------------------------------------------------------------ README for Microsoft NetMeeting 2.0 Beta 4 March 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------ (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1997 This document provides complementary or late-breaking information to supplement existing documentation. ------------------------ HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT ------------------------ To view Netmeet.txt on screen in Notepad, maximize the Notepad window. To print Netmeet.txt, open it in Notepad or another word processor, and then use the Print command on the File menu. CONTENTS ======== SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND SETUP USING MICROSOFT NETMEETING PLACING A CALL RECEIVING A CALL SHARING AN APPLICATION WHITEBOARD CHAT FILE TRANSFER AUDIO COMMUNICATION HANGING UP VIDEO GENERAL KNOWN ISSUES WINDOWS NT ISSUES SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AND SETUP ============================= Microsoft(R) NetMeeting(TM) is a set of application and network components that enable real-time audio, video, and data communication over the Internet. In order to use Microsoft NetMeeting, you must have the following configuration: - Microsoft Windows(R) 95 - 486/66 with 8 megabytes (MB) of RAM (Pentium with 12 MB of RAM recommended) --or-- - Microsoft Windows NT(R) version 4.0 - 486/66 with 16 MB of RAM Important Notes * NetMeeting does not run on Windows version 3.1. * It is strongly recommended that all NetMeeting users upgrade to NetMeeting 2.0 Beta 4 to avoid incompatibility issues. * It is strongly recommended that you uninstall earlier beta versions of Microsoft NetMeeting before installing NetMeeting 2.0 Beta 4. NetMeeting Beta 4 audio features will not work with the audio features of earlier beta versions of NetMeeting if either computer has a 486 processor. - NetMeeting works best with a fast Internet connection (28.8-baud or faster modem, or local area network). - To use the audio features of NetMeeting, you need a sound card, speakers, and a microphone. - To use the video features of NetMeeting, you need either a video-capture card and camera or a video camera that connects through your computer's parallel (printer) port. You will not be able to send video on some computers with a processor slower than a Pentium. Computers with a bidirectional (ECP or EPP) parallel port will perform noticeably better with parallel video cameras than computers with a uni- directional parallel port. Cameras that connect to a video-capture card will use less of your computer's processor than cameras that connect through your computer's parallel port. It is recommended that you not use a color parallel camera if your computer is not a Pentium 133 or better. - The application-sharing feature may not perform well while you are using audio and video and connected over a slow connection. Additionally, you might experience "choppy" audio while using video. The default setting for video over a 28.8-baud modem connection is set to low quality. To change this setting, click the Tools menu, click Options, click the Video tab, and then change the Video Quality option. - Windows NT users will be able to share applications if they have installed Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0. - If NetMeeting is installed in a directory with a path that contains extended characters, application sharing might not work. For more information about NetMeeting, including the NetMeeting Resource Kit, see http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/ For the NetMeeting Software Development Kit (SDK), see http://www.microsoft.com/workshop/prog/msconf/ To run Microsoft NetMeeting --------------------------- 1. After installation, if a dialog box appears, asking if you want to restart your computer, click Yes. 2. Start Microsoft NetMeeting as follows: Click the Start button, point to Programs, and then click Microsoft NetMeeting. 3. When you open NetMeeting for the first time, a wizard appears that helps you get ready to use NetMeeting. If you cancel this wizard, you will not be able to use NetMeeting. To uninstall Microsoft NetMeeting --------------------------------- 1. In Control Panel, double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon. 2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft NetMeeting, and then click Add/Remove. 3. If a dialog box appears, asking if you want to restart your computer, click Yes. USING MICROSOFT NETMEETING ========================== - Microsoft NetMeeting now includes support for the H.323 audio and video conferencing standard. NetMeeting can be used to place calls to and receive calls from products that are H.323 compatible, including the Intel Internet Video Phone. With appropriate equipment and services that are currently under development by third parties, NetMeeting can place a telephone call using an H.323 gateway. - When you first run NetMeeting, a setup wizard prompts you for the name of the directory server you want to use. Microsoft maintains the following User Location Servers on the Internet: uls.microsoft.com uls1.microsoft.com uls2.microsoft.com uls3.microsoft.com uls4.microsoft.com uls5.microsoft.com To use the User Location Server to find people running Microsoft NetMeeting on the Internet, type the name of the server you would like to use in the Directory box, and then click OK. Note * You will not be