Microsoft Windows NetMeeting 3 Readme
This document provides late-breaking information and known issues to supplement existing Help and other NetMeeting documentation.
CONTENTS
System Requirements and Setup
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) NetMeeting(R) enables real-time audio, video, and data communication over the Internet.
If you have a dual or multiple boot configuration, you must install NetMeeting from within each operating system using separate folders. NetMeeting does not run properly from one default installation directory for multiple boot computers.
Windows installs NetMeeting in the \netmeeting folder. This overwrites any prior Windows 95 or Windows 98 NetMeeting installation. After installing NetMeeting, reinstall NetMeeting on Windows 95 or Windows 98, and specify a different folder than \netmeeting during installation.
NetMeeting works best with a fast Internet connection, such as a 56 kilobytes per second (Kbps) or faster modem, or a local area network (LAN).
For best viewing results, use 800 by 600 resolution or higher. You can also use compact mode.
NetMeeting does not function properly over SLIP connections or other simulated SLIP/PPP connections.
For information about product support, see the Support.txt file in your Windows folder or NetMeeting folder.
If you're using a preinstalled OEM version of Windows, you won't be able to uninstall NetMeeting using Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel.
General Information
NetMeeting includes support for the H.323 audio and video conferencing standard and the T.120 data conferencing standard. NetMeeting can be used to place calls to and receive calls from products that are H.323 and T.120 compatible. With appropriate equipment and services from third parties, NetMeeting can place a call to a telephone using an H.323 gateway. NetMeeting also can place calls to H.323 multipoint control units (MCUs) and participate in multipoint audio/video conferences.
General Known Issues
If you are hosting a meeting and you set preferences (others cannot share programs, launch Chat, etc.) in NetMeeting 3.0 or later, these preferences will not apply to NetMeeting 2.x computers. Users running NetMeeting 2.x will have access to these features.
You cannot run ReachOut 5.0 on computers if NetMeeting is installed.
To find the name that NetMeeting uses as your NetBIOS name, do the following steps:
- In Control Panel, double-click Network.
- Click the Identification tab.
Both Microsoft(R) FrontPage(R) and NetMeeting currently use the same file type (.cnf). NetMeeting uses this file type for SpeedDials.
Some ISDN devices are configured to automatically connect to the network. This might cause the ISDN device to try to connect to the network while NetMeeting is running. To stop this from happening, turn off Auto-Dial on the ISDN device.
You can connect to only one other person with audio and/or video at a time.
Some activities cause large amounts of data to be sent between the computers in your meeting (for example, using audio and sharing several programs while transferring a large file). In extreme cases, this might cause computers in the meeting to become very slow. To fix this, stop one or more of the meeting activities.
Sharing of Microsoft(R) DirectX(R), OpenGL, MS-DOS(R), graphics-intensive games, and .avi files is not supported and might not function properly.
Data sharing, Whiteboard, and Chat might not work properly between computers with different language settings and keyboard layouts.
If you're using Internet Explorer 5 or later in offline mode and you try to start NetMeeting, NetMeeting does not automatically connect to the Internet. To work around this problem, dial up using Remote Access Service (RAS) for Windows computers. Or, in Internet Explorer, click the File menu, and then click Work Offline to clear the check mark.
Meeting settings prevent you from starting NetMeeting programs (Chat, Whiteboard, File Transfer) after you've joined a meeting. However, meeting settings don't prevent these programs from working if they are started before the hosted meeting with settings is joined.
MSN customers who aren't already connected to the MSN service while running NetMeeting may see multiple instances of the MSN logon window when opening the Find Someone dialog box.
NetMeeting 3.0 or later may not support certain TV tuner cards as input sources. Check with the manufacturer of your TV tuner for current drivers.
If you have specified that you should receive only secure calls, be aware that Office 2000 programs do not support secure conferencing. If you close NetMeeting and host a meeting using an Office 2000 program, the meeting will not be secure.
Changing color depth is not recommended if NetMeeting is running, or if you are using Remote Desktop Sharing.
Placing a Call
You can place NetMeeting calls to multiple users.Microsoft maintains the Microsoft Internet Directory, which you can use to find other NetMeeting users. To view the Microsoft Internet Directory, click the Find Someone in a Directory button, and then in Select a directory, click Microsoft Internet Directory.
