Introduction
These instructions are intended for
anyone with an audio enabled IBM compatible computer and Internet connection
interested in talking to some one else with same for free. These instructions
will not cover trouble shooting, or conferencing.
Few people who own an IBM compatible computer system with a Microsoft (MS) operating system are aware that it includes software to communicate freely over networks. Fewer people are aware of the implications of this software and how to use it properly because Microsoft does not publicize or include useable documentation with the product. The documentation bundled with this software is nothing more than a description.
Almost no one knows that besides “phone like” conversations over networks, Netmeeting can be used to share computers and software in real time while users talk to each other. Networks include not only intranets (home, office or school networks), but also the internet or World Wide Web. The sharing of applications includes not only those owned by both parties, but applications not installed on one of the systems. This is by design for many reasons.
Working at home has been possible for 20 years now, but not widely accepted for social reasons. The ability to share applications over Netmeeting also curbs consumers' primary reason for piracy of software- "I needed to copy it to do a project with someone... So we could work together...For work at home."
Some college students are aware of and use computer gaming systems (Xbox and PS2) during game play to talk to each other over the internet. The gamers talk with a microphone through the game/communications software that uses the same protocols as Netmeeting. Talking to other players during game play increases the “gaming experience” drastically, especially with real-time combat simulation games.
These same students who use voice capable games are not aware that the software exists on their home computer. Creative students use the games to talk to friends through the gaming service that they pay a minimal fee for (normally less than $10 monthly).
Netmeeting
has existed in the Microsoft operating system since its inception in the late
1980’s. The most exciting implication of learning this under-publicized
software is the efficiency of communicating ideas freely with no cost.
Communications experiences could not only be enhanced on campus, but outside of campus. Students could keep in touch with their families for free, and many more online courses could be offered to students who do not have the time or resources to commute. Professors could extend their classes into virtual classrooms, and easily extend their knowledge base and resources.
In an early November article for the FSU student newspaper, the Bottom Line, the author chided the University and Student Government for budget cuts that resulted in fewer student staff in computer labs. The author mentioned that often students just need a little help with using the computer. Netmeeting is the solution. All of the computers in all of the computer labs meet the minimum requirements to use Netmeeting effectively for help purposes. Interested students could simply carry a microphone and headphones, a small price to pay for help. A student could get help from anyone who might be available.
A few years ago,
Recent government deregulation of
the communications industries has made it possible for new developments in
communications. This deregulation effectively combines the "
Netmeeting is the first of Microsoft’s products to take advantage of this newly deregulated highway and it was in place before the deregulation. Messenger and Office Suite are two new Microsoft products that evolved from Netmeeting to take advantage of these new Superhighway protocols. Elluminate, Sun, Vonage, Net2Phone, Paltalk, PowWow, and Iconnecthere are other companies taking advantage of this recent deregulation.
Theory
With the exception of radio and
television broadcasts through the air, all communications, information, and
entertainment is transported digitally to the users through some form of wire
on a network. The networks are all connected with copper wire or fiber optic
cable, through one or many computers. This includes, telephones (cell and
regular), cable television, web pages.
Consider this example. The picture
to the left is a visual representation that many people may recognize as a wave
pattern. Although it could be any form that we have mentioned so far, let's
suppose that it is part of an analog voice conversation.
An analog wave of this type is
created when sound contacts a thin membrane connected to a coil set inside a
magnet which produces an electrical current (a microphone) that varies
according to volume, pitch, and tone of the sound. With analog sound the wave
travels through copper wire in the form of electricity and is heard as sound on
the other end from a speaker. A speaker is a larger microphone with coils and
magnets. Speakers and microphones can be used interchangeably in analog
systems. Have you ever called someone and two people pick up two different phones
in the house? Chances are that you could faintly hear both of them until one
hangs up the extra line, and you hear your party get louder. The reason is that
the phones shared the voltage on the line.
