Synchronous Online Meetings: FAQ & Troubleshooting

This section provides questions and answers on a variety of topics regarding WCONLINE’s Online Consultation Module. Be sure to also review Setting Up the Online Consultation Module and Using the Online Consultation Module, as questions answered in those sections are not duplicated here.

What is the Online Consultation Module?

The Online Consultation Module, built into WCONLINE, provides a virtual meeting space with text chat, audio and video chat, a shared, synchronous whiteboard that both participants can use at the same time, and tools for drawing and math.

Why won’t my shared screen, video, or audio show up in my browser or on my computer?

Browsers and computers handle permissions for the camera and microphone differently, may require that you allow screen-sharing separately or group screen-sharing with screen recording, and frequently update for security and privacy. Note that WCONLINE and the Online Consultation Module work to allow your use of your camera, microphone, and screen-sharing, but our systems cannot control your browser or computer settings. There are a few areas you might check, depending on your browser and operating system:

• On a Mac: One of Apple’s privacy options requires that you allow screen recording in order for screen-sharing to work—even though you are not recording your screen. This means that your screen sharing might not be fully enabled (which could be because you have not yet used a given browser with video or screen-sharing before, or because you previously opened the browser and denied or ignored a video or screen-sharing option). To allow screen recording, on your Mac, go to System Preferences, and then Security & Privacy, choose “Privacy,” choose “Screen Recording,” click to make changes if needed, and choose the browser or browsers you would like to use with screen sharing.
• In Firefox: On any type of computer, Firefox might require additional permissions, even after you have allowed sharing of the camera/microphone within an online meeting. While the exact steps might depend on your version of Firefox, try going into “Preferences,” and then “Privacy & Security,” and then “Permissions,” and then clicking on “Settings” for “Camera” and “Microphone” to allow them to be shared.
• Any other browser: Each browser offers an option to allow or share your camera and microphone (together or separately) or to share your screen, application, window, or tab. Depending on your browser and computer settings, combined with any options you might have selected before, you might have a browser set to disallow sharing and not offer the option each time you open a meeting. Check both the browser’s preferences or settings, and the computer’s preferences or settings, and choose to allow the camera, microphone, and or screen-sharing in that browser.

Why can’t individuals see and hear each other even if video and audio is enabled?

Video and audio within WCONLINE’s Online Consultation Module relies on a technology called WebRTC. That technology is built into every major browser and is responsible for creating a peer-to-peer connection between the participants’ computers in an online session. This means that WCONLINE doesn’t control or have access to an individual’s camera, nor does the video or audio come through WCONLINE’s infrastructure.

When individuals first join an online meeting, they will be prompted to allow WCONLINE to access their camera.

If a participant in an online session doesn’t see video or audio options or can’t see the other participant, then that means that the individual’s camera isn’t available to their web browser or isn’t broadcasting. Most likely, this is because the individual said “no” or hit “escape” when the browser asked for permission to access the camera when first joining a session. It’s also possible that the individual has disabled access to the camera for the entire browser or has set the browser to only allow such access for specific websites.

In any case, we recommend moving forward by:

• Clicking on the video icon (in your box in which video is to appear) to reopen the option to allow use of your camera and microphone.
• Closing the browser entirely and then trying to access the session in another browser.
• Checking browser and operating system “video,” “audio,” “privacy,” and “broadcast” settings to ensure that the camera and microphone haven’t been disabled for specific websites, browsers, or tools.
• Ensuring that there aren’t other heavy bandwidth applications running on the same internet connection that might impact the bandwidth available to the Module.
• Ensure that no other application currently open is accessing the video camera. WebRTC, like most internet video technologies, requires that it has sole access to the camera.
• Continuing the session without audio and video and using the other tools—such as the text chat, whiteboard, and drawing tools—to communicate in the session.

What are the technical requirements to use the Online Consultation Module?

Like all of WCONLINE, the Online Consultation Module can be used with any type of device with any modern web browser (Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Edge). The Module does require a stable internet connection and will be the most useable on a high-speed (non-dial-up) connection. Optionally, you can use audio and video within a session and, to do so, would need to have a webcam and microphone attached to your computer with the drivers and permissions needed for it to work within your web browser.

Rarely, an internet provider (and typically a “free wi-fi” provider) will block access to the ports used by online conferencing tools. If an individual sees a “page not found” or a continuously-loading page when accessing an online session, they might need to reach out to their internet provider to ensure that ports 9088, 9089, 9090, 9091, 9093, and 3478 are open. Additionally, for video and audio, UDP ports 0-65535 should also be available.

Why is some formatting lost when a document is imported into the Module?

The Module is strongly focused on collaborating on content while keeping as much formatting as possible. While it retains a lot of formatting so that nearly all typical documents (such as papers) are readable and have paragraph breaks and other basic formatting, it does not keep all possible formatting, especially if clients use tables, image-based PDFs, or other complicated formatting.

If clients are working specifically on the formatting of resumes or lists of references where they have used tables and other formatting that does not show up in online meetings, they can attach the document to their appointment before their meeting (which allows the staff member to download the original document). If you haven’t already, you would need to Enable File Attachments in Schedule Management.

Can I replace the Module with Zoom or BlueJeans?

In “System Integrations” within Global System Settings, you can integrate Zoom into WCONLINE. Once integrated, clients would use Zoom instead of the Online Consultation Module when connecting to online sessions through WCONLINE.

If you would prefer to use Zoom, BlueJeans, or another online conferencing application without a formal integration, you can:

• Set your staff availability to just “face-to-face” in Staff & Resource Management. This turns off WCONLINE’s eTutoring and Online Consultation Modules.
• Get a static or unchanging URL from your conferencing service provider for each member on your staff. Some providers call these URLs things like “rooms,” “personal meeting IDs,” or “collaboration spaces.”
• Add that URL to the “Resource Bio or Related Information” section of each staff member’s listing in Staff & Resource Management.
• Include some form of instruction in the appointment confirmation emails (as set in Schedule Management) or as an announcement (via Announcement Management) or at the top of the appointment form (via the “Resource Bio or Related Information” field).