# Connecting to TrueConf Server

To use the video conferencing system, you have to install one of TrueConf client applications on your device.

# TrueConf client application features

Our client applications enable you to:

# Where to find client applications

You can download client applications for all supported platforms from the guest page of your TrueConf Server (you can contact the server administrator to find out its address) or from our official website.

/server/media/guest/en.png

# Platforms supported by TrueConf client applications

The following platforms are natively supported:

  • Windows

  • macOS

  • Linux

  • Android

  • Android TV

  • iOS

  • iPadOS

  • watchOS

  • WebRTC

Please note that a WebRTC application is available only to the users who have a link to the conference URL address.

# How to connect client applications to TrueConf Server

To connect an application to TrueConf Server, you should specify the server address on the network and sign in. For more information, contact your server administrator.

# How to update client applications

TrueConf for Windows client applications are embedded into the TrueConf Server installation package and updated automatically when the server is updated. Applications for Linux are available on our web site and in the repository of each operating system. All ways of installing TrueConf applications for Linux are described in the corresponding article in our knowledge base.

To update other client applications, you need to manually download the new version from our web site or get updates from the corresponding marketplace for Android/Android TV/iOS/macOS platforms.

# Сall string formats

To make video calls or participate in conferences, you don't have to be a registered user of TrueConf Server. It is also possible to connect from any SIP, H.323 or RTSP endpoint. For each type of supported third-party protocols there is a specific call string format to be used.

A call string is a very powerful tool that can be used to:

  • Search for a contact in a client application

  • Call a user from a client application

  • Save a new contact in the address book

  • Add a new participant to a conference

  • Create an alias

  • And much more.

# Calling a TrueConf Server user

To call a user from your video conferencing server, enter his/her TrueConf ID as a call string

You can also call a user from a different TrueConf Server instance (only if the federation has been configured between the servers). To do so use the following call string format: <TrueConf_ID>@<server>, where:

  • <TrueConf_ID> is a user ID

  • <server> is an IP address or a domain name of a TrueConf Server instance.

# Connecting to a conference

Use the following call string format:

  • \c\<CID> if the conference is being hosted on your video conferencing server, where:

    • <CID> is a conference ID
  • \c\<CID>@<server>#vcs if the conference is being hosted on a different TrueConf Server instance federated with your own server. In this case:

    • <CID> is a conference ID

    • <server> is the DNS name of the server hosting the conference.

# Calling SIP endpoints

Use one of the following formats to call an SIP endpoint:

  • #sip:<user_id>@<server_name>, where:

    • <server_name> is a host name or IPv4 address of an SIP server

    • <user_id> is an SIP username.

  • #sip:<user_id>@[<server_name>], where:

    • <server_name> is the IPv6 address of an SIP server;

    • <user_id> is an SIP username.

  • #sip:<user_id>, where:

    • <user_id> is an SIP username
  • #sip:@<endpoint_ip>, where:

    • <endpoint_ip> is the IPv4 address of an SIP endpoint.
  • #sip:@[<endpoint_ip>], where:

    • <endpoint_ip> is the IPv6 address of an SIP endpoint.
  • #sip:@<hostname>, where:

    • <hostname> is the DNS name of an SIP endpoint.
  • #tel:<number>, where:

    • <number> is an SIP username.

You can also call the number <number> using the dialer.

If the SIP server IP address or name is provided, you may have to specify the following parameters explicitly:

  • Connection port <port> (in case it is different from the standard 5060 port)

  • Transport protocol <protocol> used for sending media streams (UDP is selected by default).

In such a case these parameters will be specified after the server address in the following way: :<port>;transport=<protocol>.

Call string examples for SIP protocol:

  • #sip:james78@sip.company.com

  • #sip:james78@sip.company.com:5070

  • #sip:james78@sip.company.com:5070;transport=tcp

  • #sip:james78

  • #sip:8001

  • #sip:@192.168.1.99

  • #sip:@192.168.1.99;transport=tcp

  • #sip:@[fe80::805a:1cf9:12f9:def7]

  • #tel:501

  • #tel:13478783263

# Calling mobile phones and landlines

You can call a phone number using the dialer in the address book. For more information about this feature, please read the TrueConf client applications user guide.

# Calling H.323 endpoints

Use the following call string formats for calling an H.323 endpoint:

  • #h323:@<IP>, where:

    • <IP> is the IP address of an H.323 gatekeeper.
  • #h323:@[<IP>], where:

    • <IP> is the IPv6 address of an H.323 gatekeeper
  • #h323:<user_id>@<IP>, where:

    • <IP> is the IP address of an H.323 gatekeeper or an MCU

    • <user_id> is an ID of a user or a device registered on an H.323 gatekeeper with an IP address specified in <IP> parameter.

