Web Conferencing: How To

Adam Clark -

Frequently Asked Questions about Web Conferencing

General Questions about the Web Conferencing Service

General Questions about WebEx

WebEx at Company

Using WebEx

WebEx and Mobile Devices

General Questions about Lync

Using Lync at Company

Lync and Mobile Devices

General Questions about Web Conferencing services

When should I choose WebEx vs. Lync vs. Skype, etc.?

It depends on what you want to do.

Lync is great for on-the-fly, as-needed communication. Because it integrates with Outlook and OWA (Outlook Web App), it's easy to see whether a person is available and to connect to them via IM, voice, or video.

WebEx is strongest in more structured settings, such as scheduled events and training sessions.

If the group that needs to communicate is made up entirely of students, Google Hangouts is part of your Cmail account, and may serve until Lync access is rolled out to all students (expected by fall semester 2014). Students do not have access to WebEx. Be aware that the IT Service Desk does not support Google Hangouts.

General Questions about WebEx

Does WebEx replace Skype, FaceTime, or other video chat?

WebEx can replace the video chat and features of Skype. Skype and some other video chat clients offer instant messaging (IM) with the option to escalate to a video chat. A WebEx meeting will need to be scheduled to use the video and IM features.

Does WebEx replace video conferencing?

In many situations WebEx can replace video conferencing. WebEx offers video, audio, and content sharing. Users can connect from almost any location, including desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and conference rooms and classrooms. Information on integrating WebEx in a conference room or classroom, including microphones and cameras, can be found on the technical requirements page.

WebEx at Company

How do I sign up for an account?

If you are Company staff or faculty, your WebEx account is created when you first log in to Company's WebEx site at Company.webex.com. If you cannot access your WebEx account, contact the Service Desk for assistance.

Can students use WebEx?

Students can join and participate in any WebEx session they are invited to.  WebEx host accounts, required to schedule or start a meeting, are typically only available to faculty and staff.  Students who are acting in a faculty or staff role who have a specific WebEx need in this role may request a WebEx account. For instance, a TA may be required by his or her professor to schedule and host a WebEx session. In these cases, we will create a WebEx account for the student if the student is sponsored by a faculty or staff member.

Note: Lync is available for students to use for web conferences and online meetings.

I'm having difficulties with automatic installation. Is there any way to manually install WebEx?

Please see How To Install WebEx Components Manually.

Will a WebEx session with video generate network usage notifications?

If you host a large number of WebEx sessions or a few long ones from a previously idle IP address, you may receive a notice informing you of a spike in network activity for that IP address.

How much storage space can I use for my recordings?

Storage for recorded WebEx sessions is currently capped at 500 MB. Approximately 2 hours of WebEx recording with video, or 15 hours without video. WebEx is not intended for long-term storage of WebEx recordings. Please see the Exporting WebEx recordings How To for more information on long term archival of WebEx recordings.

Can I invite non-Company participants to a meeting?

Yes. By default anyone with the link (or Meeting number) and password may attend a a WebEx Meeting or Event. As part of the advanced scheduling options, a meeting host can require that attendees register.

How do I integrate WebEx meetings with my Exchange calendar?

Windows users can download and install the WebEx Productivity Tools plug-in. The plug-in allows you to start, schedule, and join WebEx sessions from Microsoft Office applications. It is also possible to download a calendar file. When you complete the process of setting up a meeting, you arrive at the Meeting Scheduled screen. This screen has three options in the lower right. Select Add to My Calendar. Clicking this will download a file you can open with your calendar application.

Using WebEx

How many attendees can join my meeting or webinar? How many active video cameras or VoIP microphones can there be?

Up to 1,000 participants can join a WebEx Meeting, WebEx Training session, or WebEx Event (webinar). Meeting Center sessions are intended for smaller groups than the Event Center or Training Center sessions and a soft cap of 500 participants for Meeting Center is recommended. Each WebEx meeting can have six active video cameras. Only seven VOIP microphones can be active.

How do I change the Topic and Password of a one-click meeting?

See the how-to Change the One-Click Meeting Topic (Title).

What is the meeting number and where do I find it?

The meeting number is a nine-digit unique identifier that allows you to enter the correct meeting when calling in to a WebEx session. The meeting number also allows you to join a meeting for which you do not have a link. You'll still need to supply the password, if it has been set.

The Meeting number is found in your WebEx email invitation or calendar entry. It can also be found on the Meeting Info tab within a WebEx session. Or ask the meeting host for the Meeting number.

Where can I find my WebEx recordings?

In Meeting Center, in the left-hand menu, under Host a Meeting, select My Recorded Meetings.

Can you delete, edit, or download recordings? How do I export recordings from WebEx for long-term hosting?

Yes, see Export Meeting Recordings or other options relating to recordings on the How To... page.

Can I use the WebEx service from home?

Yes. WebEx can be accessed from a home Internet connection. Depending on the speed of your connection, you may experience some loss of quality or other issues.

Can using a wireless connection lower the quality of my meeting experience?

Yes. Using a non-business class Internet connections, such as a home DSL, hotel, cafe, or airport wireless can cause issues. Video may slow down or audio may drop out, especially when sharing content. If you are on a marginal connection, try turning off your video, especially if you are sharing content.

Can I transfer hosting of a WebEx session?

