Installing NetworkLink.EU

Download NetworkLink.EU 0.4.0

Choose one package for your operating system and processor. Downloads are hosted on GitHub and do not require a GitHub account.

Download SHA256SUMS-all.txt to check your package’s SHA-256 hash. See the release notes and checksum instructions or the separate third-party source downloads.

Windows installation

Choose the Windows x64 installer (.exe) for an Intel or AMD 64-bit PC, or the Windows x64 portable ZIP to run from an extracted folder.

Install using the EXE

1. Download and open the Windows installer.
2. If Windows displays a SmartScreen warning, follow the instructions below.
3. Allow installation to finish, then open NetworkLink.EU from the Start menu if it does not open automatically.

Run from the portable ZIP

1. Download the Windows ZIP, right-click it in File Explorer and choose Extract All.
2. Open the extracted folder and double-click networklinkeu.exe. Do not run it from inside the ZIP preview.
3. Keep the executable together with all its accompanying files and folders. You can create a shortcut to the executable for convenient access.

The ZIP avoids the installer; the app still saves its working data in your Windows user profile. When replacing a portable release, close the app and extract the new release into a separate folder.

First-run warning: Windows protected your PC

The current Windows packages are not publisher-signed. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen may display Windows protected your PC when you open the installer or app, and may show an unknown publisher.

1. Confirm that you downloaded the file through NetworkLink.EU’s website or the official NetworkLink.EU downloads repository.
2. In the SmartScreen dialog, select More info.
3. Check the file name, then select Run anyway if you want to proceed.

If Run anyway is missing, Smart App Control or your organisation’s security policy may block the app. This procedure cannot override every type of block; on a managed PC, contact your IT administrator. A warning that specifically identifies malware is different from an unrecognised-app warning.

Microsoft guidance: app distribution and SmartScreen warnings and Smart App Control.

macOS installation

Open Apple menu → About This Mac to identify your Mac. If it lists an Apple M-series chip, choose Apple Silicon (ARM64). If it lists an Intel processor, choose Intel (x64).

1. Download the matching macOS ZIP and double-click it in Finder to extract it.
2. Locate NetworkLink.EU.app in the extracted files and drag it into Applications.
3. Open Applications and double-click NetworkLink.EU. Open the app icon itself; you do not need to browse inside its bundle.

First-run warning: developer cannot be verified

The current macOS packages do not have an Apple Developer ID signature or Apple notarisation. macOS may say the developer cannot be verified or Apple cannot check the app for malicious software. The wording varies by macOS version.

If you trust the download from NetworkLink.EU:

1. Try opening the app once, then dismiss the warning without moving the app to the Bin.
2. Open Apple menu → System Settings → Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll to the security section and select Open Anyway beside the message about NetworkLink.EU.
4. Authenticate if asked and confirm with Open.

macOS remembers this exception for that app. If the option is unavailable on a managed Mac, contact your IT administrator. If macOS says the app is damaged or will harm your computer, stop and report the exact message; that is different from the developer-verification warning.

See Apple’s instructions for opening downloaded apps.

Linux ZIP: extract and run

The Linux x64 ZIP lets you run NetworkLink.EU from an extracted folder. Download the ZIP supplied with the release and save it in your Downloads folder. The examples below use version 0.4.0; replace that version with the one you downloaded.

You need an x86-64 Linux desktop and the unzip utility. Node.js, npm and Python are not required to run the app. DEB, RPM and Arch packages handle system dependencies and installation for you; the ZIP requires compatible system libraries to be present already.

1. Extract the complete archive

Open a terminal and run:

cd ~/Downloads
mkdir -p ~/Applications/NetworkLink.EU-0.4.0
unzip NetworkLink.EU-0.4.0-linux-x64.zip -d ~/Applications/NetworkLink.EU-0.4.0
cd ~/Applications/NetworkLink.EU-0.4.0/NetworkLink.EU-linux-x64

Keep all the extracted files together. The executable needs the libraries and resources alongside it. When updating, extract into a fresh folder instead of mixing files from different releases.

2. Make the executable runnable and launch

chmod u+x networklinkeu chrome_crashpad_handler
./networklinkeu

3. Set sandbox helper permissions if required

If the app stops with a message saying the SUID sandbox helper must be owned by root and have mode 4755, run these commands from the same extracted app folder:

sudo chown root:root chrome-sandbox
sudo chmod 4755 chrome-sandbox
./networklinkeu

Administrator privileges are used only to configure chrome-sandbox. Run NetworkLink.EU as your normal user, without sudo. ZIP extraction does not preserve the helper’s required root ownership, so repeat this setup if needed after extracting a replacement release.

Once it launches successfully, you can also open the executable from your file manager if your desktop supports launching executable files. Native packages add an application-menu launcher automatically.

If it still does not start, run ./networklinkeu in the terminal to see the error. Your extraction location must allow executable files and the sandbox helper to run; try the native package for your distribution if local filesystem or sandbox restrictions prevent this.