Published: December 27, 2004 This section provides information about: • The benefits of NetMeeting® conferencing software • Using NetMeeting in a managed environment • How NetMeeting communicates with sites on the Internet • How to control NetMeeting to limit the flow of information to and from the Internet On This Page Benefits and Purposes of NetMeeting NetMeeting conferencing software is a feature of Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 (SP1) that enables real-time communication and collaboration over the Internet or an intranet. From a computer running the Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT® 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP operating system, users can communicate over a network with real-time voice and video technology. Users can work together on virtually any Windows application, exchange or mark up graphics on an electronic whiteboard, transfer files, or use the text-based chat program. NetMeeting helps small and large organizations take full advantage of their corporate intranet for real-time communication and collaboration. On the Internet, connecting to other NetMeeting users is made easy with Internet Locator Service (ILS), enabling participants to call each other from a dynamic directory within NetMeeting or from a Web page. Features include remote desktop sharing, virtual conferencing using Microsoft Outlook, security features, and the ability to embed the NetMeeting user interface in an organization’s intranet Web pages. To learn more about the NetMeeting features, see “Microsoft NetMeeting 3 Features” on the Microsoft TechNet Web site. Overview: Using NetMeeting in a Managed Environment NetMeeting supports communication standards for audio, video, and data conferencing. NetMeeting users can communicate and collaborate with users of other standards-based, compatible products. They can connect by modem, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), or local area network (LAN) using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). In addition, support for Group Policy in NetMeeting makes it easy for administrators to centrally control and manage the NetMeeting work environment. You can use Active Directory directory service and Group Policy to configure NetMeeting to help meet your security requirements. You can also control the configuration of NetMeeting by using the NetMeeting Resource Kit. For more information about the NetMeeting Resource Kit, see 'Alternate Methods for Controlling NetMeeting,' later in this section. NetMeeting components and features require that several ports be open from the firewall. For more information, see 'NetMeeting and Firewalls,' later in this section. How NetMeeting Communicates with Sites on the Internet NetMeeting provides an infrastructure for communication between network applications and services. In this infrastructure, NetMeeting is both an application and a platform for other applications or services. The components and services in NetMeeting provide real-time communication and collaboration over the Internet or an organization’s intranet. Nov 29, 2010. In Windows XP, by default, NetMeeting is not visible. To launch it, simply click Start, then Run., and then enter conf.exe. This will launch a wizard that. This tutorial explains how to configure NetMeeting in Windows XP step by step with examples including how to access NetMeeting in workgroup network. NetMeeting provides people around the world with a new way of communicating. With NetMeeting, you can participate in meetings, work in shared programs using. NetMeeting audio and video conferencing features are based on the H.323 standard infrastructure, which enables NetMeeting to interoperate with other H.323 standards-based products. (H.323 is a standard approved by the International Telecommunication Union [ITU] that defines how audiovisual conferencing data is transmitted across networks.) NetMeeting data conferencing features are based on the T.120 infrastructure, enabling NetMeeting to interoperate with other T.120 standards-based products. (The T.120 standard is a suite of communication and application protocols developed for real-time, multipoint data connections and conferencing.) Detailed information about the H.323 and T.120 standards is beyond the scope of this white paper. Further information can be found on the following sites. Controlling NetMeeting to Limit the Flow of Information to and from the Internet You can configure NetMeeting by using Group Policy objects (GPOs) on servers running Windows Server 2003. (You can also control the configuration of NetMeeting by using the NetMeeting Resource Kit. For more information, see 'Alternate Methods for Controlling NetMeeting,' later in this section.) This subsection includes information about the following topics: • NetMeeting and Group Policy • NetMeeting security • NetMeeting and firewalls • Establishing a NetMeeting connection with a firewall • Firewall limitations for NetMeeting NetMeeting and Group Policy Group Policy can be used to define the default NetMeeting configuration settings that will be