iLinc Technical Support
FAQs
Hosting & Setting Up Meetings
How do I invite people?
In iLinc there are multiple ways to invite uses into your sessions these include:
1. Quick Invites - Sending Invites from your iLinc homepage
- Log in to your Communications Center
- Find the session to which you would like to invite participants and click the 'Invite' icon located in the ACTIONS column
- Enter a First Name, Last Name, and/or E-mail address and click 'Submit', or click 'Select Users' and choose user(s) from the Users window
- Click 'Submit'
2. Inviting while creating/editing a session
- Log in to your Communications Center
- Find the session to which you would like to edit, click the 'Edit' icon in the ACTIONS list OR click 'Add New Session'
- Locate the Attendees list section
- Enter a First Name, Last Name, and/or E-mail address, or click 'Select Users' and choose user(s) from the Users window
- Click 'Save/Send' to deliver email invitations
3. Inviting during a session - Send an email invite while in a session
- Click on 'Session' in the menu bar
- Click on the 'Send Invite' option
- Enter a First Name, Last Name, and/or E-mail address and click 'Submit', or click 'Select Users' and choose user(s) from the Users window
- Click 'Submit'
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How do I pass control to another user?
As the floor holder, you are able to pass control (pass the floor) to other users in your session so that they can interact with an application, collaborate on a document, or present from their own computer.
You can pass control to another user by any of the following methods:
- Locate the desired user in the Attendee list and double click the Attendee's name
- Select a name from the Attendee list and click Pass Floor icon located at the bottom of the Attendee list
- Right click an Attendee's name from the Attendee list and select 'Give Floor'
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What is the difference between MeetingLinc, LearnLinc, ConferenceLinc and SupportLinc?
While all four variants of the iLinc product are designed with the same core functionality in mind, they differ in their configurations due to the slightly different use cases each are built for. With this in mind here are primary uses of each tool:
- MeetingLinc - This is designed to be used for both open and scheduled meetings where high levels of collaboration are desired. To this end, you are able to set up meetings where user can take control at will or choose a more traditional control style where the leader passes control when desired.
- LearnLinc - This tool is designed for a training or educational use as it utilizes a traditional instructor-based control style. Instructors can monitor student activity in classes via the Participation Meter and can even choose to Glimpse a student's desktop should that individual need guidance or help. Another unique feature is the ability to setup your activities in a Folder structure as well as create asynchronous activities based around a Document, Recording, Test, or even Survey.
- ConferenceLinc - The conferencing product is geared towards larger one-to-many scenarios where you will be presenting content to a larger audience who you are not expecting to interact at a high level. This is the perfect option to use when hosting a large webinar or event to which you are inviting hundreds of users who are looking to receive your message.
- SupportLinc - Our support tool is designed to facilitate one-on-one support for technicians looking to diagnose a user's problem, perform software installations, or accomplish any other task involving remote control. This tool features a Waiting List option which allows a technician to bring a new user into session only when desired. File Transfer capabilities are also another favorite use of the support tool.
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Sharing & Annotation
How do I share my desktop?
Desktop sharing technology is one that truly reaches across the computer lines and links people together in a unique way. When someone shares their desktop in a session, participants can see any actions taken, and can even act on the application when the floor is passed to them. Use Sharing to present content, train others on how to use a software application, work on spreadsheets, or any other creative use you can think of.
1. Take the floor. If you are the current floor holder, your name and image displays in the Attendees panel.
2. To share your Desktop immediately:
- Click the Sharing icon to the upper-right of the screen
- From the menu bar click Tools ->Share
3. Select Desktop to immediately begin sharing all your applications.
TIP: Many new presenters and instructors prefer to have a second computer in their session with them so that they can view exactly what their participants will see. This is a great way to gain confidence in your presenting skills and make sure that people are seeing what you desire.
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What is the difference between Desktop, Application and Region Sharing?
Desktop Sharing allows you to immediately share out your entire desktop area to all attendees. Any window currently open underneath the iLinc application will display, including e-mail or instant messaging clients. This is good to use when you wish to switch between numerous applications on-the-fly or when the desired effect can only be achieved via a full desktop view.
Region sharing allows you to define a portion of your desktop to share to all attendees. A blue-outlined selection box will appear on your desktop and any portion of your desktop contained within this box will be viewable to all attendees. You can move or adjust the size of this box at any time to change the shared portion of your desktop. Click the Start Sharing button on the Sharing Controls Panel to begin sharing this region. This tool is recommended when you wish to highlight or draw attention to a small area which may otherwise be difficult to point out.