In a digital system this analog
wave is turned into ones and zeros by a computer on the network. So the same
sound may look something like this: 01000110111000000100011111000.
Computer information and cable video signals might look the same and would be
indistinguishable without the proper equipment or software.
So when you make a phone call, your
voice is turned into electricity that is sent down the wire to a phone station
that turns it into ones and zeros. The ones and zeros are now sent through
fiber optic cables with pulsating light. When the light is on it is a one, and a zero when there is no light. In front of this
digital signal is routing information that tells all of the computers along the
way, the origination and destination of the signal. When the signal reaches its
destination station, it is turned back into electricity and your voice is heard
by the receiver. This process is evident in cell phone conversations often
being heard or intercepted by radio enthusiasts before the signal is encoded
into binary.
The benefit to using digital technology
is that mathematical equations can be used to mix the ones and zeros to send
voice, information and entertainment over the same lines at the same time. The
formula is sent at the beginning of the signal so that the receiving computer
knows what formula to use to discern what signal gets sent where. All of this
happens in nano and micro seconds with the help of
very fast computers.
The biggest benefit for Digital
Voice Users is that once analog voice is changed into digital form, it can be
transported across different systems and platforms.
Equipment
To use Netmeeting
you need an IBM compatible computer with a working sound card, microphone,
headphone or speakers, and an internet connection. Headsets and microphones can
be purchased at most Dollar Stores for $1-$3. Your computer should have any
version of Microsoft Windows operating system installed. Netmeeting is part of
the Microsoft operating system. Normally, there is no need to download, buy, or
install any software. Older versions of Netmeeting are not compatible with
newer versions.
Some OEM (Original Equipment
Manufacturer) versions of Windows may not have Netmeeting. OEM versions are
those that come with a pre-built system. Microsoft allows the equipment
manufacturer to install a limited licensed version on the computer at the
factory. Older Compaq systems are the only OEM versions of windows I am aware
of that does not include Netmeeting in the Windows operating system.
Finding Netmeeting on your
Computer
Make sure that your microphone and
headphones/speakers are connected. Read through the "finding"
instructions once before following the "using" instructions.
There are several ways to find
Netmeeting on your computer. In Windows XP Netmeeting is called conf.
Left click on the START button, select Programs, Accessories,
Communications and left click Netmeeting or conf.
Microsoft is not consistent with
the location or name of the Netmeeting program. If Netmeeting or conf is not
found under Communications, right click on START. Choose find or
search. Type Netmeeting or conf in the search field. Click the menu arrow to
the right of the "Look In" field and choose Local hard drives (c:). Click Find or Search. The search
should display a list of matches.
Windows XP users should look for a
file named "conf.exe". Other Windows users could also look for
"conf.exe", or "netmeeting.exe". The list of
matches may also contain a folder named Netmeeting which would include one of
these two files. If you can not find these files,
click this sentence to determine if Netmeeting is on your computer. If
clicking the previous sentence did not open Netmeeting,
it is not on your system. Refer to Windows help for "Adding/Installing
Windows Components".
Netmeeting
Setup
Once you have initialized
Netmeeting you will see the following screen.
Click NEXT and you will see the next screen.
Type in your First name or screen first name.
Fill in your Last name or screen last name.
If you have an E-mail address, enter it. If you do not want others to know your E-mail address, enter @. If you do not enter at least the @ symbol on this line you will receive an error message.
Location and Comments are optional.
Click NEXT. You should see the following screen.
Make sure that there are no checks in boxes.
Click NEXT.
Choose your type of connection. If you have dial-up access to the internet Netmeeting will work, but keep in mind that conversations may sound "choppy" and the other user's screen view may take a minute to load. Click this link for a way to increase the speed of your dial-up connection (Temporarily not available).
Click NEXT or OK.
If you would like to have shortcuts for Netmeeting on your Desktop and Shortcut bar, check both boxes.
Click NEXT.
Follow the directions of the Audio Tuning Wizard, to test your microphone and headphones.
Click NEXT.
