If you've found a program of acceptable quality, probably the next-most-important consideration is whether the application will work from behind a firewall-either a corporate device or an inexpensive small-office router that uses Network Address Translation to share IP addresses. If collaboration is important, you'll also want tools for sharing information, like shared whiteboards and the ability to show applications and files to remote users. And if you plan on meeting with people in more than one location, you'll need software that supports more than two users per meeting. ![]() ![]() Anyone you want to meet with online will need a Webcam and the same app you use. Of course, a lot of considerations should go into choosing a videoconferencing solution. The seven apps we review in this story are very easy to use and include some handy features that make collaboration online more productive and less of a chore. And now videoconferencing software deserves a second look from the people who dismissed it early on. Since then, software has improved systems are more powerful, and broadband connections are more prevalent. Meanwhile, high-end enterprise solutions began to appear from companies like Polycom, delivering high quality for larger conferencing needs but requiring very expensive specialized hardware and sophisticated setups. These programs were simply more trouble than they were worth. But videoconferencing applications from five years ago, like CUseeMe and early versions of Microsoft NetMeeting, proved too difficult to set up for mainstream use, and they tended to work badly. Using the Internet for videoconferencing isn't a new concept companies have tried for years to market such applications. The solution you're looking for is videoconferencing. ![]() The telephone is useful, but if only there were a way to meet face to face with these people and see what they're talking about-without spending all your time and money on airlines and hotels! You have clients on both coasts, business associates in Europe, salespeople to meet in Chicago on Monday morning, and developers to talk to in India on Monday afternoon. The business world is more global than ever.
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