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RHUB Support

Support Contact:

Please refer to the FAQs below to see if your questions can be answered. Furthermore, please contact the reseller you purchased the product from prior to contacting tech support at RHUB.

The RHUB support is based on the current release, which is Version 5.0. If your server is not updated check the FAQ

Please use the contact form below to submit your support requests.

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RHUB support is also available at

  • (408) 899-2831 (1:00am - 6:30pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday).
 
 

System Requirements:

Supported Windows:

  • Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7, 8

Supported Mac:

  • 10.6 or later

Supported iOS:

  • iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
  • Freely download at the Apple Store. Production name: TurboMeeting.
  • Your RHUB appliance must be in V5.1 or later.

Other platforms supported by browsers (Linux, Unix, Android, etc):

  • A browser is required. View only.



FAQs:

  1. How stable and scalable are RHUB servers?
  2. Do I need special IT skills to install an RHUB server? Do I need to maintain it?
  3. How do I ensure the best VoIP audio conferencing quality?
  4. How do I ensure the best image quality?
  5. How do I ensure the best speed?
  6. How much bandwidth does the system consume? What are the minimum bandwidth requirements?
  7. How are software updates handled?
  8. Can I use my server to authenticate users?
  9. I have hundreds of remote computers to be accessed. How do I identify them for proper access using the RHUB server?
  10. My server is not updated. What is wrong?
  11. After I deploy my RHUB server behind my firewall, can I still invite attendees outside my firewall to join my meetings?
  12. Can anyone join my meetings?
  13. Do I need a fixed public IP?
  14. Can I reserve port 80 and 443 of my IP address for other purpose?
  15. How does the RHUB free audio conferencing work?
  16. How do I purchase add-on licenses?
  17. Is a separate meeting room required for each registered user or can multiple users schedule a meeting?
  18. I have a large screen. How do I limit what is viewed by the attendees?
  19. Do RHUB servers provide SSL encryption? Can they be accessed by SSL only?
  20. Can anyone including RHUB staff access my server without my knowledge?
  21. How do I customize my TurboMeeting web page beyond the logo and organization name?
  22. Is Java required to run TurboMeeting?
  23. How do I backup my server database?
  24. What support can I expect to obtain from RHUB should my server fail for any reason?
  25. How to play sound from my computer for my attendees?
  26. Why does not my meeting show an RHUB audio conferencing number?
  27. How can I effectively report an issue to the RHUB support?

 

How stable and scalable are RHUB servers?

The RHUB servers are designed for enterprises and service providers. The stability and scalability have been stress-tested by the RHUB service provider customers worldwide. These service providers rely on RHUB servers to deliver high quality real-time web collaboration services to their customers.

Complying with the high standards of system stability and scalability demanded by service providers, the RHUB server should meet your needs.

Do I need special IT skills to install an RHUB server? Do I need to maintain it?

If you know how to install and manage a home router, you are able to quickly install and setup the RHUB server within 10 to 30 minutes. All RHUB servers come with the plug-and-play installation function.

The RHUB server family is maintenance free and highly available. You can always rely on the server to serve your critical meetings or remote-support sessions, 24x7. Software updates for servers under warranty are automatic, and require no user intervention or IT work whatsoever.

How do I ensure the best VoIP audio conferencing quality?
Please follow the tips below:

  1. For VoIP to work properly, simply open the UDP Port 8889 of your firewall for the inbound UDP traffic to your RHUB server. If you are experiencing audio dropouts or delays, insure that this port is open. See the Administrator Manual’s “Configuring the Firewall” chapter for directions on how to open the port.
     
  2. To insure the best audio quality at all times, all meeting participants should use a quality headset. Headsets from Plantronics are highly recommended. Note that when an attendee does not use a headset, everyone else except that attendee may hear an echo.
     
  3. When the meeting host hears noise or echo, he can right-click an attendee and change him to use “Push-to-talk”. If this does not fix the problem, change the attendee to use “Free-to-talk” again and then select a different attendee. Once you find the attendee who is causing the echo and noise, leave him in the “Push-to-talk” mode for the entire meeting.
 