Yes. Once a WebEx session has started, you can make someone else the host. If you are the original host, you can also reclaim host privileges after you have transferred them by using the Host Key or by leaving the meeting then re-entering.There is no way to transfer the host role prior to starting a WebEx session. For more information, see Make Someone Else the Host.

A host may schedule a WebEx session for another host. This must be configured using the Scheduling permission feature.

Do I need to update the WebEx invitation if I change the meeting time, date, or other information?

No. The WebEx link and Meeting number are still valid if you make changes to the meeting time, date, or other information. The only exception is if you make changes to the password.You may still want to update meeting participants if the date or time changes.

What is WebEx Support Center?

WebEx Support Center is a version of WebEx intended for remote desktop support. WebEx Support Center is not supported or enabled.

Can you annotate in WebEx from a tablet, Wacom, Sympodium, or other device?

Yes. When sharing content, and annotations that are overlaid on your screen will be shared with WebEx. Your WebEx recording will also capture the annotations.WebEx also provides its own annotation tools, which are separate from those provided by tablet or SMART board.

What Resources are available online?

The How to... section of this site contains resources to help you get started. Also see Cisco's WebEx site.

WebEx & Mobile Devices

What smartphones are supported by the WebEx application?

See the current list on the WebEx site.

Do smartphones Support VoIP in a WebEx Meeting?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) audio is only available on devices using the Android operating system and Apple devices (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch). In order to join into the audio conference via VoIP, the meeting must have been scheduled with Hybrid Audio enabled.

What are the bandwidth requirements for mobile devices?

See Bandwidth Requirements for Mobile Devices, in the WebEx Knowledge Base.

Is it possible to join VoIP-only audio on an iPad?

No. To use an iPad, The meeting must be scheduled with WebEx Audio. The VoIP only conference type is not supported. Charges may apply when using WebEx Audio.

What WebEx meeting features does the iPad support?

See the associated article in the WebEx Knowledge Base.

Can I share video from my Android device?

For details about Cisco WebEx Meetings for Android, please see the Cisco web site.

If you are annotating a screen, is there a way to take a screenshot of it to save to your desktop, before deleting the annotations, other than making a full recording of the video?

Yes. In the annotation toolbar there is a "Capture Screen to Clip Board" tool. This tool copies a screen capture to the clipboard.  You can then paste the screen capture into another document.

General Questions about Lync

What is Lync?

Lync is a productivity and collaboration application that allows you to connect with other people from your computer, tablet, or mobile device.  Basic features include: instant messaging (IM/chat/text), audio calls (VOIP), video conferencing, online meeting & content sharing, presence.

Is Lync a replacement for WebEx?

No, Lync is being offered as a parallel and complimentary option for webconferencing.

Who can use Lync?

Lync will be available to all Company staff, faculty, and students when fully deployed. Staff and faculty currently have access. Students will be added later in the summer.

What is the maximum number of meeting participants?

250, but at that size, WebEx is probably a better option.

Using Lync at Company

Can I restrict access to my Lync meetings with a password?

No, but there's a similar option. Lync meetings you schedule are not publicly listed, so normally only people you send an invite to will have the link to join your meeting. If you'd like to further restrict access, Lync offers a "lobby" feature that places attendees who join your meeting into a holding area until you admit them to the meeting.

Can I record my Lync meetings?

Lync 2013 and Lync 2010 (both for Windows) users can recording their Lync meetings. This only applies to actual meetings (audio and video calls are not recorded unless they are part of a Lync meeting). Recording is not available on Lync 2011 for Mac or the Lync mobile clients. Recordings are saved locally to your computer.

Can I invite people to participate in a Lync meeting even if they aren't using Lync?

Yes. Microsoft offers a Lync web application that allows people to join a meeting via a web browser. The Lync web application requires installing a Lync browser plug-in for the best experience and fullest functionality via the browser.

Can I use Lync to call someone on their telephone?

No, not at present. Lync is not currently integrated with Company telephony service. This is being investigated as a possible future enhancement.

Does Lync integrate with other Microsoft Office applications?

Yes, Lync works with other Microsoft Office applications to allow cross-application integration, feature access, presence visibility, and scheduling.

Can I schedule a Lync meeting from within Outlook Calendar?

Yes, this is an example of how Lync integrates with other Microsoft Office applications.

Can I use Lync to communicate with Skype users or Lync users outside of Company?

Yes, we have enabled federation to allow Lync to communicate with Skype and external Lync users. Please note that there are limitations on such communications. Communications with Skype users will work only if the Skype user logs in with a Microsoft account. External Lync users will need to have their Lync implementation enabled to accept external communications.

Can I make video calls with Skype users?

No. At present, Lync-Skype interactions are limited to instant messaging and voice calls. Microsoft has indicated that enabling video communications between Lync and Skype is expected in the future.

When will the Mac version of Lync have access to the same features available for Lync for Windows (for example, recording)?

Microsoft is working on an update to the Lync Mac client that may be available at the end of this calendar year. This update may bring the Mac functionality closer to the Windows version, but specific feature improvements have not yet been announced.

Can I access Lync using an Exchange Group Account (EGA) identity or login?

No, you will need to log in to Lync with your personal NetID@Company.edu and password.

Lync and Mobile Devices

Does Lync work on mobile devices?

See our Mobile Devices with Lync page for information.

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