automatically applied to users and computers. These settings determine which NetMeeting features and capabilities are available to a particular group of users. The Group Policy configuration settings that are specific to NetMeeting are grouped into two different categories. These category groupings enable you to independently manage NetMeeting configuration settings for computers and users within your organization. Through the use of Group Policy you can enable, disable, or set configuration options for NetMeeting features or capabilities. For additional information about Group Policy, see Appendix B, 'Learning About Group Policy and Updating Administrative Templates.' You can use Group Policy to manage the following NetMeeting configuration options for users in your organization: • NetMeeting Group Policy settings for computers • NetMeeting Group Policy settings for users Configuring NetMeeting Settings for Computers Through Group Policy You can use Group Policy to set the NetMeeting features and capabilities that are available to all users of the computers that are affected by the application of the NetMeeting Group Policy settings. For details about locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting, see 'Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. The NetMeeting policy setting that is specific to computers is as follows: • Disable remote Desktop Sharing: You can use Group Policy to set remote desktop sharing choices in NetMeeting for all the users who are affected by the application of this policy setting. For more information about how to use Group Policy to manage the NetMeeting computer settings, see 'To Disable the NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing Feature Through Group Policy,' later in this section. Note Computer-related Group Policy settings are applied when the operating system starts and during the periodic refresh cycle. Configuring NetMeeting Settings Through Group Policy You can use Group Policy to determine the NetMeeting features and capabilities that are available for a user or a group of users that are affected by the application of the NetMeeting Group Policy settings. These Group Policy configuration options include the policy settings for NetMeeting, application sharing, audio and video, and the options page. For more information about how to use Group Policy to manage the NetMeeting user settings, see “Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. Configuring NetMeeting Settings for Users Through Group Policy For details about locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting, see 'Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. You can use Group Policy to set configuration settings for the following NetMeeting features. • Enable Automatic Configuration: Configures NetMeeting to download settings for users each time it starts. • Disable Directory services: Disables the directory feature—users will not log on to a directory server when NetMeeting starts. Users will not be able to view or make calls using the NetMeeting directory. • Prevent adding Directory servers: Prevents the user from adding directory servers to the list of available directory servers they can use for placing calls. • Prevent viewing Web directory: Prevents the user from viewing directories as Web pages in a browser. • Set the intranet support Web page: Sets the Web address that NetMeeting will display when users choose the Online Support command from the NetMeeting Help menu. • Set Call Security options: Sets the level of security for outgoing and incoming NetMeeting calls. • Prevent changing Call placement method: Prevents the user from changing the way calls are placed, either directly or by means of a gatekeeper server. • Prevent automatic acceptance of Calls: Prevents the user from turning on automatic acceptance of incoming calls. • Prevent sending files: Prevents users from sending files to others in a conference. • Prevent receiving files: Prevents users from receiving files from others in a conference. • Limit the size of sent files: Sets the maximum file size that can be sent to others in a conference. • Disable Chat: Disables the chat feature of NetMeeting. • Disable NetMeeting 2.x Whiteboard: Disables the NetMeeting 2.x Whiteboard feature. (The 2.x feature provides compatibility with earlier versions of NetMeeting only.) • Disable Whiteboard: Disables the whiteboard feature of NetMeeting. Configuring NetMeeting Application Sharing Settings Through Group Policy For details about locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting, see 'Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. You can use Group Policy to set configuration settings for the following elements of the NetMeeting Application Sharing feature. • Disable application Sharing: Disables the NetMeeting application sharing feature completely. Users will not be able to host or view shared applications. • Prevent Sharing: Prevents users from sharing anything themselves. They will still be able to view shared applications or desktops from others. • Prevent Desktop Sharing: Prevents users from