Webcast Technical Support Page

Information about using RealPlayer or Windows Media Player

• Minimum System Requirements
• Real Player
• Windows Media Player
• Test your Connection
• Troubleshooting
• Firewalls

To play a live or archived webcasts you will need to have installed either or both RealPlayer or Windows Media software.   This will take only a few minutes and the basic software is free. (See below).   It is important that you download, install and test the video player you will be using before a webcast begins.  Please note, if your computer is behind a 'firewall'* you may be unable to receive streaming video.  Please have your system administrator review the firewalls section below.   For Technical Support, please contact capcon@gmu.edu or 703-993-3100 and ask for Webcast Technical Support.

*A Firewall is a protection device that controls data flow from a network on and off the Internet.

Minimum System Requirements

The following are the minimum system requirements your computer will need to install either the RealPlayer or Windows Media Player:

Download and Install Video Player Software

Option #1:  Download and Install the Real Player Free Software

Windows Version

• Click here to download the Real Player 

• Once you click on the above link, to download the free version of the RealPlayer, locate the light grey “Free RealPlayer” link in the upper right hand part of the page.  

• The download should start automatically. If not follow the instructions on the page.

• Click the box labeled "Download Free RealPlayer"

• After the download is complete, you will now have to install the file on your computer.

• Using Windows Explorer or File Manager, locate the file you just downloaded.

•  Double click on the file.  The installation of RealPlayer should begin.  Just continue to click NEXT and accept the defaults unless you want to change them.

        Macintosh Version

• Click here to download the free RealPlayer for Macintosh

• Once you click on the above link, to download the free version of the RealPlayer, locate the light grey “Free RealPlayer” link in the upper right-hand part of the page.  

• The download should start automatically. If not follow the instructions on the page.

• Click the box labeled "Download Free RealPlayer"

• Follow the installation instructions

Option #2:  Download and Install the Windows Media Player Free Software

        Windows Version

• Click here to download the Free Windows Media Player  
•  Once you click on the above link, to download the free version of the Windows Media Player, click the “Download Windows Media Player 9 Series” link in the center of the page.
• On the following page, click the download button appropriate to your Windows Operating System
• Follow on screen installation instructions

         Macintosh Version

• Click here to download the free Windows Media Player for Macintosh

• Follow the on-screen download instructions

Test Your Video Connection

• Log on to the Internet

  • Click Here to Test your Real Player

  • Click Here to Test your Windows Media Player

• Your video player should 'pop-up' and the video should start playing after a few seconds. 

There may be times when the video will stop playing and a message at the bottom of the player will appear.  The message will read "Network Congestion - Buffering".  "Network Congestion" means that there is a high level of traffic across your Network or the Internet.  The video should continue after a few moments.

Troubleshooting

Real Player

If you are unable to connect to the Video Program, please try the following:

• Click on 'View' and then 'preferences' and a new window will appear.
  • Click on the tab labeled "Connection".  Check to make sure that you have the correct connection speed.  If you are on a network that is normally the LAN/T1 setting, for a Modem it is normally the 56k Modem setting, etc. Click here to see a picture of the Connection Tab
  • Click on the tab labeled "Transport".  Choose the 'Automatically choose Best Transport" and then "Auto Configure" go through all the prompts accepting the default information.  Click here to see picture of Transport Tab
• If this does not work and you are still getting errors, especially errors which make statements such as 'make sure you are connected to the Internet', 'timed out waiting for server', etc. There is a Large Probability you are on a system with a Firewall.  You will need to check with your Network Administrator to see if they have a firewall and if the administrator is willing to open the firewall for webcast video traffic. 
  • Systems with firewalls can still get some types of 'Archived' real video files. The files they are able to access are normally 'archived' using an HTTP protocol on a Web Server. Any live streaming files use RTSP or PNM (we use RTSP) and use only TCP or UDP connections and must be able to have certain ports on a firewall ‘opened’. 

Viewing video using Mozilla Firefox Browser:  

Real Player files play automatically on the Firefox browser.  Windows Media files may require changes to your system configuration, so we recommend your IT administrator assist in correcting the problem (the proper Windows Media and Active X plugins need to be installed).  Go to:  http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=206213  and follow all of the steps exactly.  After doing so, you should be able to view the Windows Media files via Firefox.

Firewalls

If your computer is protected by a network or stand-alone firewall, and you are having trouble receiving the broadcast, the firewall may not be configured to allow webcast viewing.  If you want to view a webcast, your system administrator must "Open" the firewall to allow the webcast to stream through it.  There is nothing that can be changed in webcast signal itself system to allow a webcast signal to penetrate a firewall unless the firewall is configured to accept it. 

For more information concerning firewalls and RealPlayer, please go to:  http://service.real.com/firewall

For more information concerning firewalls and Windows Media Player, please go to:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/Netshow/deploy/fwconfig.mspx