  • #h323:<user_id>@[<IP>], where:

    • <IP> is the IPv6 address of an H.323 gatekeeper or an MCU

    • <user_id> is an ID of a user or a device registered on an H.323 gatekeeper with an IP address specified in <IP> parameter.

  • #h323:\e\<e164_id>@<IP>, where:

    • <IP> is the IP address of an H.323 gatekeeper or an MCU

    • <e164_id> is an E.164 format number of a user or device registered on an H.323 gatekeeper with an IP address specified in <IP> parameter.

  • #h323:<user_id>@<IP>, where:

    • <IP> is the IP address of an H.323 gatekeeper.
  • #h323:\e\<e164_id>@<IP>, where:

    • <e164_id> — is an E.164 format number of an H.323 gatekeeper.

If the IP address of the H.323 gatekeeper or MCU is included, it may be necessary to specify the connection port <port> in an explicit way (when this port is different from the standard 1720 port). In this case it has to be specified after the IP address in the following way:

#h323:<user_id>@<IP>:<port>

Call string examples for H.323 protocol:

  • #h323:@192.168.1.99

  • #h323:@192.168.1.99:1730

  • #h323:hdx8000@192.168.1.99

  • #h323:@[fe80::805a:1cf9:12f9:def7]

  • #h323:james78

  • #h323:\e\8001

# Calling RTSP endpoints

To display an RTSP stream in the layout, add the video source as a participant to a group conference or a point-to-point call using the RTSP call string. In this way, you can access the video from an IP camera or another conference streamed over RTSP. The call string format may differ depending on the vendor or camera model. You need to check the call string format specifically for your device.

Examples of RTSP addresses for different cameras:

  • rtsp://192.168.1.100/axis-media/media.amp

  • rtsp://admin:12345scw@192.168.1.100:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1

  • rtsp://admin:12345@192.168.1.100:554/Streaming/Channels/101

An example of an RTSP link for a TrueConf conference for which streaming has been enabled:

rtsp://video.server.com/c/webinar/

# Using tone dialing

You can send DTMF commands to DTMF-compatible devices in RTP EVENT (opens new window) and SIP INFO (opens new window) modes. To learn more about the transmission of such signals, please read the documentation provided by the manufacturer for each device.

The following symbols can be used to add pauses directly to the call string:

  • , — short pause (a few seconds)

  • ; — long pause (waiting for a dial tone from the caller).

For example, if you want to call a SIP server with IP 192.168.1.99 from the TrueConf client application to a conference protected by PIN 123456, you can avoid manual PIN entry by using a URI with a preset:

#sip:@192.168.1.99;123456

To call 13478783263 with extension 222, you can use the following call line:

#tel:13478783263,222

# Call from an SIP/H.323 endpoint

To call from a hardware or software-based SIP/H.323 endpoint to a conference hosted on TrueConf Server, use the call string in one of the following formats:

  • 00<Conference_ID>@<server>

  • 00<Conference_ID>@<server>:<port>

where:

  • <Conference_ID>— the conference ID

  • <server> — the server domain name or IP address

  • <port> — the connection port (used if the port is different from standard 5060 for SIP and 1720 for H.323).

For example:

001949195144@video.company.com

001949195144@video.company.com:1730

To join a PIN-protected conference from an SIP endpoint, it is necessary to add PIN, separated by a comma after the conference ID in the call string:

00<conf_id>,pin@<trueconf_server>:<port>

To make a call from the endpoint to a user registered on TrueConf Server use one of the following formats:

  • <TrueConf_ID>@<server>

  • <TrueConf_ID>@<server>:<port>

where:

  • <TrueConf_ID> — the user's TrueConf ID

  • <server>— IP address or domain name of the server where the call should be routed

  • <port> — the connection port (used if the port is different from standard 5060 for SIP and 1720 for H.323).

For example:

james78@video.company.com

james78@video.company.com:5070

Additionally, to make a call via SIP, you can explicitly specify the protocol name (UDP is used by default):

00<conf_id>,pin@<trueconf_server>:<port>;transport=<protocol>

You can also call users or join TrueConf conferences from H.323 endpoints in one of these ways:

<trueconf_server>##00<user>

<trueconf_server>##00<conf_id>