How do I ensure the best image quality?
The following tips, list the ways to ensure the best image quality:
 
  1. Use the 100% zoom. By default, the system uses the "Fit-to-screen" zoom, which greatly decreases the image quality. Fit-to-screen brings convenience to viewers without scrolling the view window, but will sacrifice the image quality.
     
  2. Use the Interactive Meeting type to force attendees to use the download client software. If there is one attendee using a browser-only client in a meeting session, the image quality will decrease slightly.
     
  3. If the presenter wishes to show to his attendees their screen image with 100% accuracy, they can click the "Tools" menu, select "Change Color" and then choose "True color". Note that the true color will decrease the speed. It is designed mainly for artists and physicians or anyone requiring accurate images. For most users, the "High quality" option is more than enough. As an ordinary viewer, you can hardly see any image quality difference between True Color and High Quality. Click here for the image quality comparison between TurboMeeting and WebExTM.
 
How do I ensure the best speed?

TurboMeeting (and TurboSupport) is one of the few systems in the industry to deliver the fastest and consistent speed. To ensure you can have the best speed, please follow the suggestions below:

  • Do not use a wireless connection, as it may significantly slow down the performance
  • If you are the presenter in a meeting, reduce your screen resolution or use application sharing to reduce the display area.
  • Do not use the "True Color" image quality of TurboMeeting. It is designed for special use cases such as art design and medical image analysis.
  • Avoid using webcams, which add significant burden to your bandwidth.
  • Use the downloaded client software for the best bandwidth optimization.

Hosted services may vary their performance depending on the load that they have at the time. Deploying an server that is sitting on your network gives you control over the performance, as opposed to not having control, when using hosted services.

What speed is considered good?

When the presenter’s screen (1024 x 768 pixel resolution for this discussion) changes completely, as an example, transitioning a PowerPoint slide, the system takes most time to move the presenter's screen image to the viewer’s desktop(s). The time required for this update is what is used to measure the system’s speed. The following is the user experience regarding speed:

  • Good: 0.5 - 2 seconds
  • Acceptable: 2 - 5 seconds
  • Unacceptable: 5+ seconds

TurboMeeting can perform well, as in 0.5 to 2 seconds. To reach the speed, you would need at least 1.5 Mbps of Internet connection. If you don't have the bandwidth, your meetings will continue, just at a slower speed.

 
How much bandwidth does the system consume? What are the minimum bandwidth requirements?

A typical PowerPoint presentation session over broadband connection requires only 8 Kbps of bandwidth on an average. While the average bandwidth consumption is extremely low, your RHUB server does need sufficient bandwidth to support the peak traffic requirement. It is recommended to have 50 kbps of bandwidth per attendee. For example, if you want to support a meeting with 100 attendees, you should have at least 5 Mbps peak capacity to host your RHUB server.

If you plan to use a data center (co-location) from an ISP to host your RHUB server, you should always start with just 1 mbps for the server no matter how large the capacity of your RHUB server is. This is because ISPs typically charge only for the 95th percentile of bandwidth usage and the TurboMeeting average bandwidth consumption for regular web conferencing is low. Also, be aware that ISPs usually provide you with a very high burst bandwidth rate for free. In the US, it is usually as high as 100 Mbps. If your ISP requires you to pay for the burst rate, we suggest you start with 5 to 10 Mbps. The higher burst rate, the better the performance.

If you host the RHUB server at home or office, choose a cable Internet connection (e.g., Comcast cable) if possible. Cable connection provides you sufficient burst of bandwidth. A DSL connection is not recommended although it still works if you allow for longer delays, which may take 4 or more seconds to update a full screen. To test your Internet connection speed, use speedtest.net. Note that when you are the presenter, it is your upload speed that matters the most.

For the bandwidth requirement at the participant end, a slow 56 Kbps dial-up modem speed is acceptable for users using download TurboMeeting client software, so long as VoIP or video are not utilized. For a browser-only attendee using a browser, a minimum of 200 Kbps download speed (DSL speed) is recommended for optimum performance.

 
How are software updates handled?