NOTE You cannot call people on the Internet that you have located on Web-based directory servers if your Internet connection uses a proxy server that does not support NetMeeting.
Additionally, if you cannot connect to someone by using their computer name, try using their IP address.
If you have two active network connections using two separate network cards, you might not be able to connect to a directory service.
Some MCUs are case-sensitive, so you should type the correct capitalization conference name to place a call.
You may have to log on to a gatekeeper to call an MCU conference using the alias registered with the gatekeeper. Contact your system administrator for details.
If you specify that you want a gatekeeper to place your calls, you can log on by using either your account name or phone number, or you can specify both options.
Receiving a Call
You are ready to receive incoming calls if you are running NetMeeting and have not selected Do Not Disturb on the Call menu.You are limited in the number of simultaneous connections you can make, depending on your in TCP/IP registry configuration.
Program Sharing
Any person in a meeting can share a program with the other participants. When you use the program sharing feature, other people can see the program. When you allow control, other people can both see and use the program.Users running NetMeeting 2.x cannot control programs shared by computers running NetMeeting 3.0 or later.
Using this version of NetMeeting, you can share programs with large numbers of users. However, if a computer running NetMeeting 2.0 is in the conference, and more than three users are sharing, that computer will not be able to share a program. The total number of people who can successfully participate in your meeting depends on available network bandwidth and the speed of the participants' computers.
Internet Explorer 5 or later users: If you share a Windows Explorer window and allow control, and the person with whom you are sharing the window closes the window, all programs and windows that you open afterwards are shared. To undo sharing in this situation, open a Windows Explorer window again, and unshare it.
When you share a program and decide to allow someone to control it, remote users can use the File Open and File Save dialog boxes in your program to gain access to or delete files on your computer or network.
If you are in control of a shared program and you use shortcut keys, the shortcut commands are applied to the shared program, not the shared frame menu. Shortcut keys will not work for menus in the shared frame.
It is recommended that you do not leave your computer unattended while sharing a program and allowing control.
When you launch another program from within the program you are sharing (such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet from within Microsoft Word), there is a possibility that the recently launched program will not be shared properly.
You cannot drag an object onto a shared program or drag an object from a shared program to the desktop.
If you are using an IntelliMouse and sharing a program, the mouse wheel might not work properly if you resize the sharing frame.
When you share a program with an Input Method Editor (IME), you should show the IME status bar so that other people can use the mouse to activate the IME.
If the IME does not support showing the status bar, or if other people are having trouble activating the IME, you can activate and deactivate the IME for them.
If the IME window fails to redraw during a meeting, you can force it to redraw by clicking anywhere on the desktop.
You may not be able to share programs on a computer that has a product installed with program sharing or remote control features (other than NetMeeting).
While someone else is in control of a shared program, the host's sharing interface (shared frames, sharing dialog boxes, and any shared frames created from other machines) becomes "hidden" on the host's desktop. When the host is in control again, the sharing interface (and any programs shared by others) reappears.
On Windows computers that are configured to use multiple languages and locales, the Unicode text on the host machine will appear as garbage characters on remote Windows computers when using program sharing.
If the host computer is sharing a program and is using 16-bit color (or lower), elements of the shared program or desktop that normally appear gray will appear green on remote computers. This can include menu items, button bars, and status bars.
Whiteboard
NetMeeting users can draw simultaneously on the Whiteboard. Everyone in the meeting can see what is drawn on the Whiteboard. When one person in a meeting runs Whiteboard, it appears on everyone's screen.The Whiteboard does not maximize to the full size if you are using an 1152 by 864 or larger display.
In conferences between Windows computers and Windows 95 or 98 computers, double-byte character set (DBCS) characters may not be translated properly.
Chat
Chat enables you to type messages for other users to see. When one person in a meeting runs Chat, a chat window appears on everyone's screen if they are using NetMeeting 3.0 or later.NetMeeting 2.11 Chat participants may not be able to close the Chat window if they are participating in a meeting with a NetMeeting 3.0 or later Chat participant.
Chat files can be saved with the .htm file extension, and then opened in an Internet browser.
