Video conferencing at Ball State University is implemented by using the internet using the H.323 video protocol.  Like most organizations involved with video conferencing, gatekeepers are utilized to assist with call setup, name resolution, bandwidth management, and firewall/NAT traversal.  Ball State has three gatekeepers for the following zones: on-campus, off-campus, and global partners.  In order for other locations throughout the United States and globally we ask that all participants either be registered with our gatekeepers,  be registered with either the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunications System, (IHETS) or with VideNet, or use IP + extension dialing (if supported by your codec).

The purpose of using gatekeepers is so that any location that wants to interact with Ball State University can do so using an E-164 dialing plan.  This dialing plan maps an E-164 number to the conferencing device's IP address.  Example IP Address of 125.220.4.6 could actually be dialed as 86062487891.  Detailed instructions for the physical connection to the gatekeeper can be found at http://www.bsu.edu/teleplex/video/registration/.  Also, to find a directory of all Ball State University video camera connections, go to http://www.bsu.edu/gatekeeper. 

The Video Network Information Center, (VNIC) also has a web page that allows off campus guests or on campus sites to fill out a request for conferencing form and the location for this site is www.bsu.edu/vnic

For a 384K video conference, the network must be able to sustain 423Kbps (384Kbps plus 10% for overhead) and down to work, also QoS needs to be established on the line as well and the following ports need to be open:

The ports that need to be opened for video conferencing are:

1719    -           TCP/UDP (gatekeeper communications)
1720    -           TCP/UDP (call setup)
1731    -           TCP/UDP (audio call control)
3230    thru      3253    TCP/UDP (polycom fixed ports)

The following are NOT required for an actual conference

3603    -           TCP (management port for Polycom PVX/ViaVideo)
80 -  TCP (management port for Polycom Viewstation/VSX)