able to use these servers to locate people on the Internet if you connect to the Internet through a proxy server. For information about setting up your own Internet Locator Server (ILS), see the ILS information on http://www.microsoft.com/workshop/prog/ils/. - Audio works only over TCP/IP between two people. You can use all other features with more than two people over TCP/IP, modems, and IPX. - NetMeeting supports meetings of up to 32 people. In addition, you can be connected to only one other person with audio and video at a time. Only three people at a time can share applications running on their computers. The total number of people who can successfully participate in your meeting will vary, based on available network bandwidth and the speed of the participants' computers. - Some activities cause large amounts of data to be sent between the computers in your meeting(for example, speaking and sharing several applications while transferring a large file). In extreme cases, this might cause computers in the meeting to become very slow. To remedy this, stop one or more of the meeting activities. - If you try to make a TCP/IP call on your local area network and MSN or Dial-Up Networking displays a connection dialog box, you can disable this by double- clicking the Internet icon in Control Panel and then making sure that Auto-Dial is not selected. - Sharing of DirectX, MS-DOS(R), and graphics-intensive games and AVIs does not work well and is not supported. - If different computers have different screen resolutions during a meeting, the shared windows can be as large as the highest resolution desktop allows. Users with lower resolution desktops will have to scroll to view windows that don't fit their screens. - When you share an application, other people can use the File Open and File Save dialog boxes in your application to gain access to files on your computer or network. You will be able to see everything other users are doing in your shared applications. To stop someone from using your shared program while you do not have control of the cursor, press ESC. To stop someone from using your shared program while you do have control of the cursor, click the Stop Collaborating button. It is not recommended that you leave your computer unattended while sharing an application and collaborating. - Some software installation programs will not function properly while NetMeeting is running. - You must have a 32-bit TCP/IP stack and Windows Sockets interface to use NetMeeting with TCP/IP. NetMeeting has been tested with the 32-bit TCP/IP and Windows sockets built into Windows 95 and Windows NT version 4.0. - If you want to call someone by using a modem, and you must dial 9 to get an outside line, make sure you type a hyphen ( - ) in front of the 9 at the beginning of the phone number. For example, you might specify the following number: -9,5554501 - Application Sharing, Whiteboard, and Chat might not work properly between computers with different language settings and keyboard layouts. - Microsoft NetMeeting supports using Windows 95 and Windows NT version 4.0 system policies to set default configurations in a corporate environment. Microsoft NetMeeting system policies are documented, and a system policy file is included in the NetMeeting Resource Kit. More information about the NetMeeting Resource Kit can be found at: http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/ - NetMeeting might hang when it starts up if there are damaged fonts in your Fonts folder. - NetMeeting does not function properly over SLIRP connections or other simulated SLIP/PPP connections. PLACING A CALL ============== You can place Microsoft NetMeeting calls to multiple users. Any person in a meeting can place NetMeeting calls to other people. In addition, other people can join a NetMeeting call in progress by calling one of the participants. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - If you cannot connect to someone by using their computer name, try using their IP address. - IPX meetings can be started if (1) both people do the following: - Have Microsoft IPX/SPX-Compatible Protocol installed. - Click NetMeeting Tools menu, click Options, click the Protocols tab, and make sure that Network (IPX) protocol is selected. And (2) if one person does the following: - Call using the New Call dialog box, choosing the IPX protocol, and entering into the Address box the full 8:12 net number and Ethernet address of the intended recipient of the call--for example: 00002702:112233445566. - If you click someone's name in the Web Directory and get a message saying that the file type is unrecognized, you need to configure your browser to associate the ULS directory files with Microsoft NetMeeting. For instructions on how to do this, refer to your browser documentation. You will need the following information: MIME file type: "text/iuls" Command line: "rundll32.exe msconf.dll,NewMediaPhone %l" MIME file type: "text/h323" Command line: "rundll32.exe msconf.dll,NewMediaPhone %l" - 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, disable Auto-Dial on the ISDN device. - If the directory server is temporarily unavailable, there might be a brief period of time after the server returns when your name is not listed in the directory. - If you do not see your name in the directory, you might not be logged on, or you might be logged on to a different directory server. To change the directory server you log onto, click the Tools menu, click Options, click Directory, and then change your User Location Service Name. To log on to the directory server, click the Call menu, and then click Log On To [your directory server]. - If you want to place a call to a person using PictureTel LiveShare version 3.x or earlier, carry out the following steps: 1. On the Tools menu, click Options. 