OPAL-Bologna, Internal Note
Bologna, 20/12/1997
Use of NetMeeting as a Telephone Connection
between Bologna and CERN
Roberto Giacomelli and Gianni Siroli
University of Bologna and INFN, Sezione di Bologna
Viale Berti-Pichat 6/2, I-40127 Bologna, Italy
E-mail: giacomellir@bo.infn.it, siroli@bo.infn.it
Microsoft NetMeeting is a set of application and network components that enable real-time audio, video and data communication over the Internet. We have successfully tested the system between Bologna and CERN. Our purpose concerns the implementation of a device that combines the capabilities of a telephone with a rich set of data features, such as Application Sharing, File Transfer, Whiteboard, Chat and, in the future, video, [1].
Start Microsoft NetMeeting as follows:
- Click the Start button, and then point to Programs.
- Click Microsoft NetMeeting.
When you open Microsoft NetMeeting for the first time, a wizard appears that helps you get ready to use NetMeeting and managing your personal informations during a call. If you cancel this wizard, you will not be able to use NetMeeting.
When you first run Microsoft NetMeeting, a setup wizard prompts you for the name of the User Location Server (ULS) you want to use. Microsoft maintains a User Location Server on the Internet at uls.microsoft.com. It is better not to use this feature, because it frequently hangs up the program.
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.
Microsoft NetMeeting supports meetings of up to 32 people; but only the first two people connected with audio can participate in an audio call, and only three people can share applications from their computers at one time. The total number of people that can successfully participate in a meeting will vary depending on the available network bandwidth and on the speed of the participant's computers.
Some activities might cause large amounts of data to be transfered among the computers used in the meeting (for example, voice and sharing several applications while transferring a large file). In extreme cases, this might cause computers in the meeting to become very slow. In order to remedy this difficulty, one may stop one or more of the meeting activities.
When you share an application, other users can use it as if they are standing in front of your computer. You will be able to see everything the other users are doing in your shared applications.
To stop someone from using your shared program: if you do not have control of the cursor, press ESC, if you do have control of the cursor, click the Work Alone button. It is recommended that you do not leave your computer unattended while sharing an application and/or Collaborate.
Application Sharing, Whiteboard, and Chat might not work properly between computers with different language settings and keyboard layouts.
You can place Microsoft NetMeeting calls to multiple users. Any person in a meeting can place Microsoft NetMeeting calls to other people. In addition, other people can join a Microsoft NetMeeting call in progress by calling one of the participants.
When NetMeeting is started, a window called Speed Dial (one can obtain this window by clicking on the icon Speed Dial) will appear. In this window, one can keep a list of computers which can be directly called simply by double clicking the name. One can add a computer to the list by clicking Add Speed Dial in the Speed Dial menu.
You can directly call someone by clicking New Call in the Call menu: a new window will appear and you have to write the address of the computer selecting the Network (TCP/IP) call method.
You are ready to receive an incoming call if you are currently running Microsoft NetMeeting and have not selected Do Not Disturb on the Call menu.
When someone tries to call you, a window will appear informing you who is calling and the possibility to Accept or Ignore the call, and a bell rings every second; after 4 rings the caller hangs up.
Any person in a meeting can share one or more applications with the other participants. When you share an application, other people can see the applications. When you Collaborate, other people can see and use the applications.
To start sharing a running application go on Share Application in the Tools menu and select the application you want to share; in order to stop sharing an application de-select the application in the same way.
You can let people use your shared applications by selecting Start Collaborating in the Tools menu. To start using a shared application double click on the application. If you want to stop others from using your shared application press ESC.
The Whiteboard enables every user of the meeting to draw simultaneously. 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.
To start the Whiteboard click on its icon in NetMeeting main window.
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 .csv file extension. If Microsoft Excel, or another program that can read files in .csv format is installed on your computer, it can be used to open chat files. To open a Chat file with Chat, run Chat, click the File menu, click Open, and select the file to be opened. To start Chat click on its icon in the NetMeeting main window.
Files dragged onto the listing of people" in the meeting are sent to all the people in the meeting.
To send a file to a specific person, right click that person's icon 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.
When a file is received, the system can open it with the right application, if it is installed.
By default, audio communication is enabled for TCP/IP calls. To place an audio-only or data-only call, open the Advanced Calling dialog box, select Network (TCP/IP), and choose the appropriate option.
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.
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.
We are starting to use this feature as a telephone for exchanging work informations between Bologna and CERN. Until now we have one PC in Bologna and two at CERN all equipped with Sound Bluster audio cards and Windows NT 4.0.
In the future we will install other systems with NetMeeting and we will try to use the video features.
[1] G.Artusi, P.Capiluppi, P.Cinti, R.Giacomelli, P.Mazzanti and G.Siroli, Software gratuito per videoconferenze, DFUB 97/5 (1997).
We would like to acknowledge the cooperation of G.Artusi, P.Capiluppi, P.Cinti and P.Mazzanti.