Configuring Ekiga
From Ekiga
When starting Ekiga for the first time the configuration assistant will show automatically.
The Configuration Assistant is a step-by-step questionnaire that will guide you through all the steps involved in creating the basic configuration you will need to operate Ekiga.
You should go through all of these steps properly, otherwise the assistant will re-appear (when it has not been completed) or Ekiga will not function appropriately (if some of your answers have not been correct).
You may run the Configuration Assistant at any time from the Edit → Configuration Assistant menu.
All settings can be changed via the Edit → Preferences window at anytime.
Contents |
Page 1: Configuration Assistant Introduction
Throughout the entire configuration process navigation is available at the bottom of the window. You will be able to navigate through the questions using Back, Forward and Cancel. If you hit Cancel during the setup Ekiga will not be affected by your changes and all entered information will be discarded. This page welcomes you to the Configuration Assistant. There is nothing to change or edit here.
Press the ’Forward’ button towards the bottom of the window to start the configuration.
Page 2: Personal information
The Personal Information window requires you to supply personal information to use Ekiga. This
information is displayed when connecting to other audio/video applications.
You must provide both first name and surname or you wont be able to continue.
Page 3: ekiga.net Account
Ekiga.net is a free SIP services platform provided to Ekiga users.
If you want to call other users and to be callable, you need a SIP address. You can get one from http://www.ekiga.net. Ekiga.net also offers
additional services like conference rooms or online white pages. Please see Ekiga.net VoIP service subscription for more information.
- Just follow the link given in the dialog to get an account if you do not have one, then fill in your username and password.
Please press ’Forward’ after having entered all required information to continue.
Page 4: Connection Type
Ekiga supports several audio and video codecs. It includes codecs with excellent quality as well as codecs with medium to good quality. The higher the quality of a codec, the more bandwidth it requires. Moreover, video codecs can adapt their quality to the available bandwidth. This option is necessary in the initial configuration of Ekiga so that it chooses the optimal codec suited to your network connection and so that it adjusts the video quality settings.
- If your connection type is not mentioned in the list you should select the one closest to your network connection and adjust Ekiga manually with the preferences window (codecs section) later on.
Page 5: NAT Type
Ekiga has extended support for NAT. The NAT Type detection page will allow you to detect which type of NAT you are using (if any) and help configuring Ekiga appropriately. Clicking on the detection button will bring a popup indicating which type of NAT was detected and automatically configure Ekiga to transparently cross your router. In most of the cases, it will be totally transparent.
Please refer to those pages for more information:
Page 6: Audio Manager
The Audio manager manages everything audio. It is dependant on the operating system on which Ekiga is running, and some operating systems offer different alternatives.
For more information, please read this:
Page 7: Audio Devices
Ekiga requires audio devices to play and record sound. The audio output device ouputs the incoming sound stream during a call. Please select the device that your headset or speakers are connected to. The audio input device is where your microphone is connected to. These settings might be the same as the settings for the audio player if you have only one soundcard. But please note that it is also possible to record sound via another device (e.g. internal microphone in a webcam) too.
- It is generally recommended that you test your settings after having selected all the appropriate devices.
Please press the ’Test Settings’ button on the right. If this test was successful you can continue on to the next page in the Configuration Assistant. Otherwise you should change your devices and test your configuration again until you have a setup that works for you.
Page 8: Video Manager
Please select the Video Manager from the list. It can be Video4Linux to manage webcams, or AVC / DC
for Firewire cameras, or any other choice depending on the operating system on which Ekiga is running.
Page 9: Video Devices
This step is optional and concerns users with video devices (e.g. webcams) only. If you do not have any video devices you may skip this page.
If you have a webcam or video device in the list you may select it here.
- Please hit the "Test Settings" button to ensure that your device works with Ekiga, if so, continue on with the Configuration.
Page 10: Configuration Complete
The configuration of Ekiga is now completed. The last window only shows a short configuration summary of the settings you have chosen. Please verify that all these settings are correct. If something is incorrect you may use the ’Back’ button in the lower right hand corner of the window to move to any page of the assistant and correct the mistake.
If everything is correct please press the ’Apply’ button to save the configuration. The assistant will be closed and the main Window of Ekiga will now appear.
- Remember, all settings can be changed via the Edit → Preferences window at anytime.
Ekiga is now ready to be used:
