NetMeeting 2 is a fully featured Internet video conferencing tool which is partially integrated into the Microsoft Internet Explorer family of Net applications. It enables you to see and hear others on the Net as well as carry out a variety of other communication functions.

Setting up NetMeeting 2

To use NetMeeting 2 you need a a 32-bit Winsock connection to the Internet such as Win95 Dial-Up Networking. If you can use MSIE3 successfully you can also use NetMeeting 2.

Before you install Netmeeting 2 use the Recorder Applet in Accessories|Multimedia to check your microphone and speaker recording and playback sound levels are adequate.

The main problem NetMeeting 2 users experience is poor sound. If the recording level is inadequate increase the microphone sensitivity using whatever tools are provided with your sound card. It's no good using the sliders below the menu in NetMeeting 2 unless the sound levels are set up correctly to start with.

If you have a video camera, get it set up and working correctly before you install NetMeeting. Use the Detach My Video option on the View menu to create a floating video window and check your own video feed.

The other party's video will always show automatically, but you may have to specify your video source depending on the way it's implemented on your PC. Do this from Tool|Options|Video|Source.

When you first install Netmeeting you're given the opportunity to tune your Microphone using the Audio Tuning Wizard. Take it. The correct sound levels and microphone sensitivity are important to getting the most out of NetMeeting 2. You can run the Wizard again at any time from the Tools menu.

NetMeeting 2 will work without a microphone or video camera but you're limited to a smaller range of communications features.

Locating Other People

Establish your Internet connection as per normal and start NetMeeting 2. By default it will log on to the User Locations Service set up by Microsoft using the server called ils.micosoft.com . However several others are available from the pull down Server menu. Simply select one and NetMeeting 2 will log on to it instead.

The default server choice can be changed from Tools|Options|Calling. From here you can also choose not to be listed on the server when you connect to it.

Click on the Directory tab at the left of the main NetMeeting 2 window to see a list of people logged on to the same server. The icons at the left show their current call status and the features they have available.

To filter the often long lists to find people with specific features, for example, the same nationality as yourself or with access to a video camera, use the pull down Category menu.

Choosing the other party

Check the names and comments of others. Look for someone who just wants to practice chatting - in your own language - rather than someone interested in sexual encounters conducted in Japanese. The former will be more interested in talking to you.

Not all the people listed will be available. A number of NetMeeting 2 users have permanent connections even though they're not permanently at their PCs. Others are waiting for a specific person to call them. You may have to call several people to make a connection.

To call someone, click on their name to select it and then click the Call button on the menu bar.

If the other party has a permanent IP address on the Internet it's worth adding their name to the SpeedDial list. There's little point to it with dial-up users.

If someone tries to call you a dialog box will appear with the options Accept or Ignore. Click Accept and a connection is established.

Audio and video

If you and the other party both have audio and video capability these will work automatically when you make a connection. You can turn either or both off during a call. Sound levels can be altered and/or turned off from the tick boxes beneath the menu bar.

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If you've set up or joined a Meeting only two participants can use audio and video. In practice, multi-party meetings are best conducted using Text Chat and perhaps the Whiteboarding features.

To turn video off click on the toggle button at the base of the My Video window. It will change to show the NetMeeting 2 logo and the message Not Sending. Click again to re-activate it.

If you're in a Meeting with several parties you can only use audio and video with one of them. Switch between them during a session using the Tools|Switch Audio and Video option to select the person you wish to see and hear.

Using NetMeeting 2 on a local network

You should consult your Network Administrator for instructions. Specifically, you'll need the name of the local User Location Service and you may need different protocol settings in NetMeeting 2.

Using Chat

The Chat feature is available from the Tools menu. It's simple and reliable to use and the preferred method of exchanging precise information such as numbers or addresses - it saves a lot of confusion and repetition. Simply type in the message you want to send and hit Return. The message appears in your own Chat box and that of the other party. When they type a message it appears on your screen. The default operation is the most useful, though you can alter this from the Chat Options menu. For example, you can change the font used.

Using whiteboarding

The Whiteboard is a shared workspace. You start it from the Tools menu. When it's running you can draw into it, type text into it, paste images into it or copy data from spreadsheets, drawings or other applications to it.

Anything you put on the Whiteboard appears on the Whiteboard of the other party you're connected to, and vice versa. It's most commonly used in conjunction with the Chat feature for accurate communication. If several users are in a Meeting they can all access the same Whiteboard.

Using file transfer

On the Tools menu click File Transfer. From the cascading menu choose Send File. A dialog box opens from which you can select the file to send. You can send files of any format. The file will go to everyone you're currently connected to. To send it to a specific person right click their icon.

From the same File Transfer menu you can select Open Received Files Folder. If you want files saved to a different folder edit the default location in View|Options|General.

If you're on a dial-up connection file transfer is much more efficient with the audio and video turned off. Use Chat instead or it will take all day.

Using shared applications

For this to work you must be on-line, in a call with another party and have the application running at both ends of the call. From Tools select Share Application and then the application you want to share.

Once an application is shared you or the other party takes control of it by double clicking inside the application window. When you have control your cursor will appear as normal. If another party has control your cursor changes to reflect this and you can't work in the application.

Changes you make in your copy of the application are reflected in the remote copy and vice versa. In effect, it's the same as whiteboarding but with a different kind of application.

As a rule, don't share Explorer. It makes all open windows accessible to the other party. Share only relevant applications.

Using other services from NetMeeting 2

E-mail
To use your default e-mail application select mail from the Go menu.

Web Browser
To use your default Web browser select any of the Web options on the Go menu.

Newsgroups
To use your default newsgroup client select News from the Go menu.

Connecting to other netphones

It's possible to talk or use video with someone who isn't using NetMeeting 2, though you will have to log into a suitable server and use the H.323 connection protocols - as will the other party. In general, expect a lower sound and video quality as H.323 uses a common - and not particularly optimised - sub-set of the compression protocols required for sound and video transmission over the Net.