1. Server Side

Consists of two components:

TrueConf Server;
TrueConf Manager.

TrueConf Server

This component is a software video server. It gets installed as Windows operating system service and provides:

» Client authentication and authorization;
» Client connection, including connection through NAT’s and proxy servers;
» Media stream retranslation when direct stream translation is not possible;
» Communication between remote servers connected to the option “Federation”;
» Storing the call history.

TrueConf Web Manager

This component is dedicated to server component configuring.
TrueConf Manager provides:

» Server registration, start , stop and state monitoring;
» Server log viewing;
» Server IP address and port set-up;
» Registration of new users, activation and deactivation;
» Revision of support information;
» Group conferencing of different modes.

1.1 System Requirements

1.2 Installation

TrueConf Server is shipped as a software installation package that contains the server side and client applications for popular platforms.

After the installation package is downloaded, launch it to begin the installation. The installation process will take less than a minute.

Your browser will automatically open TrueConf Web Manager (Web interface for configuring the server) after installation.

How to change port for TrueConf Server Web Manager tool without having to re-install the server

To do this, go to the servers directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\TrueConf Server\httpconf\conf). In the conf folder open file listen.conf with a text editing app of your choice and change the port number in “Listen (port number)” parameter and save changes. This way you can change the port without re-installing your TrueConf Server.

1.3 Registration

After the installation of your web browser will automatically start server setup interface.

Register the server. To activate the server you have to get a registration key. Click on “Get FREE Key”:

Click to open a page with application to TrueConf Server Free. Carefully fill all the fields and click on “Get a Registration Key”:

A registration key will be sent to the email address that you provided:

Return to the page of TrueConf Server settings and enter the registration key you have just received by e-mail.

Press “Register” to continue:

After the server has been successfully registered, on top of the activation window of web-configurator a special sign will appear:

1.4 Offline registration

To register offline on a computer without an Internet connection, you will need a device connected to the Internet to obtain a registration key. On that device, go to https://trueconf.com/server/trial/ and follow the instruction from the “1.3.Registration” section.

Once you receive an e-mail with the test key, enter it in the field “Registration Key” in the Web manager on the computer with the running server and without an Internet connection, and click on “Register”:

In the registration window a new button will appear, “Create registration file”. Clicking on it will generate a file that you will need to send:

Offlinereg.vrg file will be automatically saved in the default “Downloads” folder of the browser. Transfer this file using a flashdrive to a PC connected to the Internet and send at support@trueconf.com. In return, you will get the file you will need to transfer to your PC with the server you are registering offline.

Click on “Continue offline registration” on your computer and select the file offline.reg:

When offline registration is successfully finished, the Web manager will notify that the server is registered.

1.5 Administering

Server can be administered from any computer in the same local network where it is installed. The access is limited to the following ranges of IP addresses: 10.*, 192.168.*, 172.16-172.31, 127.

At this point the installer does not open a port in the firewall for TrueConf Web Manager. If the administrator wants to administer the server from a remote machine, he/she needs to make sure that the server firewall allows connecting on the port, on which TrueConf Web Manager is launched.

TrueConf Web Manager port is determined during the server installation. By default, port 80 is selected. If it is taken, 8888 is selected. If it is also taken, the user selects the port in the installation dialog window (if the port is not 80, then it is visible in the browser address bar after the colon in the hostname http://localhost:8080).

To access TrueConf Web Manager from the machine on which the server was installed you will not need any password (the host in the browser – localhost or 127.0.0.1).

Remote access requires authorization with the accounts of the Windows users from the group “TrueConf Server Admin”. When the server is installed the user account is added to this group.

To give another user access to TrueConf Web Manager, the administrator must add the user account to the “TrueConf Server Admin” group.

How to Control the TrueConf Server Out of Network ->
How to Connect External Users ->

1.6 Logging In and Logging Out

Logging in to the web interface of TrueConf Server is carried out automatically after registration and entering the registration key (see section 3. Registration).

To log out from the system (e.g. in order to log in using another key) click the Registration button in the Summary tab:

Enter another key:

If the key is valid you will log out from the system.

If you cannot log in to the server when entering the old key on other computer and the message “Registration key is incorrect. Check that code is valid. If you don’t have a key you can get it” is displayed in the Web Manager tool, this means that your key is “bound” to the hardware on the machine where the server was installed:

1.7 Server status

Server status is shown in the “Server status” field in green (if the server is working) or in red (if it has stopped) in top right corner of the web management tool window:

What to do if server is not running?
In this case the red massage “Stopped” will be displayed in the “Server status” line:

Possible reason № 1: You have no license, or the license is expired.

