From symptoms to solutions

Click on the statement that most nearly identifies the problem:

Audio indicators report high audio loss or delay.

Processor use graph displays the caution symbol.

Video indicators report high video loss or delay.

Video quality is poor.

Voice communication breaks up.


About Intel Connection Advisor(tm) software
About Intel Connection
Advisor™ software

Intel Connection Advisor software monitors activities that affect your calls.  Collected information displays on the status window.

To display the status window, double-click the Intel Connection Advisor software icon in your Windows* 95 tray.


How you know there's a problem

When there may be a problem, the Intel Connection Advisor™ icon in your Windows* 95 tray displays with the Caution symbol.

1	Double-click the icon to open the status window.

2	Read the tip on the Advice section of the General tab.

3	For details, click the More Info button.

Note
Measurements are updated continuously and may change as you watch.


Notes on the software icon

This software uses an icon to display status.

Icon location

By default, the icon displays in the Windows* 95 tray.

Icon display

When the icon is:

Present	The software is running and ready to monitor your connection.
With Caution Symbol	A potential problem exists. Double-click the icon to see the status window.  Look for the yellow Caution symbol next to an indicator or graph.
Hiding and showing the icon

To prevent the icon from displaying in the tray:

1	Click the Options button on the status window.

2	Go to Show the icon in the system tray.

3	Select the check box to remove the  · .

4	Click OK to close the Options window.

To display the icon in the tray:

1	Click the Options button on the status window.

2	Go to Show the icon in the system tray.

3	Select the check box to insert a  · .

4	Click OK to close the Options window.


The Caution symbol

	The Caution symbol displays when you may have connection problems.  The symbol displays with the Intel Connection Advisor™ software icon in the Windows* 95 tray.  It also displays on status window indicators and graphs.


How to get help

Help topics

Click the Help button on the status window to display Help Topics.

To Get What’s this? help

1	Position the cursor over any tip, graph or indicator.

2	Right-click your mouse to display a pop-up menu.

3	Click What’s this? to display summary information.

4	Some objects also provide the Help for this Indicator selection.  Click this entry for a related help topic.

Click the More Info button

On the General tab, there is an Advice box.  It provides summary information.  If you want more detailed information, click the More Info button in the box.  A help topic will display.


Improving system performance

Symptoms

•	Your processor use indicator (status display, General tab) is close to 100%.

•	Your call takes a long time to connect.

•	Voices break up.

•	Video quality is poor.

Suggestions

•	Close as many programs as possible.

•	If you are using a speaker phone, make sure your microphone and speakers are positioned according to your computer manufacturer’s recommendations.

•	When you make a video call, make sure you are not sitting in front of a busy background.  Does the wall paper behind you fit that description?

•	These symptoms may be masking a connection problem.  Hang up and try again.  You may get a better connection.

•	If you are using full-duplex  audio, try a half-duplex connection.  This reduces the load on your computer.


Solving audio problems

Symptoms

•	Audio indicators (on the status display, Audio tab) indicate high audio loss or delay.

•	You can’t hear your guest.

•	Voices break up.

Suggestions

•	Check your computer’s volume setting.

•	Check the setting for your microphone.  Your gain may be low.

•	Are you operating in half-duplex mode?  In this mode, one person must stop talking before the other can begin.

•	If you are using a speaker phone, make sure your microphone and speakers are positioned according to your computer manufacturer’s recommendations.

•	Close as many programs as possible.

•	These symptoms may be masking a connection problem.  Hang up and try again.  You may get a better connection.

•	If you are using full-duplex mode, try a half-duplex connection.  This reduces the load on your computer.


Solving video problems

Symptoms

•	Video indicators (status display, Video tab) show high video loss or delay.

•	Video quality is poor.

Suggestions

•	Check your lighting.  There should be plenty of it, but it should not be harsh.  Make sure your light source is in front of you (not behind you).

•	Don’t transmit from a location that has a busy background.  Does the wall paper behind you fit that description?

•	Wear solid colors when making video calls.  Avoid gray.

•	Move around slowly when transmitting.

•	If your camera has adjustment knobs, try several settings.

•	Make sure your computer’s color palette is set to high color (16-bit) or true color (24-bit).

•	Close as many programs as possible.

•	These symptoms may be masking a connection problem.  Hang up and try again.  You may get a better connection.

•	If you are using full-duplex audio, try a half-duplex connection.  This reduces the load on your computer.


Tips on making voice
or video calls

When placing voice or video calls, follow these guidelines to ensure the best connection quality:

•	When starting other applications on your PC, don't talk until the application opens.  Starting an application can use most of your system's resources.

