[GnomeMeeting-list] Encrypted video

[Derek Simkowiak <dereks realloc net>]

    Hello all,
	I am seeking advice for a proof-of-concept project.

	I want to build a network of webcam users who can video chat together, but with all traffic encrypted.

	I'd like it to be multi-platform (Windows XP, Linux, and Mac at least).

	One package that looked good was Freewebfone Combo 3+1, http://www.angelfire.com/biz/WebWatch/ (Pop-ups warning).  I figured I could tunnel that through ssh, which is available for all platforms.  But I can't get the Windows installer to run -- it dies with a retarded error message.

	Another option was QSeeMe (a CU-SeeMe clone for Linux) plus CU-SeeMe under Windows and Mac.  But QSeeMe doe not appear to be maintained, and it is difficult to even find a copy of the latest (0.83a?) using Google.  I also cannot find the old Linux reflector software I used a few years ago, and the Mac CUSeeMe client was discontinued some time ago.

	Which brings me here.  NetMeeting is available for free from Microsoft, and VideoLink Pro is available for Mac.  I was trying to avoid H.323 because of the use of multiple ports.  At first glance it looks like it will be very difficult to set up an SSH tunnel to work with H.323.  NetMeeting now supposedly has some H.235 support, but VideoLink Pro doesn't support it).

	I looked at simply setting up a full-blown VPN using PPTP or some other such nonsense, and having users connect into the VPN and then just running regular H.323 apps on the private (VPN) network.  That is not a viable option, for three reasons:

1. It would be a tech support nightmare.  Too expensive in terms of human support.
2. Once you lets users connect to a VPN at the O.S. level, any viruses they have will then scan the entire VPN subnet (meaning all other connected VPN users).  I wouldn't want the users of the network to infect each other when some hot new virus comes out.

	So, my preference is to ship a simple batch file for Windows and shell script for Mac/Linux, which would establish all the necessary SSH tunnels and run the video app (GnomeMeeting/NetMeeting/VideoLink Pro).

Q1. Are there any other video platforms I could look at?  I'm looking for a super-easy user interface, like AIM, MSN, or Yahoo! Messenger.  I don't need a full-blown H.323 application, just basic low-bandwidth audio and webcam video.  (And it must be encrypted and not dependent on any 3rd-party service.)

Q2. Has anyone else worked on this?  If someone has a nifty script or batch file, I'd love to see it.  Since UDP is being used, I though I would try to use the 'netcat' utility to redirect the UDP channels into a TCP channel, which could *then* go through ssh.  But this may or may not work, depending (in theory) on what size the UDP datagrams are... I've heard of this technique being used successfully, but never done it myself.

	Any help is greatly appreciated.


Thank You,
Derek Simkowiak
dereks realloc net