Article ID: 241159
Article Last Modified on 1/25/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.0
- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01 Standard Edition
- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01 Standard Edition
- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01 Standard Edition
- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01 Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q241159
SUMMARY
This article contains a copy of the information contained in the NetMeeting 3.0 and 3.01 Readme text file.
MORE INFORMATION
System Requirements and Setup
=============================
Microsoft(R) Windows(R) NetMeeting(R) enables real-time audio, video, and data communication over the Internet. NetMeeting requires the following minimum configuration:
- Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98
- 90 megahertz (MHz) Pentium processor
- 16 megabytes (MB) of RAM
- Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.01 or later
--or--
- Microsoft Windows NT version 4.0 (Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 3 or later is required to enable sharing programs on Windows NT.)
- 90 MHz Pentium processor
- 24 MB of RAM
- Internet Explorer version 4.01 or later
It is strongly recommended that you uninstall earlier beta versions of Microsoft NetMeeting before installing this version.
If you use special characters when typing the installation location for NetMeeting during Setup, such as "\\", extended ANSI, or double-byte characters, NetMeeting may not install correctly.
If you are dual booting between Windows 95 or Windows 98 and Windows NT, you must install NetMeeting from within each operating system using separate folders. NetMeeting does not run properly from one default installation directory on both operating systems on a dual boot computer.
NetMeeting works best with a fast Internet connection, such as a 56 kilobytes per second (kbps) or faster modem, or a local area network (LAN).
For best viewing results, use 800x600 resolution or higher. You can also use compact mode.
In NetMeeting packages created with the Resource Kit, the Help may reference user interface elements that don't exist in the customized version of NetMeeting.
You must have a 32-bit TCP/IP stack and Windows sockets interface to use NetMeeting. NetMeeting has been tested with the 32-bit TCP/IP and Windows sockets built into Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT version 4.0. NetMeeting does not function properly over SLIP connections or other simulated SLIP/PPP connections.
For information about product support, see the Support.txt file in your Windows folder or NetMeeting folder.
If you're using a preinstalled OEM version of Windows 98 Second Edition, you won't be able to uninstall NetMeeting by using the Install/Uninstall tab of the Add/Remove Programs control panel. If you install a stand-alone NetMeeting version, then NetMeeting appears on the Install/Uninstall tab. Back to Contents
General Information
===================
NetMeeting includes support for the H.323 audio and video conferencing standard, and the T.120 data conferencing standard. NetMeeting can be used to place calls to and receive calls from products that are H.323 and T.120 compatible. With appropriate equipment and services from third parties, NetMeeting can place a call to a telephone using an H.323 gateway. NetMeeting also can place calls to H.323 multipoint conferencing units (MCUs) and participate in multipoint audio/video conferences.
Uninstalling NetMeeting
1. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click NetMeeting 3.0, and then click Add/Remove Programs.
3. If a dialog box appears asking if you want to restart your computer, click Yes.
If you uninstall Windows NT Service Pack 3 after installing NetMeeting, you will receive an error message each time you restart your computer. To prevent this, do the following:
1. Close the error message window.
2. In the Display properties dialog box, click Cancel.
3. In Control Panel, click Devices.
4. Click mnmdd, and then click Startup.
5. Change the Startup Type to Disabled, and then click OK.
6. Restart your computer so the change can take effect.
In Windows 98, the NetMeeting desktop shortcut and Quick Launch toolbar icons are not removed when NetMeeting is uninstalled.
General Known Issues
====================
If you are hosting a meeting and set up your preferences (others cannot share, launch Chat, etc.) in NetMeeting 3.0 or later, these preferences don't prevent NetMeeting 2.x machines from using these functions.
You cannot run ReachOut 5.0 on computers if NetMeeting is installed. To find the name that NetMeeting uses as your NetBIOS name, do the following steps:
1. In Control Panel, double-click Network.
2. Click the Identification tab.
If you use User Profiles for multiple users to maintain your Windows preferences on all the computers on a network, you might have to run the Audio Tuning Wizard again when you switch computers.
Both Microsoft(R) FrontPage(R) and NetMeeting currently use the same file type (.cnf). NetMeeting uses this file type for SpeedDials.