sharing their Windows desktop. They will still be able to share individual applications. • Prevent Sharing Command Prompts: Prevents the user from sharing command prompts. Enabling this prevents the user from inadvertently sharing applications, since command prompts can be used to start other applications. • Prevent Sharing Explorer windows: Prevents the user from sharing Windows Explorer windows. Enabling this prevents the user from inadvertently sharing applications, since Windows Explorer windows can be used to start other applications. • Prevent Control: Prevents users from allowing others in a conference to control what they have shared. Enabling this enforces a read-only mode whereby the other participants cannot change the data in the shared application. • Prevent Application Sharing in true color: Prevents users from sharing applications in true color, which uses more bandwidth. Configuring NetMeeting Audio and Video Settings Through Group Policy For details about locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting, see 'Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. You can use Group Policy to set configuration settings for the following audio and video elements in NetMeeting. • Limit the bandwidth of Audio and Video: Configures the maximum bandwidth, specified in kilobytes per second, to be used for audio and video. • Disable Audio: Disables the audio feature of NetMeeting. Users will not be able to send or receive audio. • Disable full duplex Audio: Disables the full duplex audio mode. Users will not be able to listen to incoming audio while speaking into the microphone. Older audio hardware may not perform well when full duplex audio is enabled. • Prevent changing DirectSound Audio setting: Prevents the user from changing the DirectSound® audio setting. DirectSound has better audio quality, but earlier audio hardware may not support DirectSound. • Prevent sending Video: Prevents the user from sending video. Setting this option does not prevent the user from receiving video. • Prevent receiving Video: Prevents the user from receiving video. Setting this option does not prevent the user from sending video. Configuring NetMeeting Options Settings Through Group Policy For details about locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting, see 'Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting,' later in this section. You can use Group Policy to set configuration settings for the following elements of the NetMeeting Options page. To view this page, in NetMeeting, click Tools and then click Options. • Hide the General page: Removes the General tab on the NetMeeting Options page. • Disable the Advanced Calling button: Disables the Advanced Calling button from the General page. • Hide the Security page: Removes the Security tab on the NetMeeting Options page. • Hide the Audio page: Removes the Audio tab on the NetMeeting Options page. • Hide the Video page: Removes the Video tab on the NetMeeting Options page. Note User-related Group Policy settings are applied when a user logs on to the computer and during the periodic refresh cycle. To learn about specific Group Policy settings that can be applied to computers running Windows XP, see the Group Policy Settings Reference on the Microsoft Web site at: Note The Group Policy Settings Reference includes information about settings for Windows XP with SP1 as well as settings for other Windows operating systems, such as Windows XP with SP2. You can choose the operating system for which you want to view information about settings. NetMeeting Security The NetMeeting security architecture for data conferencing takes advantage of the existing, standards-compliant security features of Windows XP with SP1 and Microsoft Internet Explorer. The NetMeeting security architecture utilizes a 40-bit encryption technology and has the following security features. • Password protection: This feature enables the user to create or participate in a meeting that requires a password to join. Password protection helps to ensure that only authorized users participate in a password-protected meeting. A password is also required to use the remote desktop sharing feature. • User authentication: This feature provides a way to verify the identity of a caller or meeting participant using a certificate. • Data encryption: This feature helps to protect data exchanged during a meeting so that it is not easily read by any unauthorized parties that may intercept the data. The 40-bit data encryption applies to the whiteboard and chat features, shared applications, and transferred files. Audio and video communications are not encrypted. NetMeeting security features integrate with security in Windows XP with SP1 and Internet Explorer in a variety of ways, including the following: • NetMeeting uses the NetMeeting private certificate store to provide personal certificates for user authentication and data encryption. • NetMeeting uses the Windows certificate store to maintain NetMeeting certificates. • NetMeeting uses Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI) functions to generate and