How to get free video conferencing software for distance learning [Simple Guide 2021]

March 19, 2020

Alina Krukova

Categories: News

The entire world is now trying to combat COVID-19: many public events were cancelled, borders are temporarily closed, and many of us have already dealt with quarantine and travel restrictions. Private and government organizations are forced to switch to remote work while educational institutions of all levels are urged to embrace distance learning.

Under such circumstances, we believe that it is critical to provide educational institutions with TrueConf video conferencing and distance learning software.

Benefits of video conferencing in education

Video conferencing can bring a whole new dimension to your classroom! Learn how your teachers can connect with other classes, collaborate with students and create an engaging learning experience.

Learn more

Table of Contents

Guide for System Administrators

The instructions provided below are intended for IT managers and system administrators of educational institutions. This manual will help them deploy a secure video conferencing system for online education. We suggest that teachers use TrueConf for Windows client applications. Students will be able to join conferences from any device simply by following a link in a browser.

Brief Q&A

What kind of computer do I need to install TrueConf Server?

TrueConf Server does not feature advanced system requirements. You will not need an expensive server or a multicore virtual machine. With TrueConf, even a very basic setup will allow holding video conferences with up to 1000 simultaneous participants. We also recommend that you check our recommendations for selecting web cameras and audio peripherals.

What should I do if I have a public IP address for connecting to TrueConf Server?

You will need a static IP address available outside the local area network of your organization. If your computer connects to the Internet via a router, NAT or other network equipment, you will need to configure additional addressing; otherwise, users will not be able to connect to the video conferencing server from their homes.

Will my Internet channel allow everyone to connect?

To make sure that video communication between learners is not affected by any problems, check if the Internet channel of your organization meets our requirements.

Step 1. Install and Activate TrueConf Server

Carefully fill in all the fields and click on Submit & Download. The key should be delivered in 15 minutes maximum. If this did not happen, check the SPAM folder in your email client.
If you are our customer and have already installed TrueConf Server, contact us at besafe@trueconf.com or any way you prefer and tell us your server ID or the email you used to register the server. We will extend your license manually.
A registration key will be sent to the email address that you provided, and TrueConf Server download page will open.
Choose the PC with Windows OS on your network in order to install the distributive.
Once the installation is finished, the TrueConf Server control panel will automatically open in your browser. Enter the registration key you have just received by email and press Register to continue:
Once TrueConf Server is successfully registered, a sign will appear at the top of your control panel window:
Contact us at besafe@trueconf.com or any way you prefer and clarify your server ID, the number of licenses you need for the faculty members and the approximate number of students.
We will extend and activate your TrueConf Server license for free.
Pay close attention to the terms of granting the free academic license located at the bottom of the page.

Step 2. Organize the Learning Process

Go to the User Accounts tab in the control panel and create accounts for all lecturers and students.
Set up HTTPS connection on the server to enable students to actively participate in the conferences from their browsers via WebRTP application. If you don’t know how to obtain the HTTPS certificate, contact us, and we will help you get it for free.
Make sure that the video conferencing server is available to the users outside your network.
Ask lecturers to download the client application from the guest page of your server and log in with the credentials provided by you.
Provide each student with login information.

Guide for Teachers

To hold a video lecture, proceed to Conference Scheduler and create a role-based or asymmetric public video conference in the application. You can create a virtual room for the specific lesson and re-use it at your convenience.

A role-based conference allows a lecturer to invite students to the podium (up to 6 people simultaneously). In the asymmetric conference, the lecturer can see and hear each of the students (up to 36), while they can see and hear only the lecturer.
Save the link to the created conference or virtual room and send it to the students.
Start the lesson in the Conference Scheduler section.

How to share slides and materials with students?

During the conference, select the fourth icon in the conference toolbar to make your content visible to all students:

Besides content sharing, the lecturer can use the following tools to hold an interesting and interactive lesson:

reactions and polling;
slideshow and presentations;
remote desktop control;
instant messaging (or chat) allowing users to exchange text messages or files during;
video conferencing recording for the late comers or absent students.

If you have any questions, just click on the online chat in the lower right corner, and we will assist you. Happy video conferences!