Your RHUB server checks the RHUB release server every day at 3:00 AM. If there is an update available, the server will automatically download it and install it. The auto-update function may be turned off at any time. The system clock and auto-update settings are available under the "System Settings" on the web-based system console.

Can I use my server to authenticate users?

You can use your own application server, such as a CRM server or LDAP / AD, to authenticate users so that all user authentications can go through a single system. Read the section on integration.

I have hundreds of remote computers to be accessed. How do I identify them for proper access using the RHUB server?

In order to remotely access a computer, you need to start a meeting with the meeting type "Remote Access to This Computer" on the computer and input a computer name. In order to organize hundreds of computers, you name the computer carefully with a group name, for example, "San Francisco, Sales Office, Brian's XP".

To access the remote computer, sign in on your TurboMeeting client and then click the "Active" meeting link. It will display all remote computers that are accessible. Type "San Francisco" in the search text box. It will display only those computers with "San Francisco" in the computer names. Locate the computer you are interested in. Click the meeting ID and type the meeting password. You can now access that specific computer.

My server is not updated. What is wrong?

Your server will not update if it is out of warranty. Otherwise first check your DNS setting, which is on the "Configure Server IP Settings" page. Make sure you have the correct DNS address.

If your DNS setting is correct, go to "System Settings" page and see whether you have disabled the "Enable auto update of system (recommended) ". If it is disabled, click the "Update System Now" button to have your system updated.

If it still cannot update, the only reason left is that your firewall is blocking the HTTP connection between your RHUB server and the RHUB release server. Configure your firewall to unblock the outbound TCP connection via the port 80 without any filtering rules just for the RHUB server. You may block the HTTP traffic after you get the system updated.

After I deploy my RHUB server behind my firewall, can I still invite attendees outside my firewall to join my meetings?

Yes, you can. All you need to do is to forward TCP traffic on ports 80 and 443, and both TCP and UDP on 8889 from your firewall/router to the RHUB server. The TCP & UDP port 8889 forwarding is mandatory although forwarding for 80 and 443 is optional. All firewall/router devices including home routers provide this port forwarding function.

When you host a meeting, leave the box "Only attendees from my network" un-checked (the default). See the figure below:

Can anyone join my meetings?

You can invite anyone to join your meetings. You don't need to register them in the system. They do not need an RHUB server. However, you do need to register manually (or use LDAP) those users who want to host meetings using your RHUB server.

Do I need a fixed public IP?

No, you do not have to have a static IP. The RHUB server has integrated with the dynamic DNS service provided by http://www.dyndns.com. All you need to do is to register a user account, and then input the account information into the RHUB server system. After that, you can use a domain name of your choice to access the RHUB server from anywhere over the Internet. The RHUB server will detect the changes of the public IP address of your router or modem and sync the changes with the DynDNS service.

Can I reserve port 80 and 443 of my IP address for other purpose?

Yes, you can. However, it will have the following impacts on your RHUB system:

  1. Your meeting server URL, which is shown in your meeting invitations, has to carry the port 8889 number, for example, webmeeting.acme.com:8889. In this case, in “IP Settings” specify webmeeting.acme.com:8889 for the Domain Name. 
  2. Some of your attendees may not be able to join your meetings since their firewalls do not allow traffic via any ports other than the standard Internet ports 80 or 443.
  3. TThe meeting IDs, meeting passwords and user passwords will transmit over the Internet in plain text without SSL encryption.
  4. You and your attendees will experience a longer time for the first-time connection since the TurboMeeting client will try to use the port 443 SSL connection and eventually fail over to the port 8889. After the first-time connection, the next connections will be fast as the TurboMeeting client remembers the working port.

Note that the TCP & UDP port 8889 has to be open to the public.


How does the RHUB free audio conferencing work?

All RHUB servers include landline audio conference call service at no extra cost. You may decide to use this service or choose your own audio conferencing method.

RHUB audio conferencing service provides a toll-based US number that can be dialed by all meeting participants. Depending on their Long Distance plan, participants may be charged their standard long-distance rate for calling this toll-based number, just as if they made a regular long-distance call.

