Instructions for Using Resources in Rm 350

Index

• Polycom Videoconferencing Unit
  • FAQ's
  • Getting Started
  • Troubleshooting
  • Using Powerpoint slides with the Polycom
• Polycom Speaker Phone

Polycom Videoconferencing Unit

FAQ's:

• Phone number: (217) 333-5975
• IP for Polycom: 128.174.155.179
• Polycom Gatekeeper: set to "off" (usually)

To turn on the Polycom. The toggle switch is located in the back of the unit (which sits on top of the tv). The software will run automatically. Be sure to turn on the tv as well. For most operations, simply follow the instructions that will appear on the screen (you may need to toggle between TV and Video on the TV remote to see the display instead of a broadcast of snow onscreen).

To turn off the Polycom. There is no software to shut down. Simply turn off the toggle switch on the Polycom unit and turn off the tv.

To connect with multiple far sites simultaneously: Our Polycom provides the bridge to connect to as many as 3 remote sites simultaneously, displaying all of the sites so connected in a hollywood square display. To make this work, we must initiate all of the calls for a multiple site conference. If only one far site is to be contacted, then either their site or ours should be able to initiate the call. Since we provide a video bridge, there are no charges for the video calls that use IP addresses.

To adjust the room temperature. In addition to adjusting the thermostat on the east wall, you may need to turn the knob for the radiator fan. This knob is located in one of the radiator's control panels (west wall), the panel closest to the monitor. Push on the metal swing plates on top of the radiator to locate the control panels. Please consider putting a big note for yourself on the exit door so that your remember to return everything to the way it was when you leave.

Getting Started:

Reserving and Testing the Equipment:

Reservations:

To reserve Room 350, contact Sally Eakin, Kathy Painter or Dorlene Clark in the main GSLIS office. The equipment should remain in Rm 350 and therefore reserving the room also reserves the equipment.

Tests and information you need from the far site (don't skip this step).

The Polycom is not a seamless technology. If you're planning to connect with a new far site, then you must conduct a dry run test of all equipment/connections before the real video conference. The test can take as little as 15 mins. or as long as a couple of hours, depending on how compatible the technologies are. Here is some of the information you'll need to conduct a test (ditto for the real conference):

• Reservations for the room and the equipment. Check on the availability of the room/equipment before you try to schedule the test.
• An appointment with the far site for the test. If you'd like a tool for calculating the time in different time zones, see this url: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/ Be sure to have all of our equipment turned on and running at the time you've agreed on.
• A phone number for the far site - this should be a phone that can be called during the video conference itself. I.e., some people have only one line running into their technology center, and they'll disconnect their phone to plug in the computer. In that case, they need to provide a cell phone number.
• An account number/name at UIUC to pick up any long-distance phone call charges made by UIUC people.
• An IP address for the far site (see the note about ISDN lines below).
• A contact name - a person at the far site who will conduct the test with you.
• Information about any charges that might be made for the contact person's time. In most cases, this will be taken care of by the far site.
• An agreement about which site will initiate the call. Note: sometimes you have to remind the far site to turn on their computer and to run their conferencing software. People sometimes think that a video call is just like a phone call - and phones appear to work without any active intervention on the part of the receiving site.

Regarding ISDN lines

Some video conferencing systems use ISDN lines instead of IP addresses. If the far site uses an ISDN line, then you and the far site will need to work together to set up a special bridge between the two systems. The CCSO can provide such a bridge if the far site cannot - for a charge. Actually, the technical coordinators at the far site are likely to charge for a bridge as well. You and the far site will need to work out who will pick up the tab.

Phone number & jack.

(217) 333-5975. This number corresponds to the phone jack located under the large whiteboard (north wall). Since it is also the general ISRL lab number, you may need to let other people in ISRL know that you're planning to use the phone. A second phone jack (for another phone line) is located under the screen cabinet, east wall. However, it has not worked well. It uses voicemail, which sometimes automatically and annoyingly intercepts incoming calls.

IP for our Polycom.

128.174.155.179. This number should already be set in the Polycom unit. When you first turn on the Polycom, watch the screen closely as it tests its own IP connection-you'll get a green check if it can talk to our network. If the IP address doesn't appear to be set, or if the Polycom fails to gain access to our network (you'll get a red signal), then contact the ISRL staff members for help.

Polycom Gatekeeper.

We've had better results when this has been set to "off." Normally, it is off. If it is not, and you are having trouble connecting with someone, then follow these steps to re-set it:

1. From the start page, select "system info"
2. Select "admin setup"
3. Select "LAN/H.323"
4. Select "H.323"
5. Select "Gatekeeper"
6. Set the Gatekeeper to off. (You'll see buttons on the screen to select to turn it off.)

Calling multiple far sites simultaneously.

Our Polycom provides the bridge, so we must initiate all of the calls. Start by calling the first site, establish the connection with them, and then follow the instructions on the screen for adding each of the other far sites. You will get a "Hollywood Squares" effect on the screen. You can add up to 4(is this correct?) far sites.

You can also set up the Polycom to dial all 4 far sites simultaneously (see the address book, where you can set up a Multiple-site alias)?but this somewhat depends on the people at the far sites being ready on time to accept your call. Sometimes it's easier to deal with them one-by-one.

If only one far site is to be contacted, then either their site or ours should be able to initiate the call.

Since we provide a video bridge, there are no charges for the video calls that use IP addresses. (If other bridges are used-for example, a bridge between an IP system and an ISDN system-then there are charges.)