process security tokens. These security features can be implemented by an administrator or a NetMeeting user. Using the NetMeeting Resource Kit Wizard or Group Policy in NetMeeting, the administrator can enforce security settings that apply to all users. If allowed by the administrator, NetMeeting users can also select their own security settings in the NetMeeting user interface (UI) and change security settings for individual calls. You can use the following sources to learn more about NetMeeting configuration and security topics. • For more information about the NetMeeting Resource Kit Wizard, see 'Resource Kit Wizard' in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit at: • For more information about the security features available in NetMeeting, see “NetMeeting Security” in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit at: • To view all the chapters in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit, see the TechNet Web site at: NetMeeting and Firewalls You can configure firewall components in a variety of ways, depending on your organization's specific security policies and overall operations. While most firewalls are capable of allowing primary (initial) and secondary (subsequent) Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) connections, it is possible that they are configured to support only specific connections based on security considerations. For example, some firewalls support only primary TCP connections, which some professionals view as the most reliable. For NetMeeting multipoint data conferencing—program sharing, whiteboard, chat, file transfer, and directory access—your firewall only needs to pass through primary TCP connections on assigned ports. NetMeeting audio and video features require secondary TCP and UDP connections on dynamically assigned ports. Note NetMeeting audio and video features require secondary TCP and UDP connections. Therefore, when you establish connections through firewalls that accept only primary TCP connections, you are not able to use the audio or video features of NetMeeting. Detailed firewall configuration procedures for NetMeeting are beyond the scope of this white paper. For more information about NetMeeting firewall connections, see 'Firewall Configuration' in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit, particularly the section titled, 'Establishing a NetMeeting Connection with a Firewall' at: Microsoft NetMeeting can be configured to work with an organization’s existing firewall security. Because of limitations in most firewall technology, however, few products are available that enable you to securely transport inbound and outbound NetMeeting calls containing audio, video, and data across a firewall. You should consider carefully the relative security risks of enabling different parts of a NetMeeting call in your firewall product. You must especially consider the security risks involved when modifying your firewall configuration to enable any component of an inbound NetMeeting call. Some organizations have security or policy concerns that require them to limit how fully they support NetMeeting in their firewall configuration. These concerns are based on network capacity planning or weaknesses in the firewall technology being used. For example, security concerns might prohibit an organization from accepting any inbound or outbound flow of UDP data through the firewall. Because these UDP connections are required for NetMeeting audio and video features, disabling this function excludes audio and video features in NetMeeting for calls through the firewall. The organization can still use NetMeeting data conferencing features such as program sharing, file transfer, whiteboard, and chat for calls through the firewall by allowing only TCP connections on ports 522 and 1503. For more information about NetMeeting firewall security, see the section titled 'Security and Policy Concerns,' in the chapter of the NetMeeting Resource Kit from the previous link (scroll through the chapter until you find the section). Establishing a NetMeeting Connection with a Firewall When you use NetMeeting to call other users over the Internet, several IP ports are required to establish the outbound connection. If you use a firewall to connect to the Internet, it must be configured so that the following IP ports are not blocked: • TCP ports 389, 522, 1503, 1720, and 1731 • TCP and UDP ports (1024 through 65535) To establish outbound NetMeeting connections through a firewall, the firewall must be configured to do the following: • Pass through primary TCP connections on ports 389, 522, 1503, 1720, and 1731. • Pass through secondary TCP and UDP connections on dynamically assigned ports (1024 through 65535). The H.323 call setup protocol dynamically negotiates a TCP port for use by the H.323 call control protocol. Also, both the audio call control protocol and the H.323 call setup protocol dynamically negotiate UDP ports for use by the H.323 streaming protocol, the Real-Time Transfer Protocol (RTP). In NetMeeting, two UDP ports are designated on each side of the firewall for audio and