RHUB does not provide toll-free audio conferencing service yet. You can select any of the audio conferencing services including your own audio conferencing bridge. Integrating with audio conferencing is as easy as inputting a call number to the TurboMeeting system. The call number will be passed to your meeting invitation messages and the TurboMeeting meeting control panel automatically.

In addition to setting up a system-wide call number, each user can define his own call number.

How do I purchase add-on licenses?

Login to the web console of the RHUB server and issue a license request to your reseller. Upon payment, the reseller will issue a new license key that you can input into your RHUB server to upgrade your license.

Is a separate meeting room required for each registered user or can multiple users schedule a meeting?

No meeting room is required for a registered user. A meeting room in the RHUB system is a measure of license in terms of the maximum number of active concurrent meetings. Before a meeting actually starts, a user does not reserve any meeting rooms although he may have scheduled them.

You can register as many users as you want in the system. The system only controls the number of meetings that are active and the number of total participants (hosts and attendees) in those active meetings.  

I have a large screen. How do I limit what is viewed by the attendees?

You can define the view area by choosing an application or a monitor from the “show my” pull down of your control panel. Narrowing the showing area will improve speed.

Do RHUB servers provide SSL encryption? Can they be accessed by SSL only?

Every RHUB server comes with a manufacturer's default SSL certificate with the key length at 2048 bits. Though the certificate does not match your domain name, it won't affect SSL-encrypted transmission between RHUB's TurboMeeting client and the RHUB server. All user passwords, meeting passwords and meeting IDs are transmitted via SSL. By default, a screen image is transmitted with the RHUB proprietary encryption for efficiency.

You can configure your RHUB server in such a way that everything transmits over the Internet via SSL. Go to the system administration web console, click the "System Settings" link and check the option "Access this server only via SSL". To match your own domain name, you need to purchase and upload your own certificate in order to avoid the annoying security alert that is due to the default RHUB SSL certificate when users visit your RHUB server web pages.

Can anyone including RHUB staff access my server without my knowledge?

No, no one can access the server without your knowledge, including the RHUB staff. The RHUB servers have passed intensive security checks by many of the RHUB customers including banks, companies making defense systems, government agencies and hospitals.

All RHUB servers use a core and secure Linux operating system. The server has a built-in firewall. However, we still recommend you place it behind your firewall and block all inbound ports to the server except TCP ports: 80, 443, and TCP/UDP 8889. 

In case you need support, requiring the RHUB staff access to the server, you need to login to the web console as a system administrator and execute a special command. While the RHUB support staff remotely accesses your server, they cannot retrieve any user passwords or passwords for remote access meetings. All those passwords are irreversibly encrypted in the database.

How do I customize my TurboMeeting web page beyond my  logo and organization name?

See the customization page for details.

Is Java required to run TurboMeeting?

No. Beginning in V5.0, Java has been completely removed because it has too many security issues from time to time.

 
How do I backup my server database?
Download the backup utility. Run the following command where the utility is saved:

RemoteBackupDatabase.exe server_address email password

where "server_address" is your server IP address, email and password are your admin user account.

Running the above command once will set up a configuration file for you. Next, you just run the command

RemoteBackupDatabase.exe

which will generate a backup database with a unique name like this: Database.20100607165243.db. You can use the Windows "Scheduled Tasks" tool (under the Windows Control Panel) to execute the backup command daily.

For security reasons, you can only run this utility under the same network where the server is. If you need to run the utility over the Internet connection to your server, do the following:

  1. Go to your server web management console
  2. Under the Configuration section, click "IP Settings".
  3. Input your backup computer public IP to "Authorized Public IP's to Join Internal Meetings".

Note that the backup file is used only for extreme cases such as upon failure of the server. The RHUB support staff can restore the database for you. This method is not designed for a user to complete.
 
What support can I expect to obtain from RHUB should my server fail for any reason?

The RHUB warranty covers the hardware, software updates, technical support, and the audio conferencing bridge service. For servers under warranty, should your server become inaccessible as a result of a failure in the hardware and/or a change in your network settings, simply contact the RHUB support team. We will quickly set up a user account on our servers to provide you web conferencing and remote support services at no extra cost while assisting you to resolve the current issues.