If you're running Windows 95 version 4.00.950B, and you cancel the Dial-up Networking dialog box that appears when you start NetMeeting, NetMeeting appears to stop responding; it works properly again after about two minutes. However, you are not logged onto the directory server until you manually connect to your Internet service provider, and then on the Call menu, choose Log On To [your directory server].
Some ISDN devices are configured to automatically connect to the network. This might cause the ISDN device to try to connect to the network while NetMeeting is running. To stop this from happening, turn off Auto-Dial on the ISDN device.
You can connect to only one other person with audio and/or video at a time.
Some activities cause large amounts of data to be sent between the computers in your meeting (for example, using audio and sharing several programs while transferring a large file). In extreme cases, this might cause computers in the meeting to become very slow. To fix this, stop one or more of the meeting activities.
Sharing of Microsoft(R) DirectX(R), OpenGL, MS-DOS(R), graphics-intensive games, and .avi files is not supported and might not function properly. Data sharing, Whiteboard, and Chat might not work properly between computers with different language settings and keyboard layouts.
NetMeeting supports the use of system policies in Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT version 4.0 and later to set default configurations in a corporate environment. NetMeeting system policies are documented, and a system policy file is included in the NetMeeting Resource Kit. For more information, see http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/reskit.
If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0 in offline mode and you try to start NetMeeting, NetMeeting does not automatically connect to the Internet. To work around this problem, dial up using Remote Access Service (RAS) (for Windows NT computers) or Dial-up Networking (for Windows 95 and Windows 98 computers). Or, in Internet Explorer, click the File menu, and then click Work Offline to clear the check mark.
Meeting settings prevent you from starting NetMeeting programs (Chat, Whiteboard, File Transfer) after you've joined a meeting. However, meeting settings don't prevent these programs from working if they are started before the hosted meeting with settings is joined.
MSN customers who aren't already connected to the MSN service while running NetMeeting may see multiple instances of the MSN logon window when opening the Find Someone dialog box.
NetMeeting 3.0 or later may not support certain TV tuner cards as input sources. Check with the manufacturer of your TV tuner for current drivers.
If you have specified that you should receive only secure calls, be aware that Office 2000 programs do not support secure conferencing. If you close NetMeeting and host a meeting using an Office 2000 program (click Tools, click Online Collaboration, click Meet Now), the meeting will not be secure.
Placing a Call
==============
You can place NetMeeting calls to multiple users.
Microsoft maintains the Microsoft Internet Directory, which you can use to find other NetMeeting users. To view the Microsoft Internet Directory, click Call, and then click Directory.
NOTE You cannot call people on the Internet that you have located on Web-based directory servers if your Internet connection uses a proxy server that does not support NetMeeting.
Additionally, if you cannot connect to someone by using their computer name, try using their IP address.
If you have two active network connections using two separate network cards, you might not be able to connect to a directory service.
If you try to make a call through your local area network or a proxy server, and MSN or Dial-Up Networking displays a connection dialog box, you can disable this by clicking the Internet icon in Control Panel, and then making sure that AutoDial isn't selected.
Some MCUs are case-sensitive, so you should type the correct capitalization conference name to place a call.
You may have to log on to a gatekeeper to call an MCU conference using the alias registered with the gatekeeper. Contact your system administrator for details.
If you specify that you want a gatekeeper to place your calls, you can log on by using either your account name or phone number, or you can specify both options.
Receiving a Call
================
You are ready to receive incoming calls if you are running NetMeeting and have not selected Do Not Disturb on the Call menu.
You are limited in the number of simultaneous connections you can make, depending on your in TCP/IP registry configuration.
Program Sharing
===============
Any person in a meeting can share a program with the other participants.
When you use the program sharing feature, other people can see the program. When you allow control, other people can both see and use the program.
Users running NetMeeting 2.x cannot control programs shared by computers running NetMeeting 3.0 or later.
Using this version of NetMeeting, you can share programs with large numbers of users. However, if a computer running NetMeeting 2.0 is in the conference, and more than three users are sharing, that computer will not be able to share a program. The total number of people who can successfully participate in your meeting depends on available network bandwidth and the speed of the participants' computers.
