Discussion:
Getting started
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alvin
2006-02-07 16:49:36 UTC
Permalink
Please help. I bought my webcam and I have netmeeting on my desktop. I want
to make my first call and I have some basic questions. How do i make my first
call?
I typed in an email address and it came up that they could not find the
person. Does the person I call for the video conference have to be using
netmeeting as well? Do they have to register on the directory?
How will the person know that i am trying to have a conf call with them. Do
I call them on the phone first to let them know to go on their computer?
Please excuse the basic questions.
Brian Sullivan
2006-02-07 17:27:05 UTC
Permalink
Post by alvin
Please help. I bought my webcam and I have netmeeting on my desktop. I want
to make my first call and I have some basic questions. How do i make my first
call?
I typed in an email address and it came up that they could not find the
person.
The email as calling address only works in very special circumstances -- in
this case is not likely valid.
Post by alvin
Does the person I call for the video conference have to be using
netmeeting as well?
Yes.
Post by alvin
Do they have to register on the directory?
There is no single "directory". Microsoft has not run ILS service since
1999.

One way to initiate a call is to use an ILS server, the callee logins to
the ILS server, the caller searches for the callee(by email address) and
initiates the call using the directory/ILS server.

The more common way of initiating the call these days is to call using the
IP address of the callee as the calling address.

Generally:

1) the callee starts NetMeeting and determines their IP address using help,
about of NetMeeting
2) the callee communicates the IP address to the caller (using email or
instant message or ...)
3) the callee waits with NetMeeting running
4) the caller calls using the supplied IP address as the calling address
(all this assumes neither party is behind a NAT router or firewall and if
running a software firewall has it correctly configured)
5) the callee gets a pop informing that a call is incoming, and answers the
call
6) call is connected and begins
Post by alvin
How will the person know that i am trying to have a conf call with them.
See above.
Post by alvin
I call them on the phone first to let them know to go on their computer?
How you determine that they are ready to be called varies. Calling them
first by telephone seems a bit counter productive but I guess would work.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
alvin
2006-02-07 17:37:29 UTC
Permalink
Again, excuse my computer ignorance. What is the IP address? How can get my
IP address?
Post by Brian Sullivan
Post by alvin
Please help. I bought my webcam and I have netmeeting on my desktop. I want
to make my first call and I have some basic questions. How do i make my first
call?
I typed in an email address and it came up that they could not find the
person.
The email as calling address only works in very special circumstances -- in
this case is not likely valid.
Post by alvin
Does the person I call for the video conference have to be using
netmeeting as well?
Yes.
Post by alvin
Do they have to register on the directory?
There is no single "directory". Microsoft has not run ILS service since
1999.
One way to initiate a call is to use an ILS server, the callee logins to
the ILS server, the caller searches for the callee(by email address) and
initiates the call using the directory/ILS server.
The more common way of initiating the call these days is to call using the
IP address of the callee as the calling address.
1) the callee starts NetMeeting and determines their IP address using help,
about of NetMeeting
2) the callee communicates the IP address to the caller (using email or
instant message or ...)
3) the callee waits with NetMeeting running
4) the caller calls using the supplied IP address as the calling address
(all this assumes neither party is behind a NAT router or firewall and if
running a software firewall has it correctly configured)
5) the callee gets a pop informing that a call is incoming, and answers the
call
6) call is connected and begins
Post by alvin
How will the person know that i am trying to have a conf call with them.
See above.
Post by alvin
I call them on the phone first to let them know to go on their computer?
How you determine that they are ready to be called varies. Calling them
first by telephone seems a bit counter productive but I guess would work.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
Brian Sullivan
2006-02-07 18:01:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by alvin
Again, excuse my computer ignorance. What is the IP address? How can get my
IP address?
Your IP address is a unique identifier for your computer on the internet
(it is represented as a "quartet" of numbers between 0 and 255 separated by
dots -72.136.60.177 is my current IP address)

The help -> about menu item of NetMeeting displays your IP address(es -- it
is possible to have more than one) in the lower left corner of its display.

Depending on your situation you could have a permanent "public" IP address
(it could change on every connection or use, it could change anywhere from
seldom to frequently) or it could be a "private" IP address like
192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172,16-31,.x.x (which would make you uncallable).
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
alvin
2006-02-07 18:19:27 UTC
Permalink
You've been helpful. Do you have to be online in order to video conference?
Post by Brian Sullivan
Post by alvin
Again, excuse my computer ignorance. What is the IP address? How can get my
IP address?
Your IP address is a unique identifier for your computer on the internet
(it is represented as a "quartet" of numbers between 0 and 255 separated by
dots -72.136.60.177 is my current IP address)
The help -> about menu item of NetMeeting displays your IP address(es -- it
is possible to have more than one) in the lower left corner of its display.
Depending on your situation you could have a permanent "public" IP address
(it could change on every connection or use, it could change anywhere from
seldom to frequently) or it could be a "private" IP address like
192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172,16-31,.x.x (which would make you uncallable).
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
Brian Sullivan
2006-02-07 18:45:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by alvin
You've been helpful. Do you have to be online in order to video conference?
I am not sure what you are asking -- NetMeeting depends on connection to an
IP network for function -- generally that means the internet(or
"intranet").

It is possible to "fake" it by using telephone based modems and making a
direct telephone call from one computer modem to another and connect that
way -- but that is essentially creating a two computer IP network.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
alvin
2006-02-07 18:56:28 UTC
Permalink
The reason being, I share my phone line with the computer. If I had my
computer on all day, it would be easy to see if someone is trying to
conference me. So I would have to be online all day as well in order to
accomplish this? If I am not online, there is no way to know if someone is
trying to video conference me?
Post by Brian Sullivan
Post by alvin
You've been helpful. Do you have to be online in order to video conference?
I am not sure what you are asking -- NetMeeting depends on connection to an
IP network for function -- generally that means the internet(or
"intranet").
It is possible to "fake" it by using telephone based modems and making a
direct telephone call from one computer modem to another and connect that
way -- but that is essentially creating a two computer IP network.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
Brian Sullivan
2006-02-07 19:04:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by alvin
The reason being, I share my phone line with the computer. If I had my
computer on all day, it would be easy to see if someone is trying to
conference me. So I would have to be online all day as well in order to
accomplish this?
Yes
Post by alvin
If I am not online, there is no way to know if someone is
trying to video conference me?
No -- not unless they contact you some other way to inform you.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
alvin
2006-02-07 19:18:29 UTC
Permalink
Thanks. One more question, is Netmeeting compatible with any other service?
What if someone uses Yahoo or some other service to video conference?
Post by Brian Sullivan
Post by alvin
The reason being, I share my phone line with the computer. If I had my
computer on all day, it would be easy to see if someone is trying to
conference me. So I would have to be online all day as well in order to
accomplish this?
Yes
Post by alvin
If I am not online, there is no way to know if someone is
trying to video conference me?
No -- not unless they contact you some other way to inform you.
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
Brian Sullivan
2006-02-07 19:57:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by alvin
Thanks. One more question, is Netmeeting compatible with any other service?
NetMeeting is based on the H.323 and T.120 standards -- any program using
those standards should be able to interact.
Post by alvin
What if someone uses Yahoo or some other service to video conference?
I don't know of any current services (Yahoo, AOL, MSN) that use the
standards.

Have you looked at Skype (http://www.skype.com/) it might be better suited
to your needs (only for Win2000/XP though).
--
Brian Sullivan
Courses by Wire (http://www.coursesbywire.com)
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