Application sharing allows you to display a list of currently open (including minimized) applications on your computer. You can choose one or more application by selecting the check box next to the name of the desired program. When you have selected the item(s), click the Start Sharing button at the bottom to display these to your attendees. This is often used when only looking to share certain applications so that all others remain hidden to your participants.
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Can others modify documents on my machine and vice-versa?
The iLinc application allows for other users to collaborate and interact with tools and programs that are opened only when control is passed to them. This means that as the leader of a session no one else can interact with your presentation, your share, or any other content unless you explicitly pass them control.
If your particular use-case lends itself to allowing users to take control on their own without leader intervention, then you would be best suited to setup your session in MeetingLinc and select the 'Anyone" floor control style. This will allow users to take control and drive the presentation at their own discretion.
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Do keyboard shortcuts work when I'm controlling another computer?
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The iLinc Sharing tool does allow for most common keyboard shortcuts to be passed through when remote controlling another user's computer. Typical shortcuts for most programs involving the Control or Alt keys on a Windows PC or the Apple key on a Mac are available. The iLinc remote control function also allows for a shared clipboard meaning that if you copy something on your machine you can paste it onto the remote computer's screen. This is very handy when looking to copy paragraphs of text, website addresses, or technical data from one machine to another.
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Recording & Playback
How do I record a session?
iLinc provides session leaders, assistants, and those with the appropriate authority level the ability to record sessions. iLinc recordings capture all onscreen activity as well as the audio from the selected source. This means that every action taken on the recording computer will be captured from a quick email check to an instant message conversation. When recording it is important to remember this and to close any extraneous programs prior to beginning your recording.
To record your session:
1. Click the 'Session' in the menu bar and then click 'Record Session'
2. Choose an Audio Source:
- None - No audio will be recorded, however you can merge an audio file in afterwards during the editing phase
- VoIP (Internet Audio) - This will record all users speaking in your session over VoIP
- Conferencing Bridge - If using an audio bridge, the dial in number and pin numbers will be pre-populated from your session setup, however you can edit these on-the-fly should any changes be necessary. When ready to begin, click 'Connect', and once connected click 'Start Recording'.
3. The recording interface will minimize to an icon which you can then click on to stop the recording
4. After stopping the recording you will have the ability to save the recording to your computer as well as upload it to your iLinc site
For more detailed information and screenshots, please consult the iLinc Recording User Guide.
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How do I edit a recording?
Included in the standard iLinc Client software is a recording editor which allows you to alter any iLinc sessions which you choose to record. The Editor can be accessed outside of a session (on a Windows PC) by clicking on Start-> All Programs-> iLinc 10-> Editor.
Within the Editor you have the ability to:
- Save your edited recording
- Select a section to edit
- Delete a section of a recording
- Crop a section of a recording
- Remove cursor movement from a section of a recording
- Remove audio from a section of a recording
- Insert an audio file to a section of a recording
- Remove visual changes from a section of a recording
- Insert one recording into another
- Add bookmarks to a recording
For more detailed information and screenshots, please consult the iLinc Recording User Guide.
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How can I distribute a link to my recording file?
After recording and editing an iLinc session, the leader may choose to upload the recording as a standalone iLinc Recording Activity. You can do this from your homepage by clicking 'Add New Session'-> 'Class Activity'. At the top of the following screen you will have a dropdown box from which you will select 'iLinc Recording', and this will guide you through the setup process which is very similar to setting up a Meeting or Class.
Once this is completed, click on the 'Invite' icon from your homepage and it will present you with a registration link. If you wish to provide your users with a direct link to file then you must modify the link before you send it out like so:
Example:
- Registration Link - http://training.ilinc.com/register/abcxyz
- Join Link - http://training.ilinc.com/join/abcxyz
Please note in the sample that you need to change the word 'register' to 'join' in order to accomplish this.
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Audio & Video
What Audio & Video hardware does iLinc recommend?
For VOIP, a full duplex, usb headset with background noise reduction and echo cancellation is recommended. USB is recommended for two reasons, first a usb headset, will have a standard audio driver across an operating system, ensuring consistent performance, regardless of the characteristics or drivers of the sound card, which may impact the perceived audio quality of an analog headset. Second, when distributing headsets to a number of people, a usb headset is simply easier to plug in, with less chance of error, due to the jacks being improperly plugged in, compared to an analog headset.
