Anyone ever who has ever used Netmeeting, help!!

[Fugifighter]

Hi peeps, The owner of my company wants to do this video conferencing thing with some other guy from like west coast. Well, i'm behind a VPN/NAT box and my addressing is private and the other guy's Network is behind DSL and some other NAT because his address is the 10.0.0.0 net. He keeps telling me that he can join the "Intel Directory" and that I should be able to too but all i get are these messages from NetMeeting saying that "The directory server could not be found. Please make sure you are not a dumb a$$ and check your connections.." or something of that nature.. The guys said that all you have to do is go into "tools" menu and choose "options" and type in "Intel Directory" for the server field. But all the other server addresses i've found are like fully qualified domain names like "ils.netmeetinghq.com". Is there one for Intel Directory??? thanks in advance!!!

Fugi

 

[Slugbait]

First, you're either using an older version of NetMeeting, or you upgraded from a previous version (MS unplugged the ILS servers years ago). Make sure you're using the L&G v3.01 build of 3396 (Help->About).

Second, "Intel Directory" doesn't exist...they have never provided an externally-based ILS server. However, considering he can join it, my guess is that his corpnet is set up with Active Directory, and his company has an internal ILS configured and they're using a stupid name for it...but internal ILS servers cannot be connected to externally, which is why you can't see it.

Also, you likely will never be able to do video with this guy, regardless how you connect. Sorry.

 

[Slugbait]

Another possibility (I'm guessing here) is that this person cannot communicate well, which would make videoconferencing with this guy a nightmare if you can make it work.

There is another option for v3.01 called "Microsoft Internet Directory". He probably just decided to shorten/change the name. MID isn't really a directory, so to speak...it's a fancy name for Messenger integration, so that your buddy list shows up in the NM directory window (which is currently broken).

 

[Fugifighter]

That's funny that Intel Directory doesnt exist. This other guy kept saying that he would have trouble connecting to INtel for the first couple of tries but then he makes it in. So i'm like, that's great and all but I still cant get in. He is totally perplexed at why I would not be able to get in. I am using the netmeeting that is included in win2k. I'm pretty sure it is version 3.01 cuz it looks the same as the one i downloaded onto a 98 machine. when i join Microsoft Internet Directory it opens up my MSN messenger but i guess he has to be logged into MSN messenger too. I'll give that a shot. Thanks guys!

Fugi

 

[Slugbait]

Seriously, if it's called "Intel Directory", he either has to be an employee of Intel in order to logon, or his company created their own internal ILS server called "Intel Directory"...either way, you'll never logon, cuz you are on the outside of their corpnet. I, too, cannot logon to a directory called "Intel Directory", and this ILS does not show up at any of the usual places or on a Google search. Otherwise, this is a perplexing description he gave you for logging on to an ILS server.

I found this, which was really strange. Maybe it's what he's using.

And yes, if you're using MID, he also has to be a Messenger user, and he has to be a buddy. But considering you're both behind NAT, firewall, etc, the chances A/V will work is almost nil.

You might also try upgrading (both) to XP and use Messenger for videoconferencing...it doesn't use H.323, and can get by some NAT and firewall issues.