Install the LENA Hub cloud processing software

Follow these steps for first-time installation of LENA Hub so that you can prepare and process LENA devices.

For the installation you will need:

  • A computer that meets or exceeds the LENA Hub Computer specs found on your System Requirements document
  • A fast internet connection for downloading the installer
  • Windows account permission to install software on this computer (IT support may be required)
  • Time - the time required to download the installer will vary according to your internet speed and may take 30 minutes or longer on slower connections. The time required to run the installer is typically about 5 minutes.

1. Choose a computer for LENA device processing.

How to choose your LENA Hub computer...

Choose a computer that:

An internet connection is required for all steps of processing. If your internet connection is slow or if you'll need to interrupt the connection by transporting the Hub from site to site for processing, be sure to check out the settings options at the end of this article.  

Questions? Contact LENA Support (see sidebar).

You can install LENA Hub on more than one computer - just repeat these instructions on each computer you've designated for device processing.

2. Download the installer on the computer you will use for device processing.

Click here to download the installer. (The download will begin as soon as you click, so be sure you're on the processing computer.)

3. Open and run the installer.

Click here for details and troubleshooting.
  1. Click on the fully downloaded installer in the lower left of your Chrome window.
  2. Click through the setup wizard, agreeing to any prompts asking for confirmation or permission to install the program.
  3. Close the installer when complete.
Help! I don't see the installer at the bottom of the screen.

If you're using Microsoft Edge, you'll find downloaded files in the upper right. (But remember to use Chrome for LENA Online tasks.)

If your using Chrome, open the Chrome menu (3 dots in the upper right) and select the file.

You can also simply check your Downloads folder for the installer - "LENAHub.msi". Right click and choose Install.

Help! I opened the installer, but nothing is happening.

The initial steps of installation are slow, but if your installation seems to be stuck with no progress bar for more than 2-3 minutes, look down on taskbar to see if administrator action is required.

If you see a blinking icon similar to this on your taskbar, click it. Your computer is requesting administrator approval to install.

Help! Download blocked

Microsoft Edge often blocks this uncommon download. LENA Hub is safe.

Hover on the message, click the 3 dots that appear, and then select Keep.

(If you're seeing this, Chrome may not be your default internet browser. Remember to use Chrome for LENA Online tasks.)

LENA Family Hub - Work - Microsoft​ Edge
Help! Microsoft Defender SmartScreen says this app might harm my device

When accessing the downloaded installer through Microsoft Edge, SmartScreen warns you out of an abundance of caution. LENA Hub isn't a popular app that gets downloaded 1000 times a day, but it is safe.

Click Show more, and choose Keep anyway.

(If you're seeing this, Chrome may not be your default internet browser. Remember to use Chrome for LENA Online tasks.)

LENA Family Hub and 1 more page - Work - Microsoft​ Edge
Help! "Windows protected your PC" message

Click More info, then click Run anyway.

(If you're seeing this, Chrome may not be your default internet browser. Remember to use Chrome for LENA Online tasks.)

LENA Family Hub and 1 more page - Work - Microsoft​ Edge
Help! It's asking for a password, and mine doesn't work.

If a User Account Control window similar to this requests a username and password, and your own Windows login does not work, please contact your IT support for help completing the installation.

UAC
Run Hub installer

4. Set the computer to never sleep.

Do NOT skip this step. Click here to learn why and how to prevent automatic sleeping.

Why?

If your computer sleeps while working on your LENA files, Hub will stop making progress and your reports will be delayed. The solution: change your computer's power settings so that it does not automatically sleep. You can still manually tell it to sleep...when you're not working on LENA files!

How?

  1. Right-click the Windows start button.
  2. Choose Power Options from the list.  
  3. In Power & sleep settings, click the dropdown arrow to scroll through the options to select Never.

A laptop will give you options for when you are "on battery power" and for "when plugged in." Your Hub computer should always be plugged in during device processing, so that's the most important setting. Also, the Screen settings don't matter - it's fine if your screen turns off.

5. Disable Autoplay (optional but recommended)..

Why and how to disable Autoplay

Turn off Autoplay for removable drives so that your computer won't open a File Explorer window every time you connect a recorder.

6. Open LENA Hub.

Click here for instructions and troubleshooting.

After installation, open Hub the same way as other Windows programs (icon on desktop or in Windows start menu).

Then log in with your LENA Online username and password.

Occasionally one of these problems will occur the first time you run Hub - click the link for help:

Open LENA Hub

7. Customize Hub settings.

If one or more of the following applies to your use of LENA Hub, click to see recommended settings.

Hub is in the location where I plan to transfer devices, and the Internet Status icon is yellow.

Yellow means Hub has detected that your internet is too slow for cloud processing. However, sometimes Hub's internet reading is wrong, so before making any changes try an independent internet upload speed test, such as the one at speedtest.net. 

If your system prevents any speed tests at all, then you can also decide what to do based on your first transfer and upload of one "Memory Full" device. Use these guidelines:

  • All data from the device uploads in under 20 minutes = no special settings needed 
  • All data uploads in 20-30 minutes = consider changing settings as described 
  • All data takes longer than 30 minutes =  change your settings as described
  • Upload fails = change your settings as described, and contact LENA support if problems persist

If the best available Ethernet or Wi-fi connection doesn't meet the 2 Mbps minimum upload speed, you have two options:

Option 1: Set the Hub to process LENA files on the hard drive and send only the small results file to the cloud. This is called local processing. This is the only option if:

  • You never have access to high speed internet on this computer.

OR

Option 2: Set the Hub to hold transferred files until you can situate the computer in a location with fast internet. This is called deferred uploading. It is a great option if:

  • Hub is on a laptop that goes from place to place, and
  • Hub laptop frequently returns to a location with fast internet - for example, each evening it comes back to a central office, main library, etc. You'll just need to open Hub and click a button to make it upload the files when you're connected to fast internet.
My only high speed internet option is a cellular hotspot or Mifi device.

A hotspot or Mifi device is fine for transferring devices, but to actually upload the recordings can use up a LOT of data (each file is 1/2 GB!) and it may simply fail toward the end of your billing cycle. If you have not access to high speed internet via Ethernet or wifi, it's usually better to set the Hub to process LENA files on the hard drive. This is called local processing.

My Hub computer is a traveling laptop and there isn't enough time at each off-site visit to handle all of the transferred files.

If you find that transferred files can't finish uploading within the allotted time at your off-site location, then set the Hub to hold transferred files. This is called deferred uploading. As soon you can leave the laptop sitting in one place long enough to handle all the files, you'll open Hub and click a button to kick off uploading. Note that this works for standard cloud processing or for local processing (if you don't have high speed internet).

Additional notes:

IMPORTANT: If you have old-style recorders, you must also install a driver for these recorders, or the Hub will not be able to update the on-board clock. Old-style recorders are identifiable by:

  • buttons on the front face
  • serial numbers <20000
  • ship dates prior to March 2017