Please review all instructions on this page before attempting to access the Wimba system.

NACADA Webcasts are broadcast using the Wimba platform provided by Kansas State University and Axio Learning. Please follow these steps to ensure that your system is ready to receive the broadcast.

**We cannot stress strongly enough that you MUST do this well ahead of time - DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE BROADCAST to prepare your system.  Some registrants who waited until the day of the event have found that their campus systems could not fully connect to the Webcast without changes that took valuable time away from the broadcast. Don't be disappointed!  Complete the process several days prior to the webcast.**

We also strongly encourage all participants to take part in the live system-check opportunity with NACADA's IT Manager, Gary Cunningham, that is offered prior to the broacast.

1. Check to see that your basic system meets the following minimum requirements:

PC System Requirements

• Desktop with 2.0 GHz processor or Laptop with 1.4 GHz processor Windows XP Professional operating system
• Sound card and speakers that are appropriate to your reception set-up (if you are going to broadcast to a group in a conference room setting, laptop speakers will probably not provide adequate projection)
• 512MB RAM
• keyboard/touchpad and mouse (necessary for interaction with the presenter)
• NOTE:Windows Vista users should note that problems have been experienced with the security settings within Vista, preventing registrants from participating in our webcasts. Participants using Vista must plan for and complete the Wimba Wizard pre-event checks well in advance of the scheduled webcast in order to allow your local technical support team time to troubleshoot and resolve any issues.

Macintosh System Requirements

• Desktop or Laptop with 800 MHz processor
• Macintosh OS X operating system
• Sound card and speakers that are appropriate to your reception set-up (if you are going to broadcast to a group in a conference room setting, laptop speakers will probably not provide adequate projection)
• 512MB RAM
• keyboard/touchpad and mouse (necessary for interaction with the presenter)

 

What you will NOT need

• a microphone - audio communication will be one-way from the presenters to you.
• a telephone - audio is presented via the Internet (VoIP)
  
  
  

2. Check to make certain that your chosenWeb browser is current.  The Wimba platform supports:

• Internet Explorer version 7.0 or above
• Mozilla Foxfire version 2.0 or above (usuable for PC/Mac, but some problems have been encountered with pop-up windows even after blockers have been turned off, therefore we do not recommend using this browser for Webinars)
• Safari (recommended for Mac)

(Axio Learning technologists recommend that you keep your computer up-to-date with the latest versions of these browsers. Find links to downloads at http://public.online.ksu.edu/support/downloads.php.)

 

3. Your system must be Java and< JavaScript (Cookies) enabled -- with only the most recent version of JAVA.  
   • Make certain that all previous versions have been uninstalled.  **Conflicts caused by older versions of JAVA, or having multiple versions of JAVA installed, are among the most common causes of problems with broadcast reception - the Wimba Wizard can not check for multiple versions, so please be sure you have done this.  (Find links to download the latest version of Java at http://public.online.ksu.edu/support/downloads.php.)

4. ALL pop-up blockers on computer must be disabled or have http://129.130.12.226 added to the blocker's whitelist (list of accepted addresses).  **This includes the Google toolbar.

5. Screen savers must be turned off.

6. Access the Wimba Wizard at http://kstate.wimba.com/wizard/.  Run the set-up Wizard to ensure that you have successfully completed the above steps.

   NOTE: The sixth section of the Wizard test, "Testing HorizonMedia Audio Recording," says, "You will need headphones or speakers and a microphone connected to your computer. After you hear a set of tones, hold down the 'Talk' button and speak into your microphone." Since participants will only be receiving the audio, you will not need the microphone capacity. Simply click the orange "Next" tab and move on to the final part of the Wizard.

If you experience technical difficulties at any time during the Wizard set-up, contact the Kansas State University IT HelpDesk at 1-866-282-8212 or 1-800-865-6143 for assistance (see http://www.k-state.edu/infotech/helpdesk/ for their hours of availability).  Please explain that you are preparing to attend a NACADA Webcast event and are having difficulty with the WIMBA WIZARD.  **NOTE: The HelpDesk has just five phone lines available.  If you wait until the day of broadcast, it is possible you will not be able to get through! 

7. Discuss Internet connectivity capacity with IT support personnel on your campus.  Access at 56k or above is a necessity; Broadband is strongly recommended. A wired connection is recommended.
   • In addition, bandwidth on your campus must be sufficient to handle the webcast along with any other Internet activity taking place on your campus. Internet connectivity issues are the most common problems encountered by participants. We have monitored our previous webinars and found that the out-going signal is relatively small, usually only about 13 kilobits per second. However, bottlenecks can occur anywhere between our servers and your computer and occasional dropouts of the signal are frequently the results of these conditions and not a problem with the signal leaving our campus. The following experiences during the broadcast are indicative of insufficient bandwidth:
     • The audio and visual portions of the event are not "in sync". Most system configurations give preference to audio input - if what you see lags behind what you hear, you probably have a connectivity issue.
     • You can hear the event but you can't see the visuals - again, since most system configurations give preference to audio input - if you can hear but you can't see, you probably have a connectivity issue.
     • Either the audio or the visuals occasionally "cut out."
     • Following an interactive poll, you temporarily lose either audio or visuals.
   • Since bandwidth is strictly a campus or intermediary issue, the K-State IT HelpDesk will not be able to assist you with connectivity problems.
   • **NOTE:  Some participants in our first Webinar season requested that we use streaming video (or "talking head" presentation) in future events.  Since the feedback we have received - including our attempts to use enhanced technology mechanisms in our December 2007 broadcast - indicates that a high percentage of our membership is unable to coherently receive anything beyond the basic voice-over-slide format, we will continue to broadcast with that format until the general technology medium improves.

 

8. Port Requirements
   • Generally, the port requirements necessary for entering the Wimba room are the same as those needed to access web pages: Standard Web Access (Port 80/tcp). Our webinar room can be accessed through a direct connection or web proxy, through Port 80/tcp. Components (features) of Wimba will upgrade to use more efficient transport methods, when possible. In these instances, the user will seamlessly upgrade by trying multiple alternate/raw ports for connectivity.
     • For TCP, and alternate HTTP: 5998, 443 and port 5190.
     • For UDP: port 5998, 33434, 5190, and 16384.

     Wimba will connect using only Port 80/tcp, but will automatically try to use the alternate ports in order to provide better service. For best results, those alternate ports listed above should be opened.

9. Discuss your campus' firewall security set-up with your IT support personnel. 
   • Your Institution's firewall set-up must allow Internet broadcast reception. If you are behind a firewall, there is a chance that you will not be able to receive the broadcast, even if you ARE able to enter the presentation room.  PLEASE check with your institution's IT support staff well before the event to determine if this may be an issue for you.  (The K-State IT HelpDesk will definitely not be able to assist you with firewall blockage on the day of the event, although they may be able to make some suggestions to your IT staff prior to the event.)

 

10. Look forward to enjoying the broadcast!  If you have any non-technical questions related to the Webcast, please call the NACADA Executive Office at 785-532-5717 or email nacada@ksu.edu.