video streaming, for a total of four ports for inbound and outbound audio and video. These dynamically negotiated ports are selected arbitrarily from all ports that can be assigned dynamically. NetMeeting directory services require either port 389 or port 522, depending on the type of server you are using. The Microsoft Internet Locator Service (ILS), which supports LDAP for NetMeeting, requires port 389. The Microsoft User Location Service (ULS), developed for NetMeeting 1.0, requires port 522. Firewall Limitations for NetMeeting Some firewalls cannot support an arbitrary number of virtual internal IP addresses, or cannot do so dynamically. With these firewalls, you can establish outbound NetMeeting connections from computers inside the firewall to computers outside the firewall, and you can use the audio and video features of NetMeeting. Users outside the organization cannot, however, establish inbound connections from outside the firewall to computers inside the firewall. Typically, this restriction is due to limitations in the network implementation of the firewall. Note Some firewalls are capable of accepting only certain protocols and cannot handle TCP connections. For example, if your firewall is a Web proxy server with no generic connection-handling mechanism, you will not be able to use NetMeeting through the firewall. You can use the following sources to learn more about NetMeeting configuration and firewall topics. • For more information about NetMeeting firewall connections, see 'Firewall Configuration' in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit, particularly the section titled 'Establishing a NetMeeting Connection with a Firewall' at: • For more information about using NetMeeting and your firewall, see article 158623, 'How to Establish NetMeeting Connections through a Firewall' in the Microsoft Knowledge Base at: • To view all the chapters in the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit, see the TechNet Web site. Alternate Methods for Controlling NetMeeting You can create customized installation options for specific users or groups within your organization by using the NetMeeting Resource Kit Wizard. Additionally, you can use the NetMeeting Resource Kit Wizard to control user and computer access rights by creating custom configurations of client settings and specific features that you have selected to restrict or allow. For example, you can control audio and video access, set data throughput limits and network speeds, and choose to display online support. The Resource Kit Wizard can also help you set up various configurations of NetMeeting for different types of users and different levels of security. It can help you save network bandwidth by restricting specific features. You can also use the Resource Kit Wizard both to change registry settings for all NetMeeting users and to implement such changes globally. Note By selecting certain options in the Resource Kit Wizard, be aware that you may be changing the NetMeeting user interface. For example, if you click Restrict the Use of Video, the Video tab does not appear in the NetMeeting user's Options dialog box. Part 4 of the Resource Kit for NetMeeting has an appendix that provides detailed information about responding to NetMeeting problems, including problem descriptions, causes, and resolutions. For more information about the NetMeeting 3.0 Resource Kit, see the Microsoft TechNet Web site. Procedures for Configuration of NetMeeting NetMeeting is designed to enhance the enterprise environment and enable users to communicate internally and externally with other NetMeeting users. You can use Group Policy to develop a NetMeeting feature management policy to support the specific business rules or communication policies that exist within your organization. For example, your organization may not want users to be able to access or use the NetMeeting chat feature from their computers. By using Active Directory and Group Policy, you can disable the chat feature from any or all computers that are affected by the application of the Group Policy configuration settings. For lists of Group Policy settings that you can use to manage NetMeeting configuration options, see 'NetMeeting and Group Policy,' earlier in this section. Procedures for Managing NetMeeting Features Through Group Policy This subsection provides procedures for the following configuration methods: • Locating the Group Policy settings for NetMeeting configuration settings. These are the settings listed in 'NetMeeting and Group Policy,' earlier in this section. • Disabling the NetMeeting remote desktop sharing feature. This prevents users from using this feature. • Disabling the NetMeeting advanced calling feature. • Disabling the NetMeeting chat feature. To Locate the Group Policy Settings for NetMeeting User Configuration Settings • As needed, see Appendix B, 'Learning About Group Policy and Updating Administrative Templates,' and then edit an appropriate GPO. • Click User Configuration, click Administrative Templates, click Windows Components, and then click NetMeeting. • View the Group Policy