Troubleshooting

Using the IP address provided by the remote site with which you are connecting, try pinging their video conferencing unit and their computer. There is a ping command available under both windows and Unix. More information on how to use ping under Unix is available in the man pages.

Another thing to try is to see whether packets are being dropped at a particular router between here and the other side. Use the traceroute command in Unix or the command tracert in Windows to see whether packets are being dropped at an intermediate router. Dropped packets are represented by an astericks. However, sometimes it is possible that a firewall might be blocking traceroute packets, so this is not a 100% sure diagnostic.

We also suggest that you inform the other side of the IP address of our video conferencing unit and the computer that you are using and have them perform the same commands (i.e., ping our video conferencing unit and computer as well try to traceroute to our video conferencing unit and computer. Our firewall does allow traceroute packets through.

From some documentation at Cisco, it seems that the ViewStation uses TCP ports 3230-3231 and UDP ports 3230-3235. This may be of use to network administrators at remote sites who may have firewalls blocking these ports.

The PolyCom video conferencing unit is an H.323 terminal. As such, it should be able to interact with other H.322 terminals.

It may be possible to telnet to the PolyCom after a call has beeen established to get real time information about network conditions.

Using Powerpoint slides with the Polycom

1. Turn on the TV, the Polycom unit, and log on to the Windows machine. Download or copy the PowerPoint presentation onto Windows machine ISRL users should be able to access their home directories via the H: drive if the powerpoint is stored there.
2. Open Internet Explorer and enter the following address: http://128.174.155.179. This should take you the interface screen for the PolyCom unit.
3. Click on the "Select Presentation" icon
4. After clicking on the "Select Presentation" icon, another window will load up. In this window, click on the bar that says "Press here to Select a PowerPoint Presentation"
5. A box named "pcPresent" will appear. In the box that says "enter your name" type "conf1" if it is not already typed in. There is no password that is necessary. Then click on the button that says "Please press here to select a PowerPoint presentation".
6. Another box will appear where a PowerPoint presentation can be selected. Select the PowerPoint Presentation that is needed.
7. Press the "slides" button on the remote
8. On the TV screen it should say "Available Presentations" at the top. Under the line "Which presentation would you like to see" there should be a grey box that is outlined in yellow that says "CONF1". On the remote press the red oval button with the circle on it. Another screen will come up asking for a password. Just press the button again.
9. The slides should load up. All the slides will be displayed on the screen as thumbnail shots. To begin the presentation just press the red button with the circle on it to select the first slide. Use the left and right arrow buttons to navigate forward and backwards between the slides. The up and down keys will send either skip to the end or the beginning of the presentation. There are also controls on the Windows machine.

Using the conference phone:

Reserving and acquiring a phone.

GSLIS has two conference phones. One is kept in Room 350 (in the tv cabinet), and you should check with Martin to reserve it. If that one is already reserved, then you should ask Sally Eakins or Kathy Painter whether you can reserve the other phone (kept in the main office).

Tracking your calls.

If you make long-distance calls, then you must report the time and the number you dialed to Sally Eakins. She has a clipboard on which to record the details. Keep your own records as well.

Attaching the phone's remote microphones (perhaps).

The conference phone has two remote microphones that could be plugged into the main unit. We have found that they are useful for soft-spoken people in a group. However, if they are placed too close to the phone's speaker or too close to the Polycom's remote microphones (usually on the table as well) then they can cause terrible feedback and echoes. If you choose to use the phone's remote microphones, then set them as far away as possible from the main phone unit and the Polycom mics.

Also, each of the phone's remote microphones has a "mute" button. Please note that this button mutes not just the remote microphone, but the entire phone system. People often play with these tempting buttons. If someone at the other end of the line is having trouble hearing you, then check the mute buttons (which will glow red if muted) on the remote mics. Ditto for the Polycom microphones.

Plugging in the phone.

For the phone line, use the blue jack under the large whiteboard (north wall). You may need to unplug the resident phone.

Receiving incoming calls.

Depending on how the ringer is set, the phone unit may make a very soft, single "boing" sound that can be hard to hear if you are not listening for it. The ringer setting is located on the bottom of the phone. (I haven't tried all of the settings, so I don't know what they all do.)

Placing calls:

• Placing a local, off-campus call. Push the on/off button (this is the same as picking up a handheld receiver). Dial 9 to get an outside line.
• Placing a long-distance call. You will need to enter an authorization code number as well as the phone number. The authorization code should allow international calling. Follow these steps:
  1. Push the on/off button to get a dial tone. (This is the same as picking up a handheld receiver).
  2. Dial 6. Listen for a stutter dial tone followed by a steady dial tone.
  3. Enter the authorization code (contact Sally Eakin for code) and then the pound key (#). You should then hear a steady dial tone.
  4. Dial 9 and then the long-distance number that you want to call.
  5. Be sure to report the call's time & phone number to Sally when you are done.
• Placing a 3-way call. Establish a connection with one line and ask the participant to hold. Hit the FLASH button, wait for the dial tone, and then proceed with the call. If this is a long-distance call, then you must begin by dialing 6 and entering the authorization code (see step #7). When you reach the second participant, ask him/her to hold. Hit the FLASH button again, and you should have both participants on the line.
• Placing a conference call with more than 2 remote participants. You will need to set up (for a fee) an audio bridge with CCSO or some other service like Webex. You and all other participants will then call the audio bridge number.