Windows NT users can share programs only if they have installed Service Pack 3 or later for Windows NT 4.0.
If NetMeeting is installed in a directory where the path contains extended characters, program sharing might not work.
Windows 95 users: If you share a MS-DOS session, you cannot pass control back and forth between computers with the keyboard; you have to use the mouse to take control.
Internet Explorer 4.0 users: If you share a Windows Explorer window and allow control, and the person with whom you are sharing the window closes the window, all programs and windows that you open afterwards are shared. To undo sharing in this situation, open a Windows Explorer window again, and un-share it.
When you share a program and decide to allow someone to control it, remote users can use the File Open and File Save dialog boxes in your program to gain access to or delete files on your computer or network.
If you are in control of a shared program and you use shortcut keys, the shortcut commands are applied to the shared program, not the shared frame menu. Shortcut keys will not work for menus in the shared frame.
It is recommended that you do not leave your computer unattended while sharing a program and allowing control.
When you launch another program from within the program you are sharing (such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet from within Microsoft Word), there is a possibility that the recently launched program will not be shared properly.
You cannot drag an object onto a shared program or drag an object from a shared program to the desktop.
If you are using an IntelliMouse and sharing a program, the mouse wheel might not work properly if you resize the sharing frame.
When you share a program with an Input Method Editor (IME), you should show the IME status bar so that other people can use the mouse to activate the IME.
If the IME does not support showing the status bar, or if other people are having trouble activating the IME, you can activate and deactivate the IME for them.
If the IME window fails to redraw during a meeting, you can force it to redraw by clicking anywhere on the desktop.
You may not be able to share programs on a computer that has a product installed with program sharing or remote control features (other than NetMeeting).
While someone else is in control of a shared program, the host's sharing interface (shared frames, sharing dialog boxes, and any shared frames created from other machines) becomes "hidden" on the host's desktop. When the host is in control again, the sharing interface (and any programs shared by others) reappears.
Whiteboard
==========
NetMeeting users can draw simultaneously on the Whiteboard. 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.
The Whiteboard does not maximize to the full size if you are using an 1152 by 864 or larger display.
In conferences between Windows NT computers and Windows 95 or 98 computers, double-byte character set (DBCS) characters may not be translated properly.
Chat
========
Chat enables you to type messages for other users to see. When one person in a meeting runs Chat, a chat window appears on everyone's screen if they are using NetMeeting 3.0 or later.
NetMeeting 2.11 Chat participants may not be able to close the Chat window if they are participating in a meeting with a NetMeeting 3.0 or later Chat participant.
Chat files can be saved with the .htm file extension, and then opened in an Internet browser.
NetMeeting 2.x Chat does not interoperate with NetMeeting 3.0 or later Chat in some scenarios.
Audio
=====
To use NetMeeting audio features, you need a sound card, speakers, and a microphone.
Audio is only supported with one other person.
Sound quality can vary significantly depending on your sound card, microphone, and connection.
If you modify your sound card device driver in any way, such as upgrading to a full-duplex driver, you need to run the Audio Tuning Wizard again in order for NetMeeting to work correctly.
When in a call with a NetMeeting 2.0 user, if audio stops for some reason, the 2.0 user may not be able to restart it. You have to quit your call and start over.
You may receive a message in the Audio Tuning Wizard stating that your sound card is unsupported. This occurs when the sound card does not support some of the features required for it to be used by NetMeeting. The audio features in NetMeeting may work even if you get this message, but you might experience poor audio quality.
If your sound card is unsupported, you might want to contact the manufacturer to find out if newer sound card drivers are available.
If you use the ATI All In Wonder hardware board for your capture device, it may disable the microphone and audio when you start a call. To work around this, double-click the speaker icon in the status area. Click Options, and then click Properties. Select Recording, and then click OK. Then, reselect the microphone as the recording input source.
If you are using sound cards made by Turtle Beach, Yamaha, SoundBlaster (excluding the Ensoniq-based AudioPCI types), Diamond, Crystal, or Microsoft USB speakers, you will benefit from low latency audio by enabling DirectSound. This option is not enabled by default.
You might experience improved audio quality by enabling DirectSound.