2. On the Protocols tab, select the Use Additional Protocols For Compatibility With PictureTelLiveShare check box. 3. Select both the LiveShare protocol and the corresponding NetMeeting protocol if available. For example, to place a modem call to someone using LiveShare, you would need to select both the Modem and Modem for LiveShare Networks check boxes. - If you have an active network connection using a network card and a second active connection using a modem or a second network card, you might not be able to connect to the directory. - When you are in a meeting, you cannot connect to people already in another meeting. - You cannot connect with data and audio to someone who is already in a meeting. - Some conference bridges are case-sensitive, so you may need to enter the conference name with the same capitalization when placing the call as the conference name on the bridge appears. - If your connection to the network breaks and is reconnected, you might have to click the Refresh button to see a list of people logged into the directory. - If you are placing a call from anywhere other than the United States (that is, your Dialing Properties in Windows is not set for the U.S.), you cannot call out via modem unless you type a hyphen ("-") before the modem phone number. RECEIVING A CALL ================ You are ready to receive incoming calls if you are running Microsoft NetMeeting and have not selected Do Not Disturb on the Call menu. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - If you are using NetMeeting on a local area network, you might not be able to receive calls while your Dial-Up Networking logon screen is open. - If you are not able to receive calls, it may be because your IP address is registered incorrectly with the directory service. You can prevent this by releasing the LAN IP address before connecting to the Internet. Run the Winipcfg.exe program to release an IP address. SHARING AN APPLICATION ====================== Any person in a meeting can share an application with the other participants. When you share an application, other people can see the application. When you Collaborate, other people can both see and use the application. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - Windows NT users will be able to share applications if they have installed Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0. - If NetMeeting is installed in a directory with a path that contains extended characters, application sharing might not work. - Sharing one Windows Explorer window shares all of them. If you run a program while sharing Windows Explorer, the program will also be shared. Examples of Windows Explorer windows include Microsoft Internet Mail and News, Control Panel, Briefcase, the Received Files folder, or any Windows Explorer folder. - When you share an application and collaborate, remote users can use the File Open and File Save dialog boxes in your application to gain access to or delete files on your computer or network. To stop someone from using your shared program while you do not have control of the cursor, press ESC. To stop someone from using your shared program while you do have control of the cursor, click the Stop Collaborating button. It is not recommended that you leave your computer unattended while sharing an application and collaborating. - When you launch another application from within the application you are sharing (such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet from within Microsoft Word), there's a possiblity that the recently launched application won't be shared properly. - You cannot drag an object onto a shared application or drag an object from a shared application to the desktop. - When you share an application 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 should activate and deactivate the IME for them. - If the IME window fails to repaint during a meeting, you can cause it to repaint by clicking anywhere on the desktop. - When you are in an audio conference using NetMeeting, an application that has the ability to record sound, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, will appear to be recording sound as instructed. However, since NetMeeting is already using the sound card, the other application is not actually recording. - Ecco Pro cannot be shared. - It is recommended that you wait at least 20 seconds after initiating or joining a new conference before sharing an application. - It is recommended that you not change the mouse from right-handed to left-handed or vice versa while sharing an application. - If there are extended characters in the path to the folder where you installed NetMeeting, you will not be able to share applications. WHITEBOARD ========== The Whiteboard enables you to draw simultaneously with other people. 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. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - The Whiteboard does not maximize to the full size of a 1024 by 768 or larger display. - If you make several changes without pausing in the Whiteboard, other users might be prevented from making changes. - On Windows NT, some text in the Whiteboard may not print. - Cutting or copying something on one computer and pasting it into the Whiteboard on Windows NT might not work. CHAT ==== Chat enables you to type messages for other users to see. When one person in a meeting runs Chat, it appears on everyone's screen. Chat files are stored with the .txt file extension. If Microsoft Notepad, or another program that can read files in .txt format, is installed on your computer, it can be used to open Chat files. To open a Chat file within Chat, run Chat, click the File menu, click Open, and then select the file to be opened. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - In Chat, if you click Options and then check Clear Screen, this feature will not clear the Chat window on other people's computers if they are using versions of NetMeeting older than NetMeeting 2.0 Beta 4. - On Windows NT, if the directory in which NetMeeting is installed contains spaces in its name, you will not be able to run Whiteboard or Chat. FILE TRANSFER ============= Files dragged onto the list of people on the Current Call tab are sent to all the people in the meeting. To send a file to a specific person, right-click that person's name in the list of people in the meeting, and then click Send File. To send a file to everyone in the meeting, click the Tools menu, and then click Send File. To cancel sending a file, click the Tools menu, and then click Cancel Send. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - If you try to send a shortcut to a file, the actual file will be sent instead. - Exchanging files with Intel ProShare 2.0 does not always work properly. AUDIO COMMUNICATION =================== By default, audio communication is enabled for TCP/IP calls. Audio is supported only over TCP/IP and between no more than two people. Sound quality can vary significantly depending on your sound card and microphone. To automatically adjust your settings, use the Audio Tuning Wizard. Full-duplex audio enables you to speak at the same time as the person you are speaking to. If your sound card supports only half-duplex audio, or if you have not enabled full-duplex audio in NetMeeting, you and the other person in your call will have to take turns speaking. Using full-duplex audio can require both more bandwidth and more CPU than using half-duplex audio and therefore may result in poor sound quality. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - If you are using a Winnov video-capture card and have selected it as your wave device for recording audio, you must use a camera that connects to the Multimedia Extension Connector and includes a microphone. On the other hand, you can select your computer's sound card as the wave device in the Audio Tuning Wizard and plug a microphone into your sound card. - Users of Microsoft NetMeeting and Intel Internet Video Phone can talk to each other only if both users have a computer with a Pentium processor. - Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL might disconnect the audio connection. - The Audio Tuning Wizard works only when you are not in a call with audio. - Some users will receive a message in the Audio Tuning Wizard that explains that their sound card is unsupported. This occurs when the sound card does not support some of the features required for it to be supported by NetMeeting. NetMeeting's audio features 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 are experiencing "choppy" full-duplex sound quality, try switching NetMeeting to half-duplex sound quality. To do this, carry out the following steps: 1. Make sure that you are not in a NetMeeting call. 2. On the Tools menu, click Options. 3. On the Audio tab, clear the Enable Full Duplex Audio check box. - If you are having problems with your audio quality or sound card when using NetMeeting, it might be related to your hardware configuration or driver installation. Open the NetMeeting support page at Microsoft to get the latest support information. To open the NetMeeting support page, 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 the Audio Tuning Wizard indicates that your sound card is not supported, you might still be able to use the audio features of NetMeeting, but might experience poor audio quality. - It is recommended that you not switch between full-duplex and half-duplex audio while in a meeting with audio. - Full-duplex audio might not work with Media Vision Pro Audio Spectrum 16 sound cards. - Computers with a 486 processor will not be able to use audio with other software based on the H.323 audio conferencing standard over a Dial-Up Networking (modem) connection. They will be able to use audio with other NetMeeting users over a Dial-Up Networking connection or with other H.323-based audio conferencing products over a local area network (LAN). HANGING UP ========== When you hang up, you disconnect anyone you have called or anyone who called you. If the disconnected users have invited or accepted other users into the meeting, they are also disconnected. Warnings and Known Bugs ----------------------- - You may experience an Invalid Page Fault or a blue screen upon disconnection of a modem-to-modem call. If this occurs, reboot your system. VIDEO ===== - To use the video features of NetMeeting, you need a sound card and