The following list of headsets, have been tested and used by iLinc or come highly recommended by our customers, prices reflect purchase price at that time through commonly found technology vendors on the internet.
1. Plantronics DSP-400 $55
2. Sennheiser PC 30 $35
3. Altec Lansing AHS6021 $60
4. Sennheiser PC 35 USB, $80
5. Jabra GN5035 $50
6. For small conference rooms, or offices needing a VoIP "speakerphone" several of our customers highly recommend the Phoenix Duet $150: http://www.phnxaudio.com/Default.aspx?tabid=62
When considering a camera, take into consideration how and where it will be used, do you need Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) capabilities? Is it designed to mount on a desktop or laptop? Do you need Face Tracking, or Video Effects? The following list of cameras represents a range of both feature functionality and cost. These cameras have been used internally and are recommended both for quality and ease of use / product support. Please note due to the nature and constant evolution of cameras this list updates often, to check for the most current updates, please contact our support team.
1. Logitech Orbit Series - $130 - On the higher end of Web cams, it includes PTZ features with onscreen controls, for lighting, color, zoom adjustments, face tracking, and video effects. This camera also includes two bases, one low, and one high pedestal, allowing for very flexible placement.
2. Logitech QuickCam Pro For Notebooks - $100 - Similar to the orbit series listed above but designed to be more compact and easily portable, it clips onto the top edge of a notebook computer.
3. Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 - $100 - Very versatile webcam designed to be able to sit on top of a desktop or laptop, it includes PTZ capabilities.
4. Creative Labs Live Cam Optia - $75 - Includes face tracking and automatic quality mgmt.
5. Creative Labs Live Cam Video IM Pro - $50 - Includes video effects
6. For Macs we recommend the Mac iSight Cameras
Further capabilities certainly exist to use higher quality cameras, for conference rooms, classrooms, and auditoriums, such as the Sony EVI D70 series, for more information on this type of implementation please contact our support team.
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Can I user Internet Audio (VoIP) or do I have to use a traditional telephone?
iLinc provides Internet Audio (VoIP) functionality to every customer. This form of audio can be used in place of traditional telephone or teleconference bridge audio for any iLinc online session. To utilize Internet Audio your session, simply select "Internet Audio" for the Audio setting in the 'Key Information' area when creating or editing your session.
Please note that VoIP audio does use your internet connection so quality and performance will be dependant on your connection speed and the bandwidth of your attendees. Please keep this in mind when choosing between Teleconference and VoIP for your audio. For further questions about VoIP or assistance in optimizing VoIP quality please contact the iLinc Technical Support team.
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What configuration options do I have for Audio & Video?
iLinc provides a variety of options for using Audio or Video within your sessions.
For Audio, you can choose to use a teleconference bridge, iLinc's Internet Audio (VoIP), or a mix of these audio options if you are using iLinc's integrated audio. When using Internet Audio, you can choose from three quality settings (low, medium, and high) which will use an increasing amount of bandwidth from one to the next. You can also choose to automatically mute or unmute microphones for attendees as they join your session.
For Video, you can select if people in your session will be able to use streaming video or if each person will display a photo image instead. When choosing to share Live Video in session, you can establish the initial size of the video, the quality of the image, and whether or not adjust a person's video should they begin to experience a delay in sending or receiving a video stream. Like with VoIP settings, your image size and quality settings here will impact the bandwidth used and again as you increase these settings it will also increase the required bandwidth.
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Managing Activities & Content
How do I delete a Folder or Activity?
Deleting a session, activity, or folder removes it from the home page of everyone registered for it and also prevents you from accessing it in the future. iLinc provides another option called 'Deactivate' which will remove it from view but you can still access it later if needed.
1. To Delete/Deactivate Sessions and Activities:
a. Click on 'Activities' under the 'Manage' menu bar
b. Select the checkbox next to the item that you wish to remove
c. Click the Delete/Deactivate button at the bottom of the list
2. To Delete/Deactivate folders:
a. Go to your iLinc site and click Manage, click the Folders tab.
b. Select the folder you wish to delete.
c. Click the delete button at the bottom of the list.
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What are the benefits of using the Content Library?
iLinc offers a powerful Content Management feature in the form of the Content Library. This is something which is available to all users and allows users to share and pull from a single repository.
