Let's start meeting anytime and anywhere
Let's use Windows Meeting Space
The advantages of combining Vista and IPv6 are not limited to use of the Internet. There is one application you can immediately use after installing Vista, for work conferences and meetings: Windows Meeting Space. This is a tool to run meetings more effectively, not just using PCs as memo pads or dictionaries.
What are the issues with meetings?
In meetings at your office, you often explain with presentation material projected out of PC, and make modifications on the material based on the discussion. But making the modifications to presentation materials by multiple participants involves some inconvenience.
Net Meeting and Windows Messenger were examples of tools which attempted to make work meetings more effective. These tools have good features, but they are not used so widely. That's because both applications required you to log in to servers on the Internet for communication.
Meeting can be of various patterns and styles: ones for the same team in the office, ones that involves staff outside, or brainstorming sessions inviting various people in or outside the office.
Networking can be a problem in these meetings. Meetings these days involve PCs and networking. But companies are increasingly required to enforce strict security. It is not favorable to connect PCs from outside to corporate network, even if the outside staff might be deeply involved in internal projects.
Some of you may have prepared a hub and cables to create an instant LAN for the meeting. But building a LAN, however small, is rather difficult, requiring consideration on IP address allocation and changing file sharing settings, etc.
With Vista, you can...
But if you are using Vista with your notebook PC, you can immediately cope with such situations. Recent notebook PCs come equipped with Wi-Fi. Let’s build a wireless ad-hoc network. With IPv6, link-local address is automatically configured, so you have no worry about IP addresses.
To use ad-hoc networking, you need to configure a PC to act as a server first. This PC works in the same way as wireless LAN access point. From Vista Control Panel, open Networking and Sharing Center, and select "Set up a connection or network", then you have started the wizard.
Enter Network name (ESS ID), choose Security type, and input passphrase. These settings are almost the same as wireless LAN station setup. If you don't check "Save this network", then this configuration is not saved, and erased when all participants get disconnected from this ad-hoc network.
With all input finished, ad-hoc network starts working.
Launch "Choose wireless network" from other PCs, then these PCs see the list of detected access points. Choose appropriate network and enter passphrase, and connection gets established.
No hassles about domains and workgroups
With connectivity established, you need only connect applications with one another. In Windows Meeting Space, each PC connects to a virtual meeting space (when in fact, all PCs get connected in a mesh topology), to naturally enable application sharing and file transfers.
A very important thing is that PCs make P2P connections, so the domains and workgroups these PCs belong to have no influence. Information sharing is made in a limited way as a virtual meeting space, so it is also safe, with none of the ordinary folders to be shared.
How to use Windows Meeting Space
Now let's look at how to use Windows Meeting Space in detail. When you launch Windows Meeting Space for the first time, you'll see firewall alert and wizard starting. Follow the instruction and you'll see the following window.
Click on "Start New Meeting" to create a new meeting space.
Enter password here and you can prevent others from using this meeting space. If you click on the option, you can build a private ad-hoc network for use, which is only available for wireless connection.
After creating the space, launch Windows Meeting Space on another Vista PC and you see a new meeting space added, as in the window below.
Click on the meeting name and enter the password you set up earlier, and you can join the meeting space. Click on Program Sharing or Desktop Sharing on either PC, then you see applications currently running, after alert.
Select applications you want to share, then the application window appear on the meeting space window on other people's PCs. You can ask other people to take over the operation.
To share files, you drag and drop necessary files to "Share Handout" on lower right. Drag and drop a file there to left area, then other people can see the file automatically. But you have to be careful that this file is copied to each PC for modification, but original file is not modified.
You can pass notes to other participants. Double-click on participants on the right, and message dialog box appears. You can send messages in characters or in ink (graphics).
If you need more security
Windows Meeting Space communication is encrypted, so eavesdropping is difficult. But pass phrase necessary for meeting creation and participation can be told in person. If the pass phrase is overheard, anyone can participate in the meeting. If you need more security, you can use IPsec explained in the previous article. Pre-shared key has a problem similar to meeting space password. But you can share a complex key with members you often hold meeting with, or use IPsec address filter to allow connection of only the members, improving security.