1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Audio tab, select the Enable Direct Sound for improved audio performance check box.
If you are experiencing choppy full-duplex sound quality, do the following to switch NetMeeting to half-duplex sound quality:
1. Make sure that you are not in a NetMeeting call.
2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
3. On the Audio tab, clear the Enable full-duplex audio so I can speak while receiving audio check box.
It is recommended that you not switch back and forth between full-duplex and half-duplex audio while in a meeting with audio.
If you are having problems with your audio quality or sound card when using NetMeeting, the problems could be related to your hardware configuration or driver installation. To see the latest support information, click the Help menu, and then click Online Support.
If your computer has more than one audio device, you should make sure that the audio devices selected in the Audio Tuning Wizard match the selections in the Multimedia properties in Control Panel.
If you upgrade your computer's processor, you should run the Audio Tuning Wizard again.
When you are in an audio conference using NetMeeting, a program that has the ability to record sound, such as Microsoft PowerPoint, appears to be recording sound. However, since NetMeeting is already using the sound card, the other program isn't actually recording.
If you adjust the Windows Wave Output Balance control to the right, you may lose all NetMeeting speaker volume.
If your computer and the computer you are calling each have WDM audio drivers, you may hear static when you first connect. If this occurs, disable DirectSound.
1. On the Tools menu, click Options. 2. On the Audio tab, clear the Enable Direct Sound for improved audio performance check box.
Video
======
To send video with NetMeeting, you need either a video-capture card and camera, or a video camera that connects through your computer's parallel (printer) port or USB port. You will not be able to send video on some computers with a processor slower than a Pentium.
Cameras that have a video-capture card use less of your computer's processing resources than cameras that connect through your computer's parallel port. It's recommended that you use a color parallel port camera only if your computer has a Pentium 133 or later.
Video is only supported with one other person at a time.
The default setting for video over a 28.8 kbps modem connection is Better quality. To change this setting, click the Tools menu, click Options, click the Video tab, and then adjust the Video quality option.
The size of the video preview window may not reflect the size that is selected in the Options dialog box.
Running video in a multi-user meeting can reduce the performance of all the computers in the meeting. For example, opening a video window while sharing a program can make it difficult for others to take control of the program.
If you have more than one video device installed, or you have not properly uninstalled a video device that was previously installed, you might not be able to use video. If your video device is not properly uninstalled and you have enabled video in NetMeeting, the remaining camera software may warn you repeatedly that it cannot find the camera.
If you disconnect your camera while using the video features in NetMeeting, your camera's software may display messages telling you that the camera isn't responding. To disable these messages, click the Tools menu, click Options, click Video, and then clear the Automatically send video at the start of each call check box.
If you are running another program that uses video capture, the video functions in NetMeeting may be disabled.
If some areas of your video window contain the wrong colors, your camera might be aimed at an area with insufficient light. Some video drivers provide a low-light filter option.
If you are using the video features in a dark area, some cameras causes your computer to become extremely slow and unresponsive.
If your video capture device fails to preview video, you might not have the correct display codec (e.g., YUV or I420) installed. You can download the latest Intel Indeo Video version from
http://developer.intel.com/ial/indeo/video.
Audio input for users of Winnov cameras is automatically switched whenever video is in use. If your video is connected using the MXC connection, the camera input is used for audio. If your video is connected using the Composite or S-Video connection, the line input is used for audio.
With some cameras, you may be able to reduce CPU usage by manually adjusting the settings in the Source and Format dialog boxes instead of letting the video driver software do it automatically.
If you use WDM drivers for the ATI All In Wonder hardware board, you may not have video capability in NetMeeting.
Gatekeepers and Gateways
========================
It is recommended that you do not change your gatekeeper and registration information during a call.
Certain programs (such as Microsoft(R) WebTV(R) for Windows 98), netcards, and PPP adaptors assign IP addresses that may interfere with your gatekeeper registration.
Remote Desktop Sharing
======================
Using Remote Desktop Sharing, NetMeeting 3.0 or later can call an unattended computer (host) running the Remote Desktop Sharing service, and then access that computer's shared desktop. Once you are connected, you can work in the host's shared desktop and in any program that the host computer has access to.