NetMeeting 2.x Chat does not interoperate with NetMeeting 3.0 or later Chat in some scenarios.
Audio
To use NetMeeting audio features, you need a sound card, speakers, and a microphone.Audio is only supported with one other person.
Sound quality can vary significantly depending on your sound card, microphone, and connection.
If you modify your sound card device driver in any way, such as upgrading to a full-duplex driver, you need to run the Audio Tuning Wizard again in order for NetMeeting to work correctly.
When in a call with a NetMeeting 2.0 user, if audio stops for some reason, the 2.0 user may not be able to restart it. You have to quit your call and start over.
You may receive a message in the Audio Tuning Wizard stating that your sound card is unsupported. This occurs when the sound card does not support some of the features required for it to be used by NetMeeting. The audio features in NetMeeting may work even if you get this message, but you might experience poor audio quality.
If your sound card is unsupported, you might want to contact the manufacturer to find out if newer sound card drivers are available.
If you use the ATI All In Wonder hardware board for your capture device, it may disable the microphone and audio when you start a call. To work around this, double-click the speaker icon in the status area. Click Options, and then click Properties. Select Recording, and then click OK. Then, reselect the microphone as the recording input source.
If you are using sound cards made by Turtle Beach, Yamaha, SoundBlaster (excluding the Ensoniq-based AudioPCI types), Diamond, Crystal, or Microsoft USB speakers, you will benefit from low latency audio by enabling DirectSound. This option is not enabled by default.
You might experience improved audio quality by enabling DirectSound.
- On the Tools menu, click Options.
- On the Audio tab, select the Enable Direct Sound for improved audio performance check box.
- Make sure that you are not in a NetMeeting call.
- On the Tools menu, click Options.
- On the Audio tab, clear the Enable full-duplex audio so I can speak while receiving audio check box.
If you are having problems with your audio quality or sound card when using NetMeeting, the problems could be related to your hardware configuration or driver installation. To see the latest support information, click the Help menu, and then click Online Support.
If your computer has more than one audio device, you should make sure that the audio devices selected in the Audio Tuning Wizard match the selections in the Multimedia properties in Control Panel.
If you upgrade your computer's processor, you should run the Audio Tuning Wizard again.
When you are in an audio conference using NetMeeting, a program that has the ability to record sound, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, appears to be recording sound. However, since NetMeeting is already using the sound card, the other program isn't actually recording.
If you adjust the Windows Wave Output Balance control to the right, you may lose all NetMeeting speaker volume.
If your computer and the computer you are calling each have WDM audio drivers, you may hear static when you first connect. If this occurs, disable DirectSound.
- On the Tools menu, click Options.
- On the Audio tab, clear the Enable Direct Sound for improved audio performance check box.
Video
To send video with NetMeeting, you need either a video-capture card and camera, or a video camera that connects through your computer's parallel (printer) port or USB port.Cameras that have a video-capture card use less of your computer's processing resources than cameras that connect through your computer's parallel port.
Video is only supported with one other person at a time.
The default setting for video over a 28.8 Kbps modem connection is Better quality. To change this setting, click the Tools menu, click Options, click the Video tab, and then adjust the Video quality option.
The size of the video preview window may not reflect the size that is selected in the Options dialog box.
Running video in a multi-user meeting can reduce the performance of all the computers in the meeting. For example, opening a video window while sharing a program can make it difficult for others to take control of the program.
If you have more than one video device installed, or you have not properly uninstalled a video device that was previously installed, you might not be able to use video. If your video device is not properly uninstalled and you have enabled video in NetMeeting, the remaining camera software may warn you repeatedly that it cannot find the camera.
If you disconnect your camera while using the video features in NetMeeting, your camera's software may display messages telling you that the camera isn't responding. To disable these messages, click the Tools menu, click Options, click Video, and then clear the Automatically send video at the start of each call check box.
If you are running another program that uses video capture, the video functions in NetMeeting may be disabled.
If some areas of your video window contain the wrong colors, your camera might be aimed at an area with insufficient light. Some video drivers provide a low-light filter option.
If you are using the video features in a dark area, some cameras causes your computer to become extremely slow and unresponsive.
If your video capture device fails to preview video, you might not have the correct display codec (e.g., YUV or I420) installed.
