Re: [Ekiga-list] ekiga doesn't work

[Jan Schampera <jan schampera web de>]

Dear Michelle,

first of all, I want to clarify that this email address is meant for
trouble shooting with SIP addresses at ekiga.net, not for the Ekiga
application itself, so for further assistance I suggest to ask the user
mailinglists or even the developer mailinglists. However, I will try to
give some useful answers that hopefully help a bit.

> WE DON'T.  We have windows.
> We've downloaded everything.

The current "Ekiga for Windows" packages (Ekiga 3.0.1 BETA) are
snapshots from the development tree. They are tagged as Beta-software.
However, what you described is not normal and not because it's Beta.
Ekiga on Windows has problems, but communication is not one of these
problems in general (if that would be the case, there would be no reason
to make a Beta release).

The latest Windows build is the revision 7205 uploaded yesterday and
made accessible at http://wiki.ekiga.org/index.php/Windows_Users

Again, keep in mind that the Windows version is in Beta stage and may
have some surprises.

> Echo test never works from our end.  We've tried several times.  It's like
> we are not getting out.  We see ourselves on the screen, but we can't get
> anything out.

That usually indicates network issues. Ekiga uses a method to detect its
own position compared to a public internet server (for example to detect
blocking firewalls or NAT routers) called STUN. STUN should be able to
detect the situation in about 95% of the common network setups in
private area. It needs to detect that, because it has to tell its
calling party (in your case the echo server) where to send the media
data. It also may be a very restrictive firewall configuration, or a
special type of NAT. Also some routers are able to actively support the
SIP protocol - this confuses all the network tests Ekiga makes (naturally).

Another possibility that makes it fail could of course be the local
sound/video interface. In theory, Ekiga may not correctly use it. But
since it uses common Windows interfaces to talk to the sound/video
hardware, that shouldn't be the case. Also, since you mention that you
see your own video locally, I don't think there's a problem.

> Do we have to use ekiga to communicate through video with my brother-in-law?
> What else can we use on our end and still communicate with brother-in-law
> who is using ekiga?

Assumed he (and you) uses an account at the Ekiga.Net server, you're
free to choose your client. Take a look at
http://wiki.ekiga.org/index.php/Ekiga_Interoperability#Windows which
lists client-client interoperability. If you configure one of these
programs to use the Ekiga.Net server, it should work. You may have the
same media trouble with another program, in case you have a deeper
network problem.

Of course you're also free to choose the SIP service to use, Ekiga
doesn't only work with Ekiga.Net, of course. But the servers work for
about several thousand users, so I don't think that's the root case of a
 problem.

I CC this answer to the Ekiga user mailinglist. You can subscribe to the
list at http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/ekiga-list

Since you're not the only one who tries Ekiga on Windows systems, the
chance is high somebody answers there (though it sounds like not being a
Windows-specific problem, more like a problem that raises due to your
network). Also there may be users who can suggest a Windows SIP software
that works with Ekiga.Net from their expirience.

--
This is my life - this is my net!
- Jan