The benefits of the Content Library include:
- Stores content in a central location which all users can draw from
- Eliminates the need for the same file to be repeatedly uploaded
- Allows users to make sure that all their Activities are using the most recent version of a particular Content item
- Removing an item from the Content Library removes it from all associated sessions
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Reporting Capabilities
How do I report on my meeting which just ended?
iLinc includes a wide variety of reporting options from the Communication Center. You can view a report on a session which just ended once the Leader has exited as this indicates the actual end of a session. These reports can be run at any time and do not need to be done immediately following a session.
To access your activity report:
1. Click on 'Activity' under the 'Reports' menu bar
2. Select the 'Session Detail' option
3. On this screen check the box for each product you wish to view sessions for and then click the 'List Sessions' button
4. Put a checkmark to the left of each session you want to report on
a. Activity from - This will limit the data returned based on the date range specified here. This is optional and can be left blank.
b. Registered from - Enabling this will also include user registrations and can be pared down with a date range as well.
c. Include User Fields - This will include additional user field data if desired and you will have the option to include any Custom User Fields which you have added to your site.
5. You also have the option of choosing the format of the resulting report which may differ depending upon the end purpose of the report.
6. Once all options are set as desired, click 'Submit' to generate your report
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How can I see all activities that a user attended?
iLinc includes a wide variety of reporting options from the Communication Center. For reviewing all activity of a specific user, you would run the User-level Session Report, which provides an overview of each session a selected user has joined, how long they were logged in to the session, and, if applicable, any score given by the instructor based on virtual classroom attendance or participation.
To access this user report:
1. Click on 'User' under the 'Reports' menu bar
2. Select the 'User Session Detail' option
3. On this screen check the box for the appropriate user type you wish to report on and then click the 'List Users' button
4. Put a checkmark to the left of each user you want to report on
a. Activity from - This will limit the data returned based on the date range specified here. This is optional and can be left blank.
b. Products - This will limit the results based on the type of session they have joined. Click all available options if you wish to see as complete a report as possible.
5. You also have the option of choosing the format of the resulting report which may differ depending upon the end purpose of the report.
6. Once all options are set as desired, click 'Submit' to generate your report
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Branding & Changing Colors
How do I add a logo to my site?
The standard iLinc banner appears on the top of every page and includes the iLinc logo in the upper left corner by default. You can change the logo that appears in the standard banner or you can replace the entire banner with custom code and images.
To change the Logo:
1. Click on 'Site' under the 'Administration' menu bar
2. Click on the 'Interface' tab of this page
3. In the 'General' section of this page, click 'Upload' next to the Logo heading
4. On the 'Upload Client Logo' window, click 'Browse' and select the desired file. *Note: The file must be a .gif file, 160x60 pixels in size.
5. Click 'Open'
6. On the 'Upload Client Logo' window, click 'Submit'. The new Logo appears in the 'Current Logo' image box and is immediately updated on the Communication Center pages. You can remove the custom Logo and replace it with the default iLinc Logo by clicking on the 'Reset' link.
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Can I brand my iLinc site to match my organization's website?
iLinc offers System Administrators and Site Administrators advanced branding options by clicking 'Interface' on the 'Site' menu bar. These options include the ability to add a customized banner which can be modeled after your organization's web page or other marketing materials. You are also able to customize the overall color scheme of the iLinc application, both the Communication Center web-interface and the in-session Client interface. You can choose from a pre-created color scheme template or customize the color codes yourself for a perfect match. In order to create a banner file you will need a basic knowledge of HTML and will want to follow the guidelines below:
1. Create a file containing the new banner code. This must be a .txt, .htm, or .html file. To modify the existing banner code, click the 'Download' link next to the 'Banner' heading and paste the code into the file. Note the following:
a. The HTML source code must contain an HTML table:
<table><tr><td>
Custom banner code goes here
</td></tr></table>
b. The path to images in the banner must be /xxxx.xxx
2. When you are ready to upload the banner, click the 'Upload' link for the 'Banner' heading in the 'General' section of the 'Interface' page.
3. On the 'Upload Banner' window, click 'Browse', select the file containing the banner code (.txt, .html, or .htm), and click 'Open'.
4. On the 'Upload Banner' window, click 'Submit'.
5. In the 'Images' section, upload any images referenced in the banner code Click 'Browse' to select the file, and then click the 'Upload' link to upload it to the server.
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Advanced Security Options
What is AES and do I need it for my sessions?
AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is a security encryption standard utilized in many industries and markets including the United States government which has three bit key sizes and iLinc employs two of those: 128 and 256. Within the iLinc application, AES is used to encrypt data being transported between each end user and the server that is the mid-point during the session. With SSL (secure socket layer), iLinc's security solution is an industry-leading and efficient method for completely securing data for your sessions.