Audio input for users of Winnov cameras is automatically switched whenever video is in use. If your video is connected using the MXC connection, the camera input is used for audio. If your video is connected using the Composite or S-Video connection, the line input is used for audio.
With some cameras, you may be able to reduce CPU usage by manually adjusting the settings in the Source and Format dialog boxes instead of letting the video driver software do it automatically.
If you use WDM drivers for the ATI All In Wonder hardware board, you may not have video capability in NetMeeting.
Gatekeepers and Gateways
It is recommended that you do not change your gatekeeper and registration information during a call.Certain programs (such as Microsoft(R) WebTV(R) for Windows 98), netcards, and PPP adaptors assign IP addresses that may interfere with your gatekeeper registration.
Remote Desktop Sharing
Using Remote Desktop Sharing, NetMeeting 3.0 or later can call an unattended computer (host) running the Remote Desktop Sharing service, and then access that computer’s shared desktop. Once you are connected, you can work in the host’s shared desktop and in any program that the host computer has access to.Administrators can give users the ability to access a computer via Remote Desktop Sharing without giving them accounts with administrator privilege. This can be done by creating a group titled "NetMeeting RDS Users" and adding those users’ accounts to that group.
To connect to your computer using the Remote Desktop Sharing service, you must know either the IP address of your computer or the computer name of the computer being called. You can find the IP address of your computer by clicking Help, and then clicking About Windows NetMeeting.
Remote Desktop Sharing is automatically disabled when you visit a Web page that has NetMeeting embedded in the browser's UI. It needs to be manually enabled.
If an IP address is dynamically assigned, such as for dial-up networking, an Remote Desktop Sharing server cannot resume Remote Desktop Sharing sessions after a lost connection with the network. The workaround is to deactivate Remote Desktop Sharing, Release All and then Renew All in the Windows IP Configuration utility (ipconfig.exe) and reactivate Remote Desktop Sharing.
If the option to Run when Windows Starts (RWWS) is selected, then the host enables Remote Desktop Sharing, NetMeeting is supposed to automatically disable RWWS. NetMeeting does not disable RWWS correctly. As a result, Remote Desktop Sharing will not activate when the computer is restarted. To fix this problem, deactivate Remote Desktop Sharing, activate RWWS, and then deactivate RWWS manually. You can then successfully activate Remote Desktop Sharing again.
If you restart a Windows computer after activating Remote Desktop Sharing, then try to log on from a remote computer, text will appear blocked out in the Welcome and Log On dialog boxes. This does not prevent you from logging on to the Windows host with Remote Desktop Sharing.
Note: Text in the Welcome and Log On dialog boxes will not appear blocked out when the Windows host logs off the machine without restarting.
When using Remote Desktop Sharing, it is re
Security
In a secure data-only call, the audio and video controls and menu items should be dimmed, but currently, they stay active throughout the call.Windows NetMeeting only works with certificates in the Windows system certificate store. Certificates obtained from browsers that use private certificate stores, such as Netscape Communicator 4.5, can't be used with NetMeeting. Such certificates may busing Netscape Communicator and then imported using Internet Explorer.
The security check boxes on the Find Someone and Place A Call dialog boxes are disabled when you are in a call. In addition, if a call starts while these dialog boxes are displayed, the check boxes are automatically disabled.
Additional Known Issues
When you share a 16-bit program, all the 16-bit programs that are running on your computer are also automatically shared.You might experience problems if you share a 32-bit program, and then insert an object package. This opens the Object Packager, which is automatically shared and subsequently faults. The original shared program or NetMeeting will not fault.
If you are unable to receive a call, restart your computer and try again.
If you do not have a sound card, you need to manually specify the bandwidth of your connection. To do this, click the Tools menu, click Options, click Bandwidth Settings, and then make a selection under Network Bandwidth.
You may need to uninstall Dial-up Networking in order to log on to a directory server though a proxy server.
If, after placing a call, you see a message for more than one minute that NetMeeting is waiting for a response from the other person, quit NetMeeting, and then try to contact the person again.
If you receive a SpeedDial in an e-mail mateway computer. To use the keyboard to dial voicemail extensions use the following table:
Press the pound key | CTRL + Shift + 3 |
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