settings that are available. For more information about these settings, see 'NetMeeting and Group Policy,' earlier in this section. To Disable the NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing Feature Through Group Policy Use the following steps to configure the Group Policy setting to prevent users from using the NetMeeting remote desktop sharing feature. • As needed, see Appendix B, 'Learning About Group Policy and Updating Administrative Templates,' and then edit an appropriate GPO. • Click Computer Configuration, click Administrative Templates, click Windows Components, and then click NetMeeting. • In the details pane, double-click Disable remote Desktop Sharing. • Click Enabled. Note Computer-related Group Policy settings are applied when the operating system starts and during the periodic refresh cycle. To Disable the NetMeeting Advanced Calling Feature Through Group Policy Use the following steps to configure the Group Policy setting to disable the advanced calling feature on the NetMeeting options page. • As needed, see Appendix B, 'Learning About Group Policy and Updating Administrative Templates,' and then edit an appropriate GPO. • Click User Configuration, click Administrative Templates, click Windows Components, click NetMeeting, and then click Options Page. • In the details pane, double-click Disable the Advanced Calling button, and then click Enabled. To Disable the NetMeeting Chat Feature Through Group Policy Use the following steps to configure the Group Policy setting to prevent the use of the NetMeeting Chat feature. • As needed, see Appendix B, 'Learning About Group Policy and Updating Administrative Templates,' and then edit an appropriate GPO. • Click User Configuration, click Administrative Templates, click Windows Components, and then click NetMeeting. • In the details pane, double-click Disable Chat, and then click Enabled. - - Using the Whiteboard Whiteboards have become a standard feature in boardrooms and conference rooms. Presenters, facilitators, and meeting leaders use them to record action points, highlight important information, and draw charts and diagrams. If you’re running a remote conference via NetMeeting, you can use its Whiteboard feature for the same purposes. The Whiteboard is basically a revamped version of the Paint window that enables you to enter text, highlight information, and draw lines and shapes. Everything you add to the Whiteboard is reflected on the other users’ screens, so they see exactly what you’re typing and drawing. You can create multiple Whiteboard pages, and even save pages for later use. To work with the Whiteboard, each user must display it by using any of the following techniques: • Select Tools, Whiteboard • Press Ctrl+W • Click the Whiteboard toolbar button For basic operations, you use Whiteboard just as you use Paint. That is, you select a tool to work with, select a line width (if applicable for the tool), select a color, and then draw your shape or type your text. However, Whiteboard has quite a few other techniques that aren’t found in the Paint program. Here’s a summary: shows the Whiteboard window that appears. Use the Whiteboard to draw text and pictures that can be seen by the other users in the conference. • Locking the Whiteboard contents—To prevent the other users from changing the Whiteboard screen while you work, either select View, Lock Contents or click the Lock Contents tool. • Using the remote pointer—Whiteboard has a remote pointer that, when activated, appears on each user’s Whiteboard. To activate it, either select View, Remote Pointer or click the Remote Pointer On tool. When the pointer appears, use the mouse to drag it around the screen. • Displaying the contents of another window in the Whiteboard— Whiteboard has a Select Window feature that enables you to display the contents of another open window inside the Whiteboard. To activate this feature, either select Tools, Select Window or click the Select Window tool. Click OK in the Whiteboard Select Window dialog box that appears, and then click the window you want to display. • Displaying part of the screen in the Whiteboard— Rather than an entire window, you might prefer to display only part of the screen in the Whiteboard. To do this, either select Tools, Select Area or click the Select Area tool. Click OK in the Whiteboard Select Area dialog box that appears, and then use the mouse to select the screen area you want to display. • Clearing the Whiteboard— If you want to start over, you can clear the contents of the Whiteboard either by selecting Edit, Clear Page or by pressing Ctrl+Delete. Click Yes when NetMeeting asks you to confirm the deletion. • Adding another page to the Whiteboard—The Whiteboard is capable of displaying multiple pages. To add a new page, either select Edit, Insert Page After or click the Insert New Page button. • Navigating Whiteboard pages— When you have multiple pages in the Whiteboard, you can navigate among them by pressing Ctrl+Page Up (to move to the next page) or Ctrl+Page Down (to move to the previous page). Note that as you move from page to page, the