Category Archives: General Tips

General tips for web conferencing.

Zoom and Webex security: What you can do

We continue to hear stories, both locally and nationally, about unwanted visitors “bombing” web conferencing (Zoom, Webex, etc.) meetings and events. This behavior can be extremely disruptive to the meetings, and in some cases, even illegal.

Many of the same security recommendations apply to Zoom, Webex, and Google Meet as are used for other online applications. In order to keep uninvited guests from disrupting class gatherings and meetings, we have gathered some tips to keep in mind for Zooming safely and responsibly.

Please read the full list of recommendations on the IT News site.

General tip: What do you do when you can’t join your meeting?

We’ve all been there. It’s time for your meeting to start — whether in Webex, Zoom, or Google Meet — and it just doesn’t work.

Here are just a few ways to troubleshoot your meeting and get in on time.

  1. Check your settings (in whatever app you’re using).
  2. Update the app — if you have an outstanding update, video or audio may not function.
  3. Restart your computer (this resolves most issues, FYI).
  4. If you’re using the desktop app… Try uninstalling and then re-installing the application.
  5. When in doubt… give us a shout! Call IT Help at 513-529-7900 or initiate a live chat session at MiamiOH.edu/ITChat to speak to an advisor who can walk you through your issues.

For platform-specific troubleshooting, please see the following:

Streaming your meetings to Facebook Live

Sometimes, you need to get information and content to a large audience. Webex Events and Zoom Webinars are available for big groups, but there are only so many licenses available for use at a time. So, what do you do?

In Webex and Zoom, you have the capability to stream your meetings to Facebook Live. This will give you a little more leeway to have as many viewers as you want. There are some differences, however. Please see the following support articles for more information on streaming events to your University-affiliated Facebook page.

Important note: It is highly recommended that if you need to stream your meeting or event to Facebook Live, you should use a verified and official institutional Facebook page.

Quick tip: Check for updates!

As with any technology, it’s important to make sure your video conferencing apps are up to date. Not only does this increase your security posture (a good thing!), but it ensures you receive all of the cool new features that are rolled out by companies like Zoom, Cisco, and Google.

Make sure your application is never more than a month out of date!

Select the links below to visit the respective support sites for information on how to update your desktop applications.

As always, visit our dashboard at MiamiOH.edu/ITStatus for up-to-date status information on your favorite Miami applications.

General tip: Participant limits

It’s handy to know how many participants you can invite to your meeting or classroom discussion. Here is a guide to participant limits and a few other key metrics when deciding between Webex, Zoom, or Google Meet.

Webex

1,000 participants

Can record sessions

24-hour meetings

Zoom

300 participants

Can record sessions

24-hour meetings

Meet

100 participants

No recordings

Note: If your needs exceed these limits, there are other tools available. For example, Webex Events allows you to have town hall-style meetings with up to 1,000 participants, and there are 500- and 1,000-person Zoom meetings available on request. Please be aware that the special Zoom licenses require advance setup by IT Services.

Welcome!

Miami University IT Services supports several helpful platforms used to facilitate remote collaboration, including Webex, Zoom, and Google Meet. This blog will be a central repository of all things web conferencing. It is our goal to post tips and general updates about remote learning and working at Miami.

Happy chatting!