FRN_Switch installation folder and find the files named vcredist. You install and the problem is fixed.
File path
C:\Program Files (x86)\FreeRadioNetwork DE\FRN_Switch
Then notice that you have an option for FRNClient and FRNServer.
Select FRNClient and press Search FRN Ini Files at the top right.
As you understand its purpose is to search and present the .ini FRN files you already have on your computer.
The search result will be presented to you as in the images. Normally it will have one entry for you (the first one) and is usually what it finds in the programs folder.
If "Deep Search" is not selected, the program prefers to search the drive paths specified by certain system environment variables and are the relative standard paths where FRN Client Ini files can be found.
Instead, the Deep Search option is intended, for example, for FRN users who have not saved the original FRN client in their standard program paths. With "Deep Search", the selected drive can be FULLY searched for FRN ini files.
Here in the example the search was initially done without the deep search and presented only the first line. Then deep search was selected and searched again and presented two records because it looked at the same time in other places (hidden) of the C drive and found a secondary .ini file.
Notice that it has the files checked as belonging to Old FRN EU. (Original System Manager).
Click right on New FRN DE (Alternate System Manager) so that the options are transferred, as shown in the second image.
Double check that no FRN programs are running and press Save to save the changes.
After that, the program has gone and made entries in the .ini files so that they now work with the Alternative System Manager.
More details from the creator of the FRN_Switch program HERE
Select the reading language at the top of the page.
Run the client program and tap the magnifying glass at the top.
If everything is done correctly you will see all the servers that are connected in the Alternative System Manager. Notice that the hellas-frn.ddns.net server is listed in this list and the backup server hellasfrn.ddns.net below it.
In this state of the program if you request a code the request will be sent to Alternative now System Manager and from you will receive the code by email. If you had a code before May 1, 2023 and you request again, you will most likely get the same one again, since the Alternate System Manager kept the same database as the Original.
Press login and use FRN as before.
Welcome back to our team!....