You may wish to employ iLinc's security for your sessions when you are sharing confidential information during your session or wish to make sure that your information is not compromised during transmission to other people in your session. Be sure to verify any organization-wide security requirements to ensure that your iLinc sessions are also configured to meet these guidelines.
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Can multiple user accounts share the same email address?
iLinc Administrators can configure the specific requirements for each user on their site including which user information items are required and need to be unique. By default, the iLinc system requires the UserName & E-mail Address fields to be unique. In certain situations where users may not have an E-mail Address or share one, it is not possible for each user to have a unique value here. iLinc Administrators can make this change by clicking on 'User Fields' on the 'Site' menu bar and choosing to edit the 'E-mail Address' field. Simply unchecking the 'Unique' checkbox will allow email addresses to be duplicated within the iLinc system.
Additionally, if your specific requirements include capturing more data you can also create additional data fields here. Many companies like to add a unique 'EmployeeID' field or 'Division/Department' field for further data gathering purposes. For more information on Custom User Fields or further suggestions on how to achieve your desired goals please contact the iLinc Technical Support team.
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Web Services & Integrations
How do I get started with the iLinc Web Service?
iLinc supports an open, well-documented suite of SOAP-based Web services that enable your technology team to quickly and easily integrate iLinc with virtually any application in the organization.
Here's just some of what's possible through the iLinc WSDL (Web Service Definition Language):
- User Account Authentication & Synchronization
- Centralize user accounts
- Enable seamless logon between applications
- Leverage industry standards like Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Microsoft Active Directory Services (ADS), Novell Directory Services (NDS) and Single Sign-On using Internet Explorer
- Supported iLinc Functions
- Add/copy/inactivate activities
- Add/copy/delete content & assign to activities
- Customize activity/session settings
- User registration for activities
- Join users into activities
- Upload user photos
- Usage/registration reporting
- Green Meter (CO2 savings) reporting
For more technical documentation on using the iLinc Web Service, please contact the iLinc Technical Support team.
For further information regarding Web Services in general please click here.
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Does iLinc offer an integration with SalesForce.com?
There are in fact two integrations with SalesForce.com for two different purposes:
- The Sales integration allows you to Schedule Web meetings, Join and invite others to join iLinc sessions, & track as activity history for each lead or contact when and how long they were in iLinc with you, all within SalesForce.com.
- The Marketing integration, allows you to associate webinars, or iLinc sessions with a specific campaign in Salesforce.com, automatically creating new leads / contacts, or updating existing ones, as individuals register and attend that iLinc event, even tracking as activitiy history when and how long they attended. All information is real-time, allowing your sales team to follow up with new leads as soon as they exit the event.
iLinc's integration for Salesforce.com is available through the Salesforce.com App-Exchange. For more information please see our website at http://www.ilinc.com/technology/integrations or contact your iLinc Sales Account Executive in order to enable one or both of these integrations.
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How can I integrate my SumTotal LMS with iLinc?
iLinc has developed an integration with both hosted and installed versions of SumTotal's solution. This integration is currently supported for SumTotal 7.2, 7.5, & 7.6. This integration allows for a standard SumTotal user experience for managing iLinc activities. The integration also allows for the creation of Learning Activities linked to iLinc via the Web Based Training option. Users are able to launch their session directly from their 'Training Schedule' page and simply by clicking on the green arrow for the appropriate class. Administrators can fully report on these types of sessions as well via the 'Training Transcript' which will show both completion date and duration.
For further documentation, please contact the iLinc Technical Support team.
Please contact your iLinc Sales Account Executive in order to enable this integration.
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How can I integrate my BlackBoard LMS with iLinc?
iLinc has developed a Blackboard Building Block to facilitate integration between the iLinc Suite and Blackboard Academic Suite 7. This integration enables Blackboard users to manage and launch iLinc virtual classroom sessions and other web conferencing activities using the familiar Blackboard user experience and is available to any client with the ability to install Building Blocks. This functionality is achieved by creating a Course Document of either a LearnLinc or MeetingLinc type. The iLinc sessions are created in the Blackboard Control Panel for a given course.
Further documentation is available here.
Please contact your iLinc Sales Account Executive in order to enable this integration.
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Contact Us by Phone
Teleconference Support
1-866-297-9161
Technical Support
1-800-799-4510
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