either a video- capture card and camera or a video camera that connects through your computer's parallel (printer) port. Sending video does not work on some computers with a processor slower than a Pentium. - Video is supported only over TCP/IP and between no more than two people. - If you do not have a sound card installed, you will not be able to use NetMeeting's video capabilities. - If you are unable to use NetMeeting's audio features in a call, you will also be unable to use NetMeeting's video features. - Running video in a multiuser meeting can negatively affect performance on all the computers in the meeting. For example, opening a video window while sharing an application can make it difficult for others to take control of the application. - If you have more than one video device installed, or 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 your computer does not have a Pentium processor, you will not be able to send video. - Computers with a bidirectional (ECP or EPP) parallel port will perform noticeably better with parallel video cameras than computers with a unidirectional parallel port. - Cameras that connect to a video-capture card will use less of your computer's processor than cameras that connect through your computer's parallel port. It is recommended that you not use a color parallel camera if your computer is not a Pentium 133 or better. - If you disconnect your camera while using NetMeeting's video features, your camera's software may display messages telling you that the camera is not 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. - It is recommended that you not run another program that uses video while running NetMeeting. - 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 might provide a low-light filter option. - If you are using the video features in a dark area, some cameras will cause your computer to become extremely slow and unresponsive. GENERAL KNOWN ISSUES ==================== - You cannot run ReachOut 5.0 on computers on which Microsoft NetMeeting is installed. - To find the name that NetMeeting uses as your NetBIOS name, carry out the following steps: 1. In Control Panel, double-click the Network icon. 2. On the Identification tab, select the Computer Name check box. - If you use User Profiles to maintain your Windows preferences on all the computers on a network, you might have to run the Audio Tuning Wizard again when you switch computers. - If you have NetMeeting running on more than one computer and have specified the same e-mail address on each computer, you will have trouble logging on to the directory server. - If you change your name while in a call, it is not completely updated until you quit and restart NetMeeting. - Both Microsoft FrontPage and Microsoft NetMeeting currently use the same file type (.cnf). - When you are in a meeting, your Clipboard is shared with everyone else in the meeting. This enables you to paste objects other people cut or copy to the Clipboard into your local programs. There is a system policy that can be set to disable Clipboard sharing. - If you are using Windows 95 Version 4.00.950 B, canceling the Dial-Up Networking dialog box that appears when you start NetMeeting will appear to cause NetMeeting to stop responding; however, NetMeeting will work fine after about two minutes. You will not be logged onto the directory server until you manually connect to your Internet service provider and choose Log On To [your directory server] (on the Call menu). - If you create a SpeedDial shortcut, clicking Send To Mail Recipient will only work if your e-mail program is MAPI-aware (for example, Microsoft Outlook Express). - You can return calls by using the incoming call log only if the person who called you was using NetMeeting 2.0 Beta 2 or later. WINDOWS NT ISSUES ================= - Windows NT users will be able to share applications if they have installed Service Pack 3 for Windows NT 4.0. - Creative Lab's latest SoundBlaster drivers (posted on their Web site January 15, 1997) are not compatible with NetMeeting. To send audio, the user must uninstall these new drivers and install the original SoundBlaster drivers that shipped with Windows NT 4.0. - If more than one person uses a computer, only the user who installed NetMeeting on the computer gets a NetMeeting icon in the Program group. - In this beta release, Windows NT users will experience problems if they share a 32-bit application and then insert an object that is a package. This opens the Object Packager, which is automatically shared and will subsequently fault. This fault will not cause the original shared application or NetMeeting to fault, only the Object Packager. - NetMeeting audio quality will be poor, or audio will not work at all, if you enabled the floating point workaround during installation of Windows NT on a computer that is equipped with a flawed Intel Pentium chip. - When you share a 16-bit application, all the 16-bit applications that are running on your computer will be automatically shared also. - If the directory NetMeeting is installed in contains spaces in its name, you will not be able to run Whiteboard or Chat. - If Chat or Whiteboard do not start automatically while you are in a call, just click the Chat or Whiteboard button in the toolbar and continue. - If you are using NetMeeting on Windows NT and you are unable to receive a call, restart your computer and try again.