Host a Virtual Meeting: Collaborate with a Video Link and a Whiteboard
One of Microsoft's best-kept secrets is that its software lets you host a virtual meeting by computer in which participants can talk, share files and even see each other--all in real time. The only things you need are access to the Internet and some inexpensive gear if you want to add audio and video. Virtual meetings allow a group scattered across the globe to collaborate simultaneously on a document, a spreadsheet or a PowerPoint slide, talking via a $10 microphone and seeing each other via a $100 video camera. Members can send files to each other, sketch diagrams or write notes on an electronic whiteboard, and incorporate all the material into a shared document or spreadsheet. The tool that brings all this to you is Microsoft NetMeeting, a collaborative workgroup application that comes with Windows 95 or later versions and just needs a few mouse clicks to activate. Follow along with us to see how to set up a virtual conference. GETTING UNDER WAY To launch NetMeeting on an XP computer click on Start, Run, type conf in the space next to Open and click on OK (exhibit 1, below). If your computer runs on Windows 2000 or an earlier version, you can access NetMeeting by clicking on Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications and NetMeeting. If for some reason you can't find NetMeeting on your computer, you can download it from www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp. After you start NetMeeting the following screen will appear (exhibit 2, below): Click on Next to generate a screen that allows you to identify yourself (exhibit 3, below): The only fields you must fill out are First name, Last name and E-mail address. The name you enter will be displayed as one of the participants in the conference. If you plan to use your computer's microphone for audio, set the speaker and microphone sensitivity using the Audio Tuning Wizard, which launches automatically (exhibit 4, below). If you don't plan to use the built-in audio (that is, if you plan to use a telephone), skip these steps by clicking on Next for the next several screens. As a practical matter, it's easier to use a telephone equipped with a speakerphone or a headset so your hands are free to type. If the computers support video technology--and you and the other participants have small video cameras--then a small window will appear on the screen showing the images forwarded by the remote video (exhibit 5, below). To use the video option, your computer needs a video capture card or camera that provides a Video for Windows capture driver. MAKING THE CALL Participants can join a virtual meeting after the "leader" (the meeting host) opens his or her NetMeeting program (exhibit 6, below). To join a meeting, participants need to enter the leader's Internet Protocol (IP) address (in our example, 131.247.95.59), which the leader must provide (exhibit 7, page 68). The leader can find his/her computer's IP address by clicking on Help, About Windows NetMeeting from the NetMeeting menu. The IP address for your computer will display at the bottom of the dialog box (exhibit 8, page 68). Though there are other ways to initiate a call, we have found IP addresses to be the simplest. Leaders should make sure their IP ad dress is "routable"--that is, the address can route traffic on the Internet. Once you find your IP address, you can check to see whether it is routable. The three nonroutable IP ranges are 10.x.x.x; 192.168.x.x; and 172.16.x.x. All others are routable. If your IP address is nonroutable, you can obtain a routable IP address from your Internet service provider. Once the leader accepts the connection, the participant's name will appear in the Name box (exhibit 9, below, right). With Windows XP we've successfully linked as many as 12 participants. Be aware that the larger the virtual meeting, the greater the likelihood of problems due to bandwidth limitations. …