What's Microsoft's problem? Need I Hotmail to use Netmeeting?

[bupkus]

What's Microsoft's problem? Need I Hotmail to use Netmeeting?

Ok, so I suppose I need a Hotmail account and enrollment in MSN Messenger to use Netmeeting over the Internet. But do I really need to pay M$ $20/year to have a Hotmail account?

WTF?

 

[neopipil]

bupkus,

You do not need a hotmail account to use netmeeting over the internet. You do need a hotmail account to be listed in their directory of netmeeting users. But who wants to be listed in their directory? Not me.

In order for you to be able to communicate with another netmeeting user, all you need to know is their IP. Just dial their IP and you are ready to go.

neopipil

 

[bupkus]

neopipil,
I and a friend both have broadband, albeit through different providers. We both discover our IPs through >ipconfig (both use W2K).
I enter her IP while her Netmeeting is on her desktop but I get no connection.

If only it was as easy as you say. However, on my private LAN it works just as you say.
Her ISP is Commspeed.net and mine is Cox.

 

[Goosemaster]

your router, if you have one, might be blockinh neetmeetings port.


Give us your network configuration so we can help

 

[bupkus]

each of us has the same config. We each have a pc running W2K with 2 nics. Both are connected to a cable modem and another pc using win98. My setup is just a lab to help her configure her network. I would like to use Remote Desktop Sharing to fix anything needed but first I need to get Netmeeting working. Our IP addresses and DNS server addresses come from the ISP automatically.

 

[Slugbait]

<< You do need a hotmail account to be listed in their directory of netmeeting users. But who wants to be listed in their directory? Not me. >>

This is a mix-up of two different calling solutions for NetMeeting, and as a result is incorrect. MS unplugged their ILS servers (directories) back in late 1999/early 2k. There is no public "directory" anymore from MS, tho' you can still find public ILS servers on the 'net. The preferred choice for NM connections is using Messenger (surname: Microsoft Internet Directory, or MID), which isn't a directory at all...it simply takes your buddy list and puts it in the directory window. It's just integration of two stand-alone products.

Remote Desktop Sharing is a single-person experience. It's designed for someone to access a computer remotely, much like PCAnywhere. The host machine needs to activate RDS, then the remote machine must check the security box in the Call dialog, along with the IP, when dialing.

What you probably want to use is Desktop Sharing, which is available in the Sharing dialog. Both of you need to run NM, you dial the IP, that person shares the desktop then allows control.

If you really do mean RDS, the reason you can't connect is because you haven't opened your ports on both machines. Firewalls cause this kind of problem. It has been covered here several other times.

 

[JustinLerner]

<< What's Microsoft's problem? Need I Hotmail to use Netmeeting?

Ok, so I suppose I need a Hotmail account and enrollment in MSN Messenger to use Netmeeting over the Internet. But do I really need to pay M$ $20/year to have a Hotmail account?

WTF? >>


Slugbait had a good response. ILS servers can be found on the internet (whatever is published and you can connect to). RDS is part of Netmeeting.

Hotmail is free, it hasn't and still doesn't cost any $ for e-mail or MSN Messenger services. IF you want extra 'e-mail storage space' that always comes at a cost.