Connect Provisioning

Thirdlane Connect is available as a web app, an Electron desktop application, and a Cordova mobile app. This page describes how to provision each client and configure it to connect to your Thirdlane PBX server.

Web Client

The web client requires no installation. Users navigate to the PBX hostname in a supported browser.

Default URL: https://<your-pbx-hostname>/connect/app/

Requirements

• Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari (latest two major versions)
• WebRTC and WebSocket support (all modern browsers)
• HTTPS with a valid certificate (self-signed certificates cause audio failures in Chrome/Firefox)

User Distribution

Share the URL with your users. No configuration is required on the user side — the web client reads its server URL directly from window.location.

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Desktop Client (Electron)

The desktop client is a packaged Electron application. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux and includes full system integration (system tray, notifications, screen sharing, native audio).

First-Time Setup

When a user opens the desktop app for the first time they are prompted to enter the Server URL (the PBX hostname, e.g. pbx.example.com). This is stored in local settings and pre-filled on subsequent launches.

Distribution

Provide users with the installer appropriate for their operating system:

Platform	Installer
Windows	.exe installer or .msi MSI package
macOS	.dmg disk image (Intel and Apple Silicon universal build)
Linux	.AppImage or .deb package

Installers are available from the PBX under System > Downloads (if the download service is configured) or can be distributed via your own file server.

MDM / Mass Deployment (Windows)

Use Group Policy or an MDM tool (Intune, Jamf, etc.) to pre-configure the server URL so users do not need to enter it:

1. Push a registry key (Windows) or a localSettings.json file (macOS/Linux) containing the server URL before the first launch.
2. The app reads server_url from local settings on startup and skips the server prompt.

Windows registry key:

HKCU\Software\ThirdlaneConnect\server_url = "pbx.example.com"

localSettings.json (macOS/Linux, placed in the app’s user-data directory):

{
  "server_url": "pbx.example.com"
}

Auto-Update

The desktop app checks for updates on launch via the PBX update server. Ensure port 443 outbound is open from desktop clients to the PBX.

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Mobile Client (iOS / Android)

The mobile client is a Cordova/Ionic application available through enterprise distribution (not on public app stores).

Configuration via QR Code

The easiest way to provision mobile clients is with a QR code. Generate a QR code containing the server URL (e.g. thirdlaneconnect://pbx.example.com) and distribute it to users. When they scan it with the Connect app, the server URL is automatically configured.

QR code content format:

thirdlaneconnect://<server-hostname>

Include this link/QR on your onboarding documentation or post it in a company channel.

MDM / EMM Distribution (iOS / Android)

For managed devices, push the app via an EMM platform (VMware Workspace ONE, Microsoft Intune, Jamf Now, etc.) with managed app configuration:

Managed app configuration keys:

Key	Type	Example
server_url	String	pbx.example.com
auto_login	Boolean	false

The app reads these keys on first launch and pre-populates the server field.

APK Distribution (Android)

For environments that do not use the Play Store:

1. Enable “Install from unknown sources” in device settings (or push this permission via MDM).
2. Distribute the .apk file via your MDM, an internal app catalog, or a direct download link.

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Whitelabeling

Two tiers of whitelabeling are available:

Basic Customization (Self-Serve)

Available to all customers through the manager UI:

• Connect Branding (see Connect Branding): Custom app name, logo, favicon, and primary color — applied dynamically to the login screen at runtime without rebuilding the app.
• Tenant Branding: Per-tenant logo and color overrides for the manager UI.

This tier requires no access to source code and takes effect immediately after saving.

Deep Customization (OEM / Selected Customers)

For customers who need full rebranding of the installed app (custom app ID, bundle identifier, store listing, all UI text, etc.):

• App name, bundle ID, and store metadata changes require a custom build from source.
• Custom Gulp build (BASE=/custom/app/ gulp) targets a different deploy path and config.
• Desktop: Electron package.json productName, appId, and build section control app identity.
• Mobile: Cordova config.xml id attribute and platform-specific files control bundle ID and display name.
• All string substitution is done at build time via environment variables passed to the Gulp pipeline.

Contact your account team for access to the source build pipeline.