Select your microphone from the Recording menu. Your microphone should be listed if it is installed properly. Select your output device from the Playback list. It is possible that your microphone and speakers may not be listed specifically because your computer may have a device manager to manage your audio. There is normally only one possible selection in these menus. If you are unsure, do not change anything as long as there is something in the the boxes selected.
Click NEXT.
Click Test to test your speakers or headset. You hear a sample sound. You may need to adjust your volume to maximum. If the sound is faint, there may be other sound settings on your operating system. Windows Media Player (WMP) is the most likely culprit. WMP can be located from the START menu in the Program list. The master volume on WMP often over rides the master volume in the Volume Controls. The path for Volume Controls is Start-Programs-Accesories-Entertainment-Volume Control.
Click NEXT.
Speak into your microphone, the volume should automatically adjust. If it does not automatically adjust or you do not see blocks reaching into the green area of bar, adjust the volume using the slide bar to maximum.
Click NEXT.
If there is a problem at this point, you may need to upgrade the software for your sound card or hardware. If the Audio Wizard indicates a problem with your microphone, try it anyway. The microphone often works.
Click NEXT.
Click FINISH.
If you clicked on the link above to start Netmeeting, you will see a message that “0.0.0.0 is asking to join."
Click CANCEL. You will understand why this happened later.
Your set up is complete.
Netmeeting should be open and you should see the following:
Connect to the internet.
Using Netmeeting
In order for other people to
contact you using Netmeeting you will need to give them your IP address. An IP
address is Internet Protocol, or your computer's telephone
number when it is connected to the internet. Most IP addresses are Dynamic,
meaning that they change every time you get onto the internet. The host,
server, or provider assigns an IP every time you log on to their system.
To find your IP address in
Netmeeting, click Help. Click About Windows
Netmeeting. Your IP address should be listed at the bottom of the
screen. Copy this number down. In the picture below the IP address is
192.168.1.100. Your IP should have the same form with three periods
separating four sets of numbers. Your IP will be different from this example.
Click OK.
Type your IP in the text box to the
left of the telephone button
. Now press the telephone button 
. You may
receive a message that "192.186.1.100 is asking to join".
Click OK.
You should receive another message
that "You have called your own computer. Please make sure that the
address or name you have specified is correct."
In order for others to contact you,
give them your IP address. You need their IP address to contact
them in this manner.
Press OK.
There is an easier way for others
to contact you if your email application allows hyper-text/links
in your mail. Most email applications allow this form of text, but the methods
vary and will not be covered in detail here. In the body of your message
include Click here to call me.
Select the text using your mouse.
In most applications right click on the selected text. Select hyperlink
from the popup menu. In other email applications hyperlink
may be a selection in the tool or text menu.
Type callto:192.168.1.100 in the address text box. Substitute
your IP for 192.168.1.100. Netscape
browsers do not support callto:
protocols.
Press OK.
When your contacts receive the
email and click the link, Netmeeting will open and attempt to call your
computer. If the individual has not setup Netmeeting, they should if they
intend to talk to you. You must have Netmeeting open and running on your
computer for the call to be connected. Although you may connect with more than
one person, you will only be able to hear the first person who calls you.
Although conferences are possible, the protocols are not yet standardized.
For some network configurations you
may need to Host a meeting for people to connect to your computer.
Click Host Meeting from the Call
menu of Netmeeting.
You may change the Meeting Name if
you like, but a password is not necessary if you plan to attend to your
computer. The security is not consistent throughout Netmeeting and can confound
new users. Get familiar with Netmeeting before you use security.
If an uninvited party does connect
to your computer through Netmeeting you can Remove
them by right clicking on their name in the list of people connected to your
computer. No one can use your computer through Netmeeting without you knowing
or giving permission. First time users should uncheck all choices on this
screen until you become familiar with the functions.
Click OK.
