Connecting PCs to IZI

Connecting PCs to IZI

For a PC to appear in CRM as a managed device, you install the IZI client on it, pair it with a unique identifier (UUID), and assign it to a zone. After that, staff see the machine in the hall, can start sessions, and control it remotely.

The first PC is set up manually and becomes the reference image — every other machine in the hall deploys from it via IZI Boot (the server-side disk-image delivery system). This keeps the entire floor consistent: same Steam library, same desktop, same browser bookmarks everywhere.

The full path from bare hardware to first session has three phases: register the device in CRM, install the IZI client, and prepare the disk image. A small club under 20 machines takes one working day with a ready image, and a few days if you’re building from scratch.

What you need

• An active IZI account with at least one zone configured. If zones aren’t set up yet — start with zone setup.
• PCs running Windows 10 or 11. Consoles and VR stations are added as Custom devices.
• Stable local network: all PCs in the same network segment for Wake-on-LAN and client sync to work correctly.
• BIOS access on each PC — needed to enable network boot and Wake-on-LAN.
• The IZI installer — downloaded from Settings → Devices in CRM.

Steps

Step 1. Register the device in CRM

Open Settings → Devices in the CRM sidebar. Click Add Device and fill in:

• Device name — something the staff will recognise in the hall. Numbering by row works well: “PC-01”, “PC-02”, or by zone “VIP-01”.
• Device type — select PC for computers, or Custom for consoles, VR, and other non-standard equipment.
• Zone — assign to one of your configured zones. The zone determines which tariffs apply to this machine.

After saving, the system generates a UUID — the device’s unique code. Copy it: you’ll need it when installing the IZI client on the physical machine.

The device card also has two toggles:

• Auto-update client — enables automatic IZI client updates without manual intervention.
• Wake-on-LAN — enables remote PC power-on from CRM. Also requires WoL enabled in BIOS and a wired Ethernet connection.

Step 2. Install the IZI client on the physical PC

On the first computer (this will become your reference machine):

1. Download the IZI installer from the device card in CRM.
2. Run it as Windows administrator and follow the setup wizard — keep the default installation path.
3. When prompted, enter the UUID from the previous step.
4. Wait 30–60 seconds — the machine appears in Settings → Devices with status Active and shows up in the hall view.

If the PC doesn’t appear — restart the IZI client and check that the machine is on the same network as your internet router.

Step 3. Build the reference disk image

The reference image is a snapshot of the first PC when it’s fully ready: games installed, Steam and Discord configured, browser bookmarks set, desktop wallpaper in place.

Before capturing the image:

• Install all required games and apps.
• Configure the desktop exactly as guests will see it.
• Confirm the IZI client launches automatically at Windows startup.
• Remove all personal data, browser cache, and temp files.

When the first PC is ready, capture the disk image via IZI Boot. Detailed steps for image creation, network boot configuration, and deployment are in a separate guide: Configuring IZI Boot and the disk image.

Step 4. Deploy the image to additional PCs

Once the image is ready, every subsequent machine in the hall is faster to connect:

1. Register the device in CRM (Step 1) — get a new UUID.
2. Boot the PC from the network via IZI Boot — the image deploys automatically.
3. On first launch, the IZI client asks for the UUID — enter the code from CRM for this specific machine.
4. The device appears in the hall with status Active.

Repeat for every PC. Names and UUIDs must be unique — don’t copy one device entry across multiple physical machines.

Step 5. Verify

Before opening the hall to guests:

• Open the hall screen in CRM — all added machines should appear as tiles in their zones.
• Run a test session on one PC: click the tile → Start Session → select a tariff → confirm. Verify the timer starts on the PC.
• If Wake-on-LAN is enabled — physically power off one PC and try waking it from CRM.
• Confirm that during an active session the guest screen shows the timer and the desktop is locked until the session ends.

What’s next

• Tariffs and pricing — configure billing rules per zone.
• Adding staff and roles — give admins CRM access with the right permissions.
• Club launch checklist — full list of steps from hardware to opening the first shift.

FAQ