remote users’ Whiteboards also change pages. You can also use the following navigation buttons: Previous Page Next Page • Deleting a Whiteboard page— To remove the current page from the Whiteboard, select Edit, Delete page. • Preventing remote users from seeing your changes— If you want to make some changes to a page without the other users seeing them, deactivate the View, Synchronize command, move to the page and make your changes, and then activate View, Synchronize again. The remote users will remain on the original page while you make your edits. • Saving the Whiteboard— If you think you’ll need to use your Whiteboard again, select File, Save and then choose a location and name for the new file. (Whiteboard files use the.nmw extension.) To reuse the Whiteboard, select File, Open and choose the Whiteboard file from the Open dialog box. Sharing Programs Chat and the Whiteboard are handy features, but their functionality is limited to text and simple drawings or screenshots. For truly collaborative computing, you need the ability to run a program on one computer and display what’s happening on the remote machines. An even better scenario is one in which all the users can work with an application at the same time. The good news is that NetMeeting can handle both situations, albeit with a few quirks and security concerns. The next two sections take you through NetMeeting’s program sharing features. Caution Program sharing works best when all users have their screens set to the same resolution. If a user running at high resolution (for example, 1,024×768) shares a maximized application with a user running at low resolution (for example, 800×600), the user with the lower resolution sees only part of the shared program’s window. However, that user can still see more of the window by scrolling vertically and horizontally within the window that contains the shared program. Demonstrating a Program NetMeeting’s default method for application sharing is to select one of your running programs to share, and the program’s window appears on the other users’ screens. However, only you can access the program’s features and edit the program’s documents. This is perfect if you just want to demonstrate a feature or display a document. To share an application in this way, follow these steps. Tip If you have data in an application window that you want to hide from others, use another open window to cover that portion of the shared window. The remote users will see a pattern over the obscured section of the window. Any actions you perform within this window (including mouse movements) are mirrored on the remote screens. Allowing Remote Users to Assume Control Instead of merely demonstrating a program to the other users, you might prefer a more interactive approach that allows each user to work with the shared application. This is called giving a remote user control. After you’ve shared an application, you switch to this mode by following these steps. Caution When you allow other people to assume control over a program, they can use it just as though they were sitting at your keyboard. Depending on the program, this might include the ability to open, save, and delete files, or even to launch programs. Therefore, exercise some caution when allowing others to control certain programs. On the remote user’s screen, the Control window (that is, the window within which the shared program appears) displays controllable in the title bar. To request control of the window, the remote user has two choices: • Select Control, Request Control • Double-click the shared window On your screen, the Request Control dialog box appears (unless you activated the Automatically Accept Requests for Control check box). Click Accept to allow the user to assume control of the window, or click Reject to prevent the user from taking control. Stopping Program Sharing To end the program sharing, either exit the shared program or return to the Sharing window and perform one of the following: • If you only want to stop others from assuming control of the program, click Prevent Control. • To stop sharing the program, select it in the list of programs and then click Unshare. If you’re sharing multiple programs, you can stop sharing all of them at once by clicking Unshare All. Setting NetMeeting Options To finish our look at NetMeeting, this section shows you how to customize the program using its extensive list of properties. To work with these options, select Tools, Options to display the Options dialog box. The options in the General tab control a mixed bag of NetMeeting settings. Here’s a review: My Directory Information The controls in this group display the personal NetMeeting data that you specified when configuring the program. Feel free to edit this information as needed. Directory Use this list to specify the default directory server you want NetMeeting to use. Do Not List My Name in the Directory Activate this check box if you prefer that your data not appear in the directory server. Log On to the Directory Server When NetMeeting Starts If you activate this check box, NetMeeting will