Workaround: contact your reseller or distributor.

Possible reason № 2: Some server files are missing or have been damaged.

Workaround: reinstall TrueConf Server.

1.8 Server’s log files

If there are some problems during video conferences, you can collect logs on your PC and sent them to TrueConf Support Team. For this purpose, click View Log button in the Web Manager tool’s Settings tab:

Save the report on your PC:

1.9 Change the server language

You can change the language of the program directly from the Web management tool. To do this, click on “System”. From the drop-down menu select the appropriate language:

2. Client Side

Consists of:

» TrueConf Client.

2.1 TrueConf Client

This is a client application. It is installed on the users’ computers and allows making and receiving of video calls.

TrueConf Client provides:

» User authentication in the TrueConf Server system;
» Possibility to make video calls or create and participate in various group video conferences;
» Set up of video and audio input and output;
» Exchange of text messages;
» White board tool for 1- on -1 conferences;
» Slide show tool for displaying of graphic images in 1-on-1 and group conferences;
» Screen sharing for transmission of your desktop screen to one or more participants;
» File transfer in 1-on-1 video calls;
» User address book support and management;
» Call list management;
» Self view display in conferences;
» Support of video formats: SD (320х180), HQ (640х360), HD (1280х720). In 1-on-1 video conferences is supported FHD video format (1920х1080);
» Video and/or audio mute feature;
» TCP and UDP transport.

2.2 Recommended configuration for TrueConf Server client terminal

» Intel or AMD Processor with 2 GHz or higher clock speed;
» 512 MB of RAM and 100 MB free hard disc space;
» Windows Vista/7 SP1/8/8.1/10 operating system;
» 256 kbps network connection in both directions;
» Webcam;
» Full-duplex sound card;
» Headset (in order to avoid echo).

2.3 Where can I find client applications

For the users to start video conferencing, the link to the guest page must be distributed among them. On this page they can download client application for all operating systems.

Guest page is available at:
http://localhost/guest (link may be different ac-cording to the settings of the server). For example, if the port 8888 was cho-sen during the installation, the guest page will be available at
http://localhost:8888/guest).
You can find the link to the guest page in the Web/Settings Tab on the server settings page.

On the guest page the user can download client applications for Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, and iOS:

2.4 Client Application Connection

You can connect the client application to your server either manually or automatically.

2.5 Connection using auto discovering

The client software of TrueConf includes a function of automatic search for the local server TrueConf Server (auto-discover). It is possible to install the client application without any information about your local TrueConf Server. In this case all information about the server will be detected automatically by using DNS. To do this you need to specify the address of the server in users primary DNS (primary DNS suffix).

You need to create SRV record in the domain for vcs2.tcp service and specify the TrueConf Server address and port.

The following example shows how to do this using DNS utility in Microsoft Windows 2012 Server:

Navigate to root of the desired domain
Choose «Other New Records…» in a right-click menu.
Choose type «Service Location».
Set the following parameters

In this example server has address videoserver.your.domain.com and port 4307. Please note that protocol name (tcp) does not contain underscores.

2.6 Manual configuration

Open TrueConf Web Manager home page on client computer.

Download client application for your system.

Share links for downloading client applications for desired platforms.

Launch the file on the user’s computer and follow system’s instructions.

3. Configuring Server

3.1 “Dashboard” Group of Settings

3.1.1 “Summary” Section

This page contains details on the license, registered contact person and available extensions used by the server. You can re-register your server here or proceed to purchasing new licenses for your server. In case of troubles with the registration of the server administrator may contact TrueConf technical support using the contact information that is displayed in case of an error.

If the server is connected to the Internet, administrator will get notifications about server updates. Notification sign will appear in the left menu in TrueConf Web Manager by the “Summary” section. On top of the page a message will be displayed with the link to download new version. After an update the sign and the notification will disappear.

3.1.2 “Settings” Section

1. Server working directory for saving log files.
2. Enable detailed logging.
3. Server usage statistics.
4. Server usage report.
5. Create server settings backup copy.
6. Restore configuration from en existing Settings file.
7. Client application download links (for connection to the server).
8. Code word for connection of Guest users from TrueConf web plugin.
9. Limit the maximum outgoing bitrate.
10. Limit the frames per second on the display.
11. Limit the frame size in pixels.
12. Display statuses during the conference.
13. Save application settings.

Configuration

A backup copy of the TrueConf Server settings allows you to save the basic settings of your server: users, groups, scheduled conferences, network settings. This capability is useful when re-configuring the server, e.g. when you have reinstalled your operating system. Backup copy does not save files from the working directory as well as recordings.

