NetMeeting Without Large Data Transfer Costs ...
This document outlines techniques for eliminating Video Conferencing data transfer costs when connecting to other users within the same ISP domain. It deals specifically with South West Internet Systems (SWIS), but the general principles apply wherever you are.
Internet Protocol Address (IP Address)
Every computer on the Internet must have its own unique IP Address. An IP Address has four numbers separated by full stops. A typical IP Address would be: 201.35.213.21.
When you signed up for an Internet account with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) you may have been allocated an IP Address which you entered into one of the configuration screens. If you were allocated a 'fixed' IP Address it is unique to your computer. No other computer in the world has the same number.
The approach of 'fixed' IP Addresses restricts the flexibility of the ISP. They must pay for their quota of IP Addresses and for much of the time they are not in use. The preferred approach is for the ISP to pay for a 'block' of IP Addresses and then allocate them 'dynamically' each time a customer connects to their system. (If you have a SWIS account you would have checked the setup option that said something like: "Obtain and IP Address automatically".) What this means is that each time you connect to SWIS your IP Address is different. In general it will be of the form: 203.30.211.X, where "X" will change each time you log on. To find your dynamic IP Address you can run the Win95 utility called "WINIPCFG" from the Start/Run menu. On an NT4 system run "IPCONFIG".
Using a Site Proxy Server
If you have a Proxy Server such as Wingate, Microsoft Proxy Server, etc, the way IP Addressing is used at your site is slightly different. Your site is isolated from the rest of the Internet behind your Proxy Server. The IP Address numbers you allocate to systems behind your Proxy Server are not seen by the wider Internet. You can imagine that your server is acting like a 'toll gate' allowing data to pass either way, but maintaining total control of your site. The only system that actually exists on the wider Internet is the Proxy Server itself.
Using Ping
Ping is a DOS utility that sends a signal to a computer on a network and waits for a reply. You can 'Ping' an Internet site using its name, or its IP Address.
The typical Ping command is: C:\PING southwest.com.au
the reply would look something like:
Pinging southwest.com.au [203.16.9.10] with 32 bytes of data
Reply from 203.16.9.10: bytes = 32 time = 141ms TTL = 63
Reply from 203.16.9.10: bytes = 32 time = 132ms TTL = 63
Reply from 203.16.9.10: bytes = 32 time = 167ms TTL = 63
Reply from 203.16.9.10: bytes = 32 time = 140ms TTL = 63
You could also Ping SWIS using: C:\PING 203.16.9.10
You can NOT Ping a system on the Internet from one of the machines behind your Proxy Server. Similarly, the machines behind your Proxy Server can not be Pinged from the wider Internet. In effect, there is no direct connection from behind your Proxy Server to any other system on the Internet.
NetMeeting
The information above may not at first appear relevant to NetMeeting, but it is VERY important to grasp the concepts of 'dynamic IP Addresses' and to understand which computers are inter-connected as the "Internet" (ie they can 'ping' each other).
Why worry about such issues?
ISPs are charged for their data throughput by their provider. They in turn charge their customers - ie YOU. NetMeeting results in MASSIVE data transfers. Charges for SWIS accounts assume that data downloads will remain below a nominated 'cap'. If you wish to exceed this cap, you will be charged extra. The quota is larger than most people would ever exceed (including most schools), but NetMeeting sessions will certainly go over the limit. The key point is that SWIS charges only for downloads going through their system and on to their provider. If you exchange data directly between two SWIS accounts, there is no cost to SWIS and hence no cost to the users. (Not all ISPs are so generous - some charge their customers for total traffic regardless of whether it actually costs them anything!)
Hopefully you can see where we are heading. If you can connect directly from one SWIS account to another. It's FREE!!
The other big advantage is that is is MUCH faster than using one of the USA NetMeeting ILS servers.
Setting Up to Connect Directly Between Two SWIS accounts:
From the Proxy Server system (ie the one with a direct connection via the phone line to SWIS):
- Go to the Start button and select Run.
- Type in: WINIPCFG and press enter.
This will tell you the Dynamic IP Address of your system for this session.
- Contact the person you want to connect to and have them
find out their Dynamic IP Address.
- Give them yours at the same time.
- Open NetMeeting. Go to Tools/Options/Calling.
- Remove the 'tick' next to: Log on to the directory server when NetMeeting starts.
- Select "New Call".
- Enter the other party's Dynamic IP Address into the "Address:" box
and press the Call button.
- Cross your fingers.
NOTE: The next time you log on your IP Address will be different and so will the other party's. You each need to do a "WINIPCFG" each time you reconnect to SWIS.
For a detailed discussion on how Internet Locator Servers(ILS) work see: http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/ils
Good Luck
Jim Fuller
PS If you find any errors, please let me know.