Re: Is Netmeeting dead...? (...long live MSN Messenger?)

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Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 08:34:39 -0400

w_curtis wrote:
> My company is setting up a small branch office in Europe (with the
> home office in Los Angeles). After a few weeks of long distance
> bills, I decided an online solution for our conference calls might be
> in order. And video conferencing would be a big plus as well!

"Conference" calling I presume means multiparty calls -- neither NetMeeting
nor Messenger support multiparty calls directly. There are MCUs (servers
that support multiparty calls) for NetMeeting and for Messenger. H.323 MCUs
( for NetMeeting) are more available ( there is an open source one as well).
MCU's for Messenger are not widely available.

>
> The most obvious choice seems to be Netmeeting 3, since we all use
> XP. But I've come across a few articles saying MS isn't supporting
> Netmeeting anymore, and we have to use MSN Messenger.

NetMeeting has reached the end of its life. There has been no development on
it since 1999. It is however available on all currently shipped Windows
systems including Windows 2003 server.

Msn Messenger does not have audio/video call support on all platforms so if
you where to choose Messenger as a vehicle you would have to have all XP or
later systems. http://www.meetingbywire.com/windowsmessenger.htm has a
discussion of Messenger vs. NetMeeting that might be useful. One big
downside for Msn Messenger is that you must connect to the internet and use
Microsoft's .NET service or mount a version of LCS Server locally and use
Windows Messenger.

>
> Is this true? Honestly, I like the interface of Netmeeting better,
> but since the Microsoft Internet Directory is no longer used, I can't
> see how to connect with other computers without dedicated IP's (which
> might be possible, but a huge pain).
>
> Also, in experimenting with MSN Messenger, I was unable to initiate
> an audio conversation, presumably due to our Netopia 4622 Router in
> Los Angeles.

Routers and firewalls are a problem for both NetMeeting and Messenger --
NetMeeting needs a H.323 gateway or gateway/gatekeeper to negotiate NAT
passage. Messenger needs a UPnP equipped router(which tend to be more common
but by no means universal especially in enterprise equipment).

>
> Is Netmeeting still a viable option? Or is it just being used by
> "legacy" users? Is there information for router/ firewall settings
> that are needed?

I think right now for what you want to do it is possible that there is no
suitable product. Unless the routers you use have the support you require
built in there is no setting that will accomplish what you want for
NetMeeting or Messenger though there are H.323 gateway solutions for
NetMeeting that use a server and the dmz feature of routers.

-- 
Brian Sullivan
Meeting by Wire ( http://www.meetingbywire.com)
------------
Is  your PC  protected? --
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp 

• Previous message: N. Miller: "Re: Is Netmeeting dead...? (...long live MSN Messenger?)"
• In reply to: w_curtis: "Is Netmeeting dead...? (...long live MSN Messenger?)"
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