log you on to the directory server each time you start the program. Run NetMeeting in the Background When Windows Starts Activate this check box to launch NetMeeting automatically when you start Windows XP. Show the NetMeeting Icon on the Taskbar This check box toggles the NetMeeting icon on and off in the taskbar’s notification area. Bandwidth Settings Click this button to select your connection speed. Advanced Calling Click this button to enable and configure a gatekeeper or gateway server on your network. The options in the Security tab enable you to configure secure calling: Incoming Calls Activate this check box to force NetMeeting to accept only secure incoming calls. Outgoing Calls Activate this check box to force NetMeeting to place all your calls as secure calls. Use Privacy (Encryption) Only Activate this option to use the standard NetMeeting Certificate to encrypt your secure calls. Use this Certificate for Privacy and Authentication Activate this option to use a digital ID to both encrypt your calls and to authenticate yourself as the caller. Use the list below this option to select the digital ID you want to use. The Audio tab controls various settings related to the audio portion of the NetMeeting show. Here’s a summary. Note Not all sound cards support all the options in the Audio tab. If a check box is disabled, your sound card doesn’t support that feature. Enable Full-Duplex Audio So I Can Speak While Receiving Audio This check box toggles full-duplex (two-way) audio on and off. Enable Auto-Gain Control NetMeeting’s Auto-Gain feature adjusts the microphone volume based on the volume of your voice. That is, if you speak quietly, NetMeeting increases the microphone volume to compensate; if you speak loudly, the value is decreased accordingly. If a noisy work environment causes the micro phone level to fluctuate unpredictably, deactivate this check box to shut off automatic gain. Automatically Adjust Microphone Volume While in a Call This is similar to the Auto-Gain feature. If your sound card doesn’t support auto-gain, activate this check box instead. Enable DirectSound for Improved Audio Performance Activate this check box to use DirectSound, which reduces the delay between the time that audio is sent and when it is heard. Tuning Wizard Click this button to run the Audio Tuning Wizard. This is a good idea if you change your sound card or the speed of your connection. (You can also launch the Audio Tuning Wizard by selecting Tools, Audio Tuning Wizard. Note that this command is unavailable while you’re in an audio conference.) Advanced Click this button if you’d like to configure your own audio codecs. In the Advanced Compression Settings dialog box, activate the Manually Configure Compression Settings check box. Then use the Preferred Codec for Audio Compression list to choose the default codec. Silence Detection The sensitivity of your microphone to the detection of silence is a measure of how it handles background noises. A high sensitivity setting means the microphone will pick up back ground noises. By default, NetMeeting adjusts this sensitivity automatically (that is, the Adjust Silence Detection Automatically option button is activated). If you prefer to make the adjustments yourself, activate the Let Me Adjust Silence Detection Myself option, and then use the slider to choose a setting (move the slider to the right for higher sensitivity; move it to the left for lower sensitivity). If you have video capability on your system, use the controls in the Video tab to set up your video conferencing: Automatically Send Video at the Start of Each Call Activate this check box to configure NetMeeting to start sending the video immediately after connecting to the remote user. Automatically Receive Video at the Start of Each Call When this check box is activated, NetMeeting displays the incoming video stream when the call connects. If you’d prefer not to see incoming video, deactivate this check box. Send Image Size These options determine the default size of the video image you send. Video Quality As usual with video applications, in NetMeeting there is a trade-off between video speed and video quality. You can use this slider to set the level of quality you prefer. Move the slider to the left for a better frame rate; move the slider to the right for higher quality within each frame. The Video Capture Device I Wish to Use Is This list shows you the video device NetMeeting is using. If you have more than one device on your system, use this list to select the one you want to use. Click the Source button to display the Video Source dialog box, which enables you to adjust various settings related to the device. Click Format to set video capture properties, if your capture card supports this option. Show Mirror Image in Preview Video Window Activate this check box to show your video preview as though you were looking in a mirror. (Note that only you see this mirror image; the remote user sees the normal image.).
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January 2018
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