Quick Read: Logging Into a Web Conference Room.

Updated July 2008

This article will guide first time users through the initial steps to successfully use the technology. It could also be used as a refresher for more experienced users.

It can be a little intimidating the first time we try something new. Hopefully these instructions will ease those fears and quickly get you started using the technology.

I am assuming you have been invited to attend an online web seminar or meeting. Likely you received an email providing you with an URL link and the instructions for providing your name and the password. Passwords are not always required, therefore read the instructions carefully. There are other ways, such as web page links, to access a room. If alternative methods are used you would need to follow the instructions for that approach.

This article does not provide detailed information. Its purpose is to take you through the basic steps to log into and use the web conference room. More information is provided in the Online User Manual with movies and guides at Click to view, and documentation at Click to view.

The Steps:

  1. Start the browser. (note 1)
  2. Copy the room URL provided in the email and paste it into the address field of the browser. (note 2)
  3. Press the "Enter" key. A form will appear with a link to download and install a plug-in plus a link to enter the room.
  4. Bypass steps 4 to 7 if the plug-in has been previously installed. Click on the link to download and install the plug-in. (note 3)
  5. When the dialogue appears asking you to "Run", "Save" or "Cancel" click "Run". (note 4) If you see a prompt from your firewall, select the option to "Always Allow" (or similar wording).
  6. When the dialogue appears asking you to "Run" or "Not Run" click "Run".
  7. Wait for the completion dialog and click "Finish". The plug-in is now installed.
  8. Click on the link to enter the room.
  9. Enter your name and the password specified in the email.
  10. Click "Log On".

    11. Congratulations you are in the virtual conference room. You can push the "Ctrl" key to talk. Don't forget to release the Ctrl key when you are finished speaking. For more information review the Introduction and Quick Reads sections of the Online User Manual Click to view.

  11. To log out of a room Click the "File Menu" and click "Exit".

Possible Issues:

The following is a list of some problems you might experience:

Firewalls:

Resolving firewall problems can be challenging. The simplest way to avoid these problems is to read all the firewall generated popup dialogs carefully when installing the plug-in and when using the technology. When prompted by the firewall software to allow or disallow traffic to flow, always choose the option "Always allow" - or similar words. The default prompt is usually to "Never Allow". Therefore if you quickly press the "Enter" key and use the default setting the plug-in will never connect with the server software. When this happens you will need to manually configure the firewall software to correct the problem. The Networking Trouble Shooting article (Click to view) will help you resolve these issues. The symptom indicating you might have a firewall problem is for the connecting dialogue to remain visible forever.

Audio:

Audio problems such as being unable to hear conversations or being unable to be heard are usually resolved by correcting the audio settings on your computer. If you do have a problem with the audio when you are in a web conference room the first step is to ensure the audio components are working outside the web conferencing technology. You can use the Sound Recorder program provided by Windows to do that (Start/All Programs/ Accessories/ Entertainment/Sound Recorder with Windows XP). If your test with Sound Recorder is unsuccessful, check all connections to ensure they are plugged into the correct jacks. If the sound equipment is equipped with switches and volume controls, make sure they are correctly set. If the problem continues to persist you will need to examine the Audio Sound Schema provided with the Windows Control Panel (Start/Control Panel/Sound, Speech, and Audio devices/Change the sound scheme (note 5):
  1. Click the "Audio" tab.
  2. Ensure the correct device has been selected for the "Sound Playback" and "Sound Recording".
  3. Click on the "Volume" buttons for the playback and/or recording to ensure the correct features are selected, are not muted and the level settings are correctly positioned.
  4. Ensure the checkbox "Use only default devices" is selected.
  5. Click the "Apply" button if it highlighted.
  6. Click "OK" and close the window.
If the problem remains it is likely you have a problem with the equipment - speaker/headphone, microphone or sound card. You could try to update the device driver for the sound card - usually available from the manufacturer for brand name PCs. There is no point attempting to use the audio in the room if the Sound Recorder test fails. If the problem is limited to the microphone not functioning you can still successfully participate in a web conference meeting or seminar. You would successfully hear all conversations and could add your comments and ask questions by using the text chat.

Page Not Found - 404 error:

If you receive this error when you are attempting to log into a room, the plug-in has not been correctly installed or has been uninstalled. The common cause for this problem is choosing the Save option in Step 5 and not continuing with the installation of the plug-in - see Note 4. To correct go back and click on the link to install the plug-in.

Plug-in:

After the plug-in has been initially installed the technology will detect when an updated plug-in is required and automatically initiate the process to update the plug-in. If after installing the plug-in you are unable to connect and you have verified you do not have a firewall issue, reinstall the plug-in by following Steps 4 to 7.

Cannot copy file error message:

If you receive error messages when you are installing the plug-in, it is likely due to the technology still running on you your computer. Check the Task Bar and System Tray and close all associated applications - Document Center, Whiteboard Capture Utility, Desktop Sharing etc. You will only receive these error messages if the technology has been previously used on your computer.

Notes:

  1. The technology has been tested with Internet Explorer and Firefox.
  2. You could click on the link in the email and bypass the first 3 steps.
  3. The first time the technology is used on any computer the plug-in, a small program, must be manually downloaded and installed. From that point onwards the technology will detect when a new and updated plug-in is available and automatically initiate the download and installation of the new version of the plug-in.
  4. You could choose to "Save" the plug-in, however you must run the file after it has been downloaded and saved to install the plug-in. I would recommend not to use the "Save" option.
  5. You could use the "File/Speaker Setting" or "File/Microphone setting" from within the room to quickly launch the Control Panel volume setting dialogs.