In Windows 95 and Windows 98, you should disable advanced power management when you are in an Remote Desktop Sharing session, or you may be disconnected from the session.
Administrators can give users the ability to access a computer via Remote Desktop Sharing without giving them accounts with administrator privilege. This can be done by creating a group titled "NetMeeting RDS Users" and adding those users' accounts to that group.
To connect to your computer using the RDS service, you must know either the IP address of your computer or the computer name of the computer being called. You can find the IP address of your computer by clicking Help, and then clicking About Windows NetMeeting.
Remote desktop sharing is automatically disabled when you visit a Web page that has NetMeeting embedded in the browser's UI. It needs to be manually enabled.
If an IP address is dynamically assigned, such as for dial-up networking, an RDS server cannot resume RDS sessions after a lost connection with the network. The workaround is to deactivate RDS, Release All and then Renew All in the Windows IP Configuration utility (winipcfg.exe for Windows 95 and Windows 98 or ipconfig.exe for Windows NT 4.0) and reactivate RDS.
Security
========
In a secure data-only call, the audio and video controls and menu items should be dimmed, but currently, they stay active throughout the call. Windows NetMeeting only works with certificates in the Windows system certificate store. Certificates obtained from browsers that use private certificate stores, such as Netscape Communicator 4.5, can't be used with NetMeeting. Such certificates may be used if they are exported using Netscape Communicator and then imported using Internet Explorer.
NetMeeting may not be able to place secure calls using the NetMeeting Certificate in Windows 95 or Windows 98 if you cancel the Windows Logon dialog. To work around this, do not cancel the logon prompt when starting Windows 98.
If multiple users are logging on to the same Windows 95 or Windows 98 computer, invalid certificates might be issued. To work around this, create separate profiles for each user logging on to the computer. This ensures that the certificates are in separate profiles.
The security checkboxes on the Find Someone and Place A Call dialog boxes are disabled when you are in a call. In addition, if a call starts while these dialog boxes are displayed, the check boxes are automatically disabled.
Windows NT Issues
=================
If you use Windows NT, you are able to share programs only if you have installed Service Pack 3 or later for Windows NT 4.0.
When you share a 16-bit program, all the 16-bit programs that are running on your computer are also automatically shared.
Enabling program sharing on Windows NT may negatively affect the performance of your display driver and the rate at which information is drawn on the screen.
Some Creative Labs SoundBlaster drivers (specifically those posted on their Web site January 15, 1997) are not compatible with NetMeeting. SoundBlaster drivers that come with Windows NT 4.0 do work with NetMeeting, as do the more recently posted drivers, which also support full-duplex audio.
You might experience problems if you share a 32-bit program, and then insert an object package. This opens the Object Packager, which is automatically shared and subsequently faults. The original shared program or NetMeeting will not fault.
If you enabled the floating point workaround during installation of Windows NT on a computer that's equipped with a flawed Intel Pentium chip, NetMeeting audio quality is poor, or audio doesn't work at all.
If you are using NetMeeting on Windows NT and you are unable to receive a call, restart your computer and try again.
If you do not have a sound card, you need to manually specify the bandwidth of your connection. To do this, click the Tools menu, click Options, click Bandwidth Settings, and then make a selection under Network Bandwidth.
You may need to uninstall Dial-up Networking in order to log on to a directory server though a proxy server.
If, after placing a call, you see a message for more than one minute that NetMeeting is waiting for a response from the other person, quit NetMeeting, and then try to contact the person again.
If you suspend your computer, or if it is set to suspend automatically, you should quit and then restart NetMeeting after resuming.
If you receive a SpeedDial in an e-mail message, your mail program may convert it to a text (.txt) file. You can use this file as a SpeedDial if you rename it with a .cnf extension.
Accessibility
=============
You can call a voicemail system using NetMeeting and a gateway computer. To use the keyboard to dial voicemail extensions use the following table: '
To Press
Dial a number CTRL + [number] OR
CTRL + [keypad number]
Press the star key CTRL + Shift + 8 OR
CTRL + [keypad *]
Press the pound key CTRL + Shift + 3
Keywords: kbinfo kbreadme KB241159
