March 2010
Vol. 26, No. 1

A Technology Newsletter for Extension Specialists

Upgrading Office Communicator
by Joe Lear

On Sunday April 4, Campus Computing will be upgrading the Office Communicator Server. This is the server that allows us to use the Office Communicator package to talk between faculty staff via text and voice without the need to make a phone call. The upgrade of the server means we will need to upgrade the Office Communicator 2005 software currently on the computers to Office Communicator 2007. The new version will have the same features of Communicator 2005 (instant messaging, audio communications), but will also allow desktop and file sharing and video.

When the service has been upgraded the old Office Communicator software will not allow you to connect. You must install the Office 2007 client. Plan to install the new client on Friday April 2 or Monday April 5. If you install the Office Communicator 2007 client software prior to April 5, you will not be able to use Communicator until after the server upgrade is complete.

To install the new software, download the new Communicator client software (Communicator_2007_R2.msi) to your computer’s desktop. The software is available on the S: drive at S:\MUCampus\ETCS\ocs2007, or via the web at http://uoeshare.ext.missouri.edu/MUCampus/ETCS/
ocs2007/Communicator_2007_R2.msi.

For county, regional, and TCRC offices with a file server the client software is located at Q:\ocs2007.

1. Once you have the installation file copied to your computer, Right click on the Communicator icon in your system tray and choose exit.

2. Double click the Communicator_2007_R2.msi file to begin the installation.

3. Click the Next Button.

4. Click the dot next to “I accept the license terms” and click the Next Button

5. Click the Install Button. Click Continue at the User Account Control Window that appears.

6. Click the Finish Button.

7. If the Communicator client does not start automatically, Click the start Button, Click all Programs, then Click Office Communicator 2007 R2. Double Click on the Communicator icon in your system tray to open the software.
    

8. Click the Drop Arrow next to the Status light and Click Options from the menu.

9. Click the Advanced Button on the Window that appears.




10. Click the dot next to Manual Configuration.

    • Enter
      UM-OCS-Pool.um.umsystem.edu into the Internal server field, and
      
      
       

    • enter OCS-Access.um.umsystem.edu:443 into the External Server field.

    • In the field “Connect Using:”, Click the dot next to TLS.

    • Click OK and Click Ok again.

    • Click Ok on the message that your changes will not take effect until your sign out and then back into Communicator.

    • Click the drop down again and choose sign out.

    • Click the Sign in Button to sign in again to Communicator.

11. Next click the Start Button

    • Click All Programs and

    • Click Windows Update.

    • Click the “Check for Updates” link and install any updates. There will be an update for Office Communicator included in those updates.

    • Restart Office Communicator if it does start automatically after the update has completed.

12. (New Step—added 11/5/10):  You must repeat Step 10-c above.

    1. To accomplish this, return to Steps 8 & 9.

    2. Once the Advanced Connection Settings dialog window opens, repeat Step 10-c.  The other settings should be OK.  For some reason 10-c does not "stick" in the initial setup so it has to be repeated.

    3. You may need to restart Communicator again.  Otherwise you should be good to go.

    4. Don't skip this added step, your Communicator setup will not work without it.

This completes your setup of Communicator.

The new Communicator client has a new look, but will contain all your contacts and groups.

To start a conversation you can double click on a contact and bring up the conversation window. From the conversation window you can start an audio call, a video call (if you have a webcam) or share your desktop. You can invite others into your conversations well.

If a person is not in your contact list simply type a person’s last name into the "Type a name" field and Communicator will give you a potential list of people to connect to.

The new version also ties into Outlook, so you can schedule meetings and you can start conversations directly from an e-mail by using either the call or IM drop downs in the message ribbon of a new email message.

We hope the new functionality of Communicator will help you work more effectively with each other and reduce long distance bills by using Communicator to talk between offices instead of using the phone.

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Last Revised: 11/05/10

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