•	Your computer phone depends on your PC's sound system.  If you want to play a game or run an application that uses sound during your call, turn off the application's sound.

•	To maximize the audio portion of your call, pause video.

•	To maximize the video portion of your call, keep motion to a minimum.

•	If you are browsing the Internet during your call, don't talk while your browser locates the requested page.  Displaying and downloading information from the Internet can use most of your system's resources, which can cause connection problems.


* Brand, name, or trademark owned by another company.


Intel Connection Advisor™ software monitors activity that might affect your calls.


Click this button to access the Options window and change how the software works.


Click this button to connect to the Intel Connected PC Internet site.  If  your browser isn’t open, clicking Home will open it.


This is the Intel ProShare® technology logo.


Click this button to display Help Topics for Intel Connection Advisor™ software.


The computer processor use graph tells how busy your computer is.  If use is high, your computer is working near maximum capacity.


The connection data rate graph tells how much information is being sent and received.  The total includes voice, video, and data channels.  Information is in kilobits per second (kbps).


The audio data rate graph tells how much voice information is being sent and received.  Light activity means that no voice information is being sent.  Information is in kilobits per second (kbps).


The audio loss indicator shows the percentage of the voice information lost between your PC and a guest’s PC.  High losses can interfere with clear reception.  The Caution symbol displays when audio loss may cause a problem.


The audio delay indicator shows how long voice information waits before being sent.  The Caution symbol displays when audio delay may cause a problem.


The audio duplex setting tells you whether your audio is full-duplex or half-duplex.  Using full-duplex audio, both you and a guest can talk at the same time.  Using half-duplex audio, one of you must stop talking before the other can be heard.


The video data rate graph tells how much video information is being sent and received.  Light activity means that no information is being sent.  Information is in kilobits per second (kbps).


The video loss indicator tells what percentage of the video transmission is being lost.  High losses interfere with reception.  The Caution symbol displays when video loss may cause a problem.


The video delay indicator tells how long video information waits before being sent.  The Caution symbol displays when the delay may cause a problem.


Changing the way the status dialog works
Changing the way the software works

Click the Options button on the status window to access Options and change the way the Intel Connection Advisor™ software works.

Your choices are:

•	Keep the status window on top of other windows

•	Open the status window automatically if a problem occurs

•	Show the icon in the system tray

To change an option, select its check box.


Full-duplex audio means all of these conditions are true:

•	You have a sound card that supports full-duplex functionality.

•	Your guest has a full-duplex sound card.

•	You have a connection that supports full-duplex sound.


Half-duplex audio means one (or more) of these conditions is true:

•	You have a sound card that does not support full-duplex functionality.

•	Your guest does not have a supported full-duplex sound card.

•	You have a half-duplex sound card.

•	You have selected half-duplex mode.

•	You do not have sufficient connection bandwidth for full-duplex sound.


Connecting to the Internet

The Home button on the status window connects you to the Intel Connection Advisor™ software Internet site.  This site provides information on upgrades and other applications that use Intel Connection Advisor software.

•	If you are currently connected to the Internet, click Home to access the Intel Connection Advisor software Internet site using your browser.

•	The Home button is disabled (gray) while you are in a call over the standard telephone network (not the Internet), or if you have no browser installed.

•	If you are not in a call over the standard telephone network, the Home button is enabled.


The Advice section provides a tip.  The Caution symbol displays if there may be a problem.  For detailed information, click the More Info button.


Tray with icon


Tray with Icon and Caution symbol
Icon with
Caution symbol


Using the Indicators and Graphs

Intel Connection Advisor™ software displays three kinds of information.

Advice

There is an Advice box on the General tab that provides a tip.  The Caution symbol displays with the tip if there may be a problem.  If you want details, click the More Info button in the Advice box.

Graphs

Graphs measure specific activities over a period of time.  If there is problem, graphs display with the Caution symbol.  To find out what a graph is measuring, right-click the graph.  Then click  What’s this?.

Indicators

Indicators provide status information (this information can change as you watch).  When a possible problem is noted, indicators display with the Caution symbol.  To find out more about an indicator, right-click the indicator.  Then click  What’s this?.


To make the status window display ALWAYS ON TOP, select this check box. You will need to do this if you are working with other applications that are ALWAYS ON TOP.


Select this check box if you want the status window to display each time the software notes a potential problem.  Clear this check box if you do not want the status window to display automatically.


Select this check box to display the Intel Connection Advisor™ software icon in the Windows* 95 tray.  The Caution symbol displays with the icon if the software detects a possible.  Clear this check box to hide the icon.


Click OK to close the Options window and keep your changes.


Click Cancel to close the Options window and cancel any changes.