How to Enter a Community Room Using a Mac

Updated September 2014

This tutorial explains the steps necessary to prepare Macs for use in Community Rooms.

The technology uses an architecture called Client/Server Computing. This means the application is spread over more than one computer with software running simultaneously on servers and client computers. The Internet provides the network to connect these different computers. The client software installed on individual computers is referred to as a plugin or an app.

To enter a community room an application must first be installed on your computer. This is only required once and is accomplished using either of the following two ways:

1. Install an app from the Apple Store
2. Use a download link to download a installation file

Click here for system requirements.

Apple is encouraging developers to use the Apple Store to deliver Mac applications. This provides a more secure delivery approach over manually downloading installation files and using the downloaded files to install the app. Therefore this is the preferred installation method.

Installing the application using the Apps Store:

You need a working knowledge of the App Store and you will need an Apple ID and Password.

1. Open the App Store
2. Search for the tcConference app
3. Click on the tcConference icon or the Install button
4. You will be prompted for your Apple ID and Password - enter that information and press OK
5. You will see a message saying Installing
6. When the installation is complete Installed will be displayed
7. You can now enter the conference room

You may now enter a community room by clicking on the room of your choice.

The Apple Store will notify you when a new version of the application is available.

Manually Downloadin the Plugin

If you are comfortable using the Apple Store to install the app the following information may not be necessary. However it may be required in an ememgency. When a new or updated app is submitted to Apple, Apple will review and validate the applicatio and then make it available. This process could take two to four weeks. Therefore, if there is a fix that requires immediate action, this manual approach my be required.

1. On the home page click the First Time users click here to download the Mac plugin link.
2. A .zip file will be downloaded and the tcConference file will be automatically extracted into the Downloads folder.
3. Open the Downloads folder and click on the tcConference application to activate the plugin. You will receive a Successfully Installed" message.
4. The plugin is now activated. Retun to the Community Home page.

Entering a Room

1. Click any community room to enter that room.

Exit Conference Room

1. Bring the tcConference application into focus.
2. Click the tcConference menu.
3. Click Exit

Updating the plugin

From time to time updates to the plugin will become available. These updates may provide new features or fixes to known issues. To install these updates you would follow the same steps shown earlier to download the plugin. However when a file with the same name is downloaded an index identifier will be appended to the name so tcConference will become tcConference-1. You will therefore need to do some house cleaning and remove the older files. A better process may be to remove the existing plugin by dropping the file into trash before doing the update.

Issues

If you see a Page Not Found or similar message when you try to enter a room it is likely because you forgot to install and activate the plugin.

As individuals using Macs add malware and firewall protection to their computers other issues may arise. This tutorial will be updated if and when these issues occur.

See for more details