Online Voice Communications Using Windows Messenger

Online Voice Communications

Related Links • Tips for voice conferencing success • Using Windows Messenger version 4.0 • Find out which version you have • Inside Windows Messenger: Learn more about the servers and services behind Windows Messenger Learn More Adjust the Volume When you are having a voice (or voice-and-video) conversation, you can adjust your speakers and microphone in the slider bar of the instant message window. Drag it to the right to increase volume and to the left to decrease volume. To turn off your microphone so that you cannot be heard, select the Mute check box. The slider bar for the speakers and the Mute check box are visible only after you have clicked either Start talking or Start camera.

Windows Messenger in Windows XP provides live, real-time voice communications on your computer. You can use the PC-to-PC communications capabilities of Windows Messenger to talk to your contacts anywhere in the world over the Internet. In addition, when you sign up to a PC-to-phone service provider, you can call any telephone from your computer.

What You Need for Voice Communications with Windows XP

You and your contact need Windows XP, a sound card, a microphone and speakers, or a headset; and a connection to the Internet or local area network. For telephone communications, you need to choose a service provider.

To start voice communications

1.	Open Windows Messenger. (Double-click the Windows Messenger icon near the clock on the lower right side of your screen.)
2.	Click on the link to sign-in, enter your .NET Passport e-mail address and password. Click OK.
3.	Double-click the name of a contact on your list. The Conversation window will open.
4.	Click Start talking. The Speakers and Microphone controls will expand. Windows Messenger will notify you that an invitation was sent. See Figure 1 below. Figure 1. The Conversation window: Inviting a contact to talk
5.	Your contact receives an invitation such as: Jon would like to have a voice conversation with you. Do you want to Accept (Alt+T) or Decline (Alt+D) the invitation?
6.	Wait for notice that your contact has accepted, then start talking.

If you do not see the speakers and microphone controls, click on the View menu, and then click Sidebar.

If the person you are calling doesn't have Windows XP, they won't be able to accept the invitation.

To end the conversation, click Stop talking.

If you are on a local area network behind a firewall (for example, a corporate network), you can talk to someone who is behind the same firewall that you are, but you may not be able to connect on a computer-to-computer call with someone outside the firewall. For more information on Windows Messenger and firewalls, read Windows Messenger in Windows XP: Working with Firewalls and Network Address Translation Devices.

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