When restoring settings from a backup created on the earlier version of the server, you need to re-launch the installation of the current server version upon completion of restoring. It is necessary for applying the settings to the new version of the server.

If server does not run after restoring backup settings, check the network settings: the current IP addresses of the server might not match with the previous IP addresses of TrueConf Server, and you will need to configure the IP addresses again.

If you are restoring the settings on an OS other than the OS you ran when you were making backup of those settings, you will need to re-register the server to start it.

If you are installing a new version of the server over the old one, all settings are retained, you don’t have to apply backup settings after the installation of a new version of the server.

If you are installing the older version over the new one or restoring the settings created on a newer version of the server, the stable operation of the server is not guaranteed.

TrueConf Client/TrueConf macOS Settings

By clicking the name of the application (TrueConf Client Client или TrueConf macOS) , you will open the settings tab:

If the current version of the client application is earlier than the said version, the work of the client application will be stopped and it will be updated in a mandatory manner.

If the application version is less than the indicated version, the user will be asked to upgrade his client application and given the link to the appro-priate version.

3.2 “Network” Group of Settings

3.2.1 “Network settings” Section

Internal addresses and ports that will be used for clients to contact this server. By default the server uses all IP addresses of machine on default TrueConf Server port 4307. When default settings are on, current connections are displayed in this column.

External addresses are the ports and IP addresses or DNS names, which help client applications to connect to the server. If the server uses NAT or has DNS names, external addresses can differ from the internal ones.

DNS names can be used for host identification. When using addresses and/or ports translation (NAT), translated address and port must be en-tered into the relevant fields.

If you plan to transfer server to another IP address, you need to enter the future IP address and rele-vant port into the right column. This will help users to store the future IP address during the next session. When the server is switched to the new address, users will switch to it automatically.

1. To specify non-default external addresses, check “Specify” checkbox
2. To change internal addresses, uncheck “Listen on all IP addresses” checkbox
3. To add a new internal or external IP address. Use the button “Add” and enter the necessary data in the “Host” and “Port” fields
4. Teturn to previous settings
5. To save the changes

3.2.2 “SMTP” Section

Mail server is used to send notifications to the users about missed calls and to the TrueConf system administrators about the server operation:

1. IP address or SMTP server host name, used by TrueConf Server for sending e-mails
2. Sending e-mail notification to the administrator in case of server reload caused by internal problems
3. Enter the email address which will be used to automatically send emails to the users.
4. Successfully connected status in case of connection to SMTP server, invalid server if the connection can not be established (use another outgoing e-mail server in this case).
5. Checking SMTP server connection status
6. Option for sending e-mails: without authorization, with a password, with NTLM authorization (without entering the password)
7. Sending e-mail notifications to the users with missed calls
8. Restoring Default e-mail templates
9. Editable example of subject and body of the letter about the missed call to unregistered users
10. Editable example of subject and body of the letter about the missed call to registered users
11. Activation of an automatic user notification with the upcoming participation in a video conference
12. Ready-to-edit e-mail template with an invitation to the Group conference

You also need to specify the email details in the fields “Host” and “Port”. E.g., if you are using a gmail account, you have to enter “smtp.gmail.com” in the field “Host” and the port value in the “Port” field.

If the external mail server demands using SSL (a secure authorization protocol) when authorizing, check the box “Use ssl”.

In case of a missed call to a registered or unregistered user of TrueConf Server this event will be logged on the server and user will be notified by predefined e-mail.

3.2.3 “SIP Gateway” Section

Components of this tab allow to configure parameters of the SIP gateway.

VoIP Server is used for making calls to phones (#tel:89261112233);

SIP Proxy by default is used for making calls to Сall_ID of a user (#sip:james78).

1. IP-address or host name of the server, which is used for calls in the PSTN.
2. Account of the VoIP Server/SIP Proxy for the gateway.
3. Password to the account of the VoIP server/SIP Proxy, which is used for the gateway in the system.
4. The name used to authorize at SIP server. Enter the name if it is different from user ID.
5. Registration mode on a third-party SIP server using REGISTER request.
6. Instead of plus “+” symbol enter in the field the international prefix (e.g. prefix for calls from Russia: 8-10). Thus, when dialing +7(926)123-45-67, it will be automatically substituted with 8-10-7(926)123-45-67. If you place the mouse cursor over the field, a popup tip will appear.
7. Display of the status of the connection to the SIP server. Possible values: connected – connection with the SIP/VoIP server has been established; wrong authorization – authrization error (wrong login or password); invalid server – incorrectly specified SIP/VoiP server.
8. Save changes.
9. By default, all IP addresses are used. You can un-check the field and add the addresses manually. To do this, fill the Host and Port fields. Then click on “Add”. The table on the left will display the submitted information. They can also be deleted. To do this, select the one you want to delete by checking the tick on the left and click on “Remove Selected”.
10. Domain name or IP address of the server. Click on “Apply” so that the incoming calls are displayed as user@domain, where domain is the Outgoing SIP domain. This allows SIP users to call back the users of the server.
11. Input field for TrueConf recipient ID. CID of the conference can be used as a call addressee. Press “Apply” to enable SIP subscriber to define the recipient of the call.
12. Check this box to enable the support for BFCP protocol. This protocol is used in sending and rexeiving additional content (additional video stream). E.g. to show slides or share desktop of a computer connected to SIP endpoint.
13. Advanced feature. Use these options to reduce SIP protocol messages size to avoid MTU related errors.