We have servers in Europe and Asia and keep adding more. Please tell our support staff your location in order to select a server closest to you.

 
How to play sound from my computer for my attendees?

TurboMeeting's VoIP is to transfer voice from attendees' microphones. It does not transfer sound generated by other applications such as Skype or your movie players on your computer. In order to do it, follow the tips below.

Some Windows 7 and Vista PCs have a Microphone choice called "Stereo Mix" (or "What U Hear" or "Wave Out Mix" or "Mix"). In TurboMeeting choose “Use Mic & Speakers”, then click the “Setup” link. In Audio Settings, pull down the Microphone choices and select "Stereo Mix". Now, the sound playing on your computer will be broadcast to your attendees. To use your Microphone again, you will need to click the “Setup” link, pull down the Microphone choices and choose your microphone from the list. “Stereo Mix” might need to be enabled using steps like this:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/39532/how-to-enable-stereo-mix-in-windows-7-to-record-audio/

Some XP PCs have a “Stereo Mix” choice. In XP’s Control Panel, open “Sounds and Audio Devices”, click the “Audio” tab, under “Sound recording” click the “Volume…” button. In this “Recording Control” dialog, under “Stereo Mix” click the “Select” check box. Now, the sound playing on your computer will be broadcast to your attendees. Insure that the Speaker volume level is un-muted and loud enough on your computer. To use your Microphone again, open the “Recording Control” dialog and under “Mic Volume” click the “Select” check box.

Alternatively, run a 3.5mm Audio Male to Male Cable from your computer’s headphone jack to the same computer’s microphone jack. In TurboMeeting choose “Use Mic & Speakers”, then click the “Setup” link. In Audio Settings, pull down the Speaker and Microphone choices and select the choices that match with your headphone and microphone jacks. To use your microphone and speakers again, unplug the 3.5mm Audio Male to Male Cable; plug in a headset, or you might be able to automatically start using your built-in microphone and speakers.

          

XP Recording Control                                    Audio Male to Male Cable

Why does not my meeting show an RHUB audio conferencing number?

First make sure you have chosen to use "RHUB integrated audio conferencing service" on the "Audio Conference" setup page. Then make sure the followings are correct:

  1. Your server is connected to the Internet and a public IP (or a domain name) is specified on the server's IP setting page.
  2. Your server can be accessed at the TCP port 8889 by a user from the public Internet.

The reason for the above requirements is that the RHUB audio conferencing server needs to communicate with your server in order to offer an integrated audio conferencing service. If for security reasons you cannot offer the Item #2, contact the RHUB support for the RHUB audio conferencing server IP addresses so that you can limit the access to those IPs.

 
How can I effectively report an issue to the RHUB support

TurboMeeting is a complicated real-time communication system that works in many different user environments with different operating systems, computer hardware, anti-virus software, firewalls, and internet connections. A general description such as "I have frequent disconnections" is not sufficient for us to fix a specific issue. Please follow the procedure below to report any issue you may have:

  1. As soon as you encounter an issue, click TurboMeeting's menu item "Tools" and "Send log files to manufacturer support". If you have left TurboMeeting once, you still have one more chance to send the log files by restarting the TurboMeeting client software and then clicking "Tools" and "Send log files to manufacturer support". After the second chance, the log files are overwritten and you would have to reproduce the case and then send the log files.
  2. Immediately after you send the log files, send an email to support@rhubcom.com with detailed descriptions of an issue including sequence of events. Please follow this example:

    o Start an interactive meeting on XP
    o Windows 8 joins
    o Change Windows 8 to be the presenter
    o Windows 8 starts webcam
    o Now XP no longer sees the Windows 8 screen
    o Note: I sent my log files from XP and Windows 8.

The RHUB support team will usually contact you within the same day. If you do not receive any response from us within 24 hours during the working week, please give us a call at 408-899-2831, extension 2.

Also, many issues may be answered by this FAQ already. Please take a quick look to see if your issues have been covered. Thanks!