Microsoft NetMeeting
Screenshot of NetMeeting for Windows XP
Other names	Windows NetMeeting
Developer	Microsoft
Initial release	May 29, 1996; 29 years ago (1996-05-29)
Final release	3.02 / March 22, 2007; 18 years ago (2007-03-22)
Operating system	Microsoft Windows
Type	Videotelephony

Microsoft NetMeeting is a discontinuedVoIP and multi-pointvideoconferencing program offered byMicrosoft. NetMeeting allows multiple clients to host and join a call that includes video and audio, text chat, application and desktop sharing, and file sharing.^[1] It was originally bundled withInternet Explorer 3 and then with Windows versions fromWindows 95 toWindows Server 2003.

NetMeeting was released on May 29, 1996, with Internet Explorer 3^[2] and laterInternet Explorer 4. It incorporated technology acquired by Microsoft from UK software developer Data Connection Ltd^[3][4] and DataBeam Corporation (subsequently acquired byLotus Software^[5]).

Before video service became common on freeIM clients, such asYahoo! Messenger andMSN Messenger, NetMeeting was a popular way to perform video conferences and chat over theInternet (with the help of publicILS servers, or "direct-dialing" to anIP address). The defunctTechTV channel even used NetMeeting as a means of getting viewers onto their call-in shows via webcam, although viewers had to call on their telephones, because broadband Internet connections were still rare.^{[citation needed]}

NetMeeting is an implementation of the ITUT.120 andH.323 protocol stacks forvideoconferencing, with Microsoft extensions. A call is set up, undertaken and torn down between NetMeeting clients using the H.225 protocol. Audio is carried using H.245, encoded using theG.711 andG.723.1 codecs from 5.3 to 64kbit/s, while the video is encoded using theH.263 andH.261 codecs. Application sharing is performed using the "Share 2.0" protocol, based on a pre-release version of T.128, with the protocol also being used to transport chat messages; whiteboard sharing uses ITU T.126, while file sharing is performed usingFTP over T.127.^[6] Due to its use of a standardised protocol, NetMeeting caninteroperate with other H.323-implementing software, such asEkiga.

InWindows XP, the Start menu shortcut to NetMeeting was removed “by design”. Users had to startconf.exe manually from the Start menu Run dialog.^[7]

As ofWindows Vista, NetMeeting is no longer included with Microsoft Windows. NetMeeting can still be installed and run on the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista, as Microsoft published an update for 32-bit versions of Windows Vista on March 22, 2007^[8] that installs NetMeeting 3.02 on Windows Vista Business, Enterprise or Ultimate editions. However, some features are not available in 3.02 such as remote desktop sharing invitations (incoming) and whiteboard area selection.^[8] Microsoft has stated that the Vista compatible version is unsupported and is only meant as a transition tool to help support collaboration sessions when used with Windows XP-based computers.^[8] OnWindows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate, users can useWindows XP Mode to run NetMeeting.

Microsoft originally recommended using newer applications such asMeeting Space,Remote Desktop,Remote Assistance,Skype,Microsoft Office Live Meeting and SharedView in place of NetMeeting.Skype for Business Server andSkype for Business (known previously by Office Communicator and Lync), andMicrosoft Teams represent recent videoconferencing products from Microsoft, which may be considered successors to NetMeeting.

• Ekiga: a free and open source VoIP and video conferencing application that uses H.323
• H323Plus: an implementation of the H.323 VoIP protocol suite that has been integrated into a number of open source and commercial software products

• Internet Explorer add-ons
• Windows communication and services
• Windows 98
• Discontinued Windows components
• Teleconferencing
• Videotelephony

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