Registration mode on a third-party SIP server using REGISTER request:

off – REGISTER request cannot be sent, au-thorisation is performed during a call;
permanent – automatic authorisation on each server’s launch, available untill the server shutdown;
before call – REGISTER request is sent di-rectly before a call and is supported during a call only.

Status of the connection to the SIP server

connected – connection with the SIP/VoIP server has been established;
wrong authorization – authrization error (wrong login or password);
invalid server – incorrectly specified SIP/VoiP server.

3.2.3.1 SIP-terminal calling format from TrueConf Client

One of the formats given below can be used:

» #sip:Call_ID@Server_name, where Call_ID is SIP user, Server_name is a host name or IP address of the SIP server;
» #sip:Call_ID, call is directed to the Call_ID user on the server, which is indicated in the VoIP Server/SIP Proxy of the SIP Gateway tab;
» #sip:@IP, call to the IP address of the SIP terminal.
» #sip:@hostname, call to the DNS name of the SIP terminal.

3.2.3.2 Invitation of TrueConf customer to the conference that is held on the SIP server

» login to the client application TrueConf Client;
» organize conference on the SIP server (MCU), invite terminals to the conference;
» add to the conference TrueConf ID you used to login to the client application TrueConf Client, as TrueConf_ID@IP, where IP – gateway address of the TrueConf Server, which is indicated in the SIP Gateway tab:

3.2.3.3 Invitation of the SIP terminal to the conference that is held on the TrueConf Server

There are two ways ot inviting a SIP endpoint into a video conference – from Address book of TrueConf Client application or from TrueConf Web Manager.

1. From Address Book in TrueConf Client application. Do the following:

» add SIP endpoint to the Address book in the following format: #sip:user@host, where “host” is IP address or a domain name;
» call it by a double-click on the name of the subscriber:

2. From TrueConf Web Manager. to do this:

» create and plan a group video conference, using the tab “Group conferences”;
» enter SIP endpoint as a participant of the conference. In the indicated day all the participamts will be invited to the conference:

3.2.3.4 Connection using CID (Conference ID)

If several group conferences are organized on TrueConf Server, you can choose the conference directly from the SIP terminal. For that:

» Organize a group conference in the Group Conferences tab of TrueConf Server configuration wizard;
» Remember the CID (e.g. \c\e22a39ba2a);
» In the address bar of the terminal make call on your CID@IP, where IP – address of the TrueConf gateway. Note: some terminals (for instance, Polycom PVX) de-lete special symbols from the address bar. In this case for Polycom PVX you will need to enter \\c\\e22a39ba2a@IP.

3.2.3.5 Connection to the fixed name group conference

» Organize a group conference in the Group Conferences tab of TrueConf Server configuration wizard;
» Remember the CID (e.g. \c\e22a39ba2a);
» In the Application tab of TrueConf Server configuration wizard create property default_mconf_name, equal to the CID without \c\, for the given example: e22a39ba2a;
» Restart TrueConf Server;
» Make a call to the name groupconf@IP from the terminal, where IP is address of the TrueConf Gateway.

3.2.3.6 Invitation to the conference from TrueConf Client

» Add to the TrueConf Client address book terminals that you want you want to invite to the TrueConf conference in the format described in the paragraph 3.2.3.1;
» Organize conference in the TrueConf Server configuration wizard or client application TrueConf Client;
» Invite terminals to the conference by a double click on the terminal name in the TrueConf Client address book.

3.2.3.7 Connecting to an IP camera in a video conference

You can connect an IP camera to a conference during a point-to-point call or a group conference, if the given camera supports RTSP protocol.