When some one tries to call, you
will hear a telephone ring and a message will pop up on your screen: "Accept
Incoming call?" Click Yes to accept
the call. If you would like to accept all calls automatically, select this
option from the Call menu of Netmeeting.
Greet your caller. The quality
should be as good as a phone call depending on internet traffic. Peak times
will sound choppy or scratchy, but this is a small price to pay. Talk as long
as you like, the call is FREE!!!!
To end the call click End Call
button 
.
To share computers over a network,
one user must host a meeting and all users must have Remote Desktop Sharing
setup on their computer. Click this option in the Tools menu. If the Enable
box is not checked, select it.
Select the Wizard button.
Click Next.
If your computer is setup with
different users, you must be logged in as the administrator of your operating
system. If you have never setup different users on your computer the default
setting is that all users have administrator priveledges.
Most users are administrators by default in the Window operating system.
Click Next.
Select No, I will do this later
unless you want a password on your screensaver.
Click Next.
Click Finish. Callers are now
able to see your computer when they call. Anyone who connects to your computer
will have a minimized window that shows your desktop in real time. They can
watch what you are doing as you do it. If you want to see their computer in
real time, they must also set up Remote Desktop Sharing using this
method.
IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only one of you should look at
the other's computer at a time. If you are both looking at each other's
computer using the window, you will each see a mirror of what the other person
is looking at. If either of you has a slow computer or dial-up connection, the
computer will seem to freeze until one of you minimizes the view window.
Nothing is harmed, but this can be
frustrating until you figure it out.
At this point you can only look at
each others' computers or share the Netmeeting applications, chat
, whiteboard
, and file
transfer 
These tools are very simple and self explanatory for most
users. Try them.
Chat
is the same as popular instant messengers such as AOL Instant Messenger,
Microsoft Messenger or ICQ Instant Messenger. All of these applications allow
multiple users to type messages to a bulletin board where they are posted for
logged users to see. Some of these Instant Messengers now use Netmeeting as
part of their applications.
File
transfer is used to send files to others in your meeting. Choose the file
and the receivers of the file.
One unique function of Netmeeting
is the White Board . Users can share
a virtual dry-erase whiteboard with different tools. Try it with friends.
Share
Program 
is the premiere tool in this package. To share only one
specific program, open it before Hosting a Meeting. To share that program or a
computer over a network you must Host a Meeting.
Some employers allow employees to
share work computers from home, provided that security is used. In this way, a
sick employee may use their work software without copying or pirating it. As we
all know copying software is illegal. A growing amount of software companies
are prosecuting companies for employees copying software to use at home for
"work purposes". Netmeeting
is Microsoft's solution to curb software theft.
Once you Host a Meeting,
click the Share
Program button .
To share the entire computer,
select Desktop. To share a specific running program, select it from this
list. To allow control of your computer, press the Allow Control button.
The button will change to Prevent Control. Novice hosts should select Automatically
Accept Requests for Control option to automatically approve Requests
to Control your computer or specific program without your
approval every time. Automatic control should be allowed if you set up an
unattended computer to be used remotely (a work computer from home), or if you
trust the other people. Project collaboration is faster using Automatic Accept.
IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep in mind that the Allow
Control option resets after a successful remote connection (in some
versions). Once you hang up you may not be able to share the computer again
until this option is reset manually at the source computer. Occasionally, the
host computer may have to Host A Meeting again
for sharing to work after a disconnection or hang-up. This may also depend on
the networks involved. Most home network users can share a program time and
again after many hang-ups or disconnections.
To
regain control of your computer at ANY TIME from
another user, press the ESC key on your keyboard. You may also return
control granted to you the same way.
Control may be granted/requested by
a right click on the person's name in the attendance list. The Control
menu of the other users' view window also has this option.
Currently
some networks, such as FSU, do not allow outside calls to come in to the
network. Outgoing calls are allowed. Although administrators could allow
incoming calls to networks, many do not because there is not a great demand or
social acceptance/trust.
Bibliography
In progress. Much of the instructions here are from
experience.