Connecting from TrueConf Client application:

» For a video call: paste #rtsp_url in the address bar and click on «Call». rtsp_url – is an individual RTSP address of the camera (it’s format depends on the vendor, model and camera’s mode). For example, the cameras by Axis rtsp://IP/axis-media/media.amp. When pasting, replace the IP with the real IP address of the camera, and symbols ‘/’ with ‘%2f’. The final version may look like this: #rtsp:%2f%2f217.17.220.110%2faxis-media%2fmedia.amp:

» Invitation to a group conference: add the IP address of the camera to the address book beforehand. Choose the group video conference and invite the participants. If the event is already taking place, go to the Address book, choose the IP camera from the contact list and click on “Invite to conference”:

Connecting from Web-Manager (for the administrator):

» create a Group Conference – public or private in Group conferences tab;
» type the IP camera address in Add by ID field (ID field is located in Add participants tab, when following the Participants link on Conference Creation), click Add and Apply;
» run the video conference:

3.2.3.8 Problems and Solutions

SIP-terminals do not connect with TrueConf Server

3.2.4 “H.323 Gateway” Section

Settings on this page are designed to register the TrueConf Server on the external H.323 gatekeeper. After registered successfully, TrueConf users are able make calls to terminals registered on this gatekeeper with the following dialing format: #h323:terminal_id, where “terminal_id” is the terminal identifier you are calling to.

1. Enter the address of the H.323 gatekeeper. You can use either a domain name (e.g. test.gatekeeper.com) or IP address (e.g. 34.87.12.127).
2. Enter H323-ID (random alphanumeric identifier) under which the TrueConf Server will be registered on the external gatekeeper. For instance, H.323-ID might be this way: #h323:user01. H.323 terminals can call this number to reach TrueConf Server using gatekeeper.
3. You need to enter DialedDigits (E.164), under which TrueConf Server will be registered on the external gatekeeper.
4. Enter the password received from the administrator to register the TrueConf Server on gatekeeper. If you leave this field empty, the registration without a password will be used.
5. The switch can be used to temporarily disable the server registration on the gatekeeper.
6. After making changes to “H.323 Gatekeeper” section, click “Save” to commit the changes. It is necessarily to restart is the server.
7. This section contains TrueConf Server settings necessary for work in the Gatekeeper mode. In this mode third-party H.323 endpoints can be registered on the server under the user account of TrueConf Client application.
8. as explained above, after registered the TrueConf Server on the external gatekeeper, you can make calls to the server using its registration data (h323-id and/or Dialed Digits (E.164)). This section is used to determine the recipient of these numbers. Enter the TrueConf ID or Conference ID (CID) of the recipient in the input field and press “Apply”. If left empty, calls to the client application of the TrueConf Server will be rejected.

DialedDigits

DialedDigits (E.164) is an identifier consists of numbers and special characters, «,#*» (for instance, dial #h323:\e\041412 to call the subscriber 041412). Please note that the characters \e\ are mandatory when using Dialed Digits (E.164). Thus, if you dial #h323:041412, H323-ID will be used instead of DialedDigits (E.164)and the call can be addressed to other subscriber. After registration, other terminals will be able to make calls to the client application TrueConf using this identifier.

Network settings

In this mode third-party H.323 endpoints can be registered on the server under the user account of TrueConf Client application. Thus, a user may log in to a server using either TrueConf Client or any H.323 endpoint with a support for password-based registration. By default if ‘Use all IP addresses’ is selected, TrueConf Server will use all accessible connections by default (server’s IP addresses + port 1719). Do not change this section without necessity. If you need to change IP addresses or ports to access TrueConf Server (e.g. to deny access from a particular IP, or if port 1719 is blocked by Firewall and you need another port) uncheck ‘Use all IP addresses’. In this case, three buttons will be activated: Add, Reset, and Apply. Using the Add button you can set an additional access point (you should input an IP address for the access in the drop-down window (in the Host field), port, and protocall (TCP or UDP)). By clicking any access point in the list, a similar editing window will open. If you click the Reset button, all changes will be reverted to the previous saved state.

Default Call Destination

After registered the TrueConf Server on the external gatekeeper, you can make calls to the server using its registration data (h323-id and/or Dialed Digits (E.164)). This section is used to determine the recipient of these numbers. Enter the TrueConf ID or Conference ID (CID) of the recipient in the input field and press “Apply”. If left empty, calls to the client application of the TrueConf Server will be rejected.

3.2.4.1 How Can a TrueConf User Make a Call to an H.323 Endpoint

The administrator of a server must register an H.323 endpoint first. For information about how to do this, see a detailed instruction. Enter the H.323 endpoint data in the Address Book. The ID of an H.323 endpoint should look like this:#h323:@IP, where IP is its address:

Open the Address book of a TrueConf client application and call that H.323 endpoint: