How to setup a Web conference and invite external contacts with Lync 2013

Synopsis

This guide will show you how to setup a Web conference and invite anonymous users with Lync 2013.

Prerequisite

You must have a hosted Lync Enterprise 2013 account with Sherweb.

The Microsoft Lync 2013 client should be installed on your PC and configured for your account.

How to

You are the presenter

1. Start Lync 2013.

Note: A web conference is a Lync Meeting. If you already created your Lync Meeting before, you can go instead go to the Lync Meetings tab and double click on the meeting you want to invite external contacts to. Then go directly to step 4.

2. Start a Lync meeting by clicking on the Settings dropdown menu arrow and then on Meet Now.

3. Decide if you wish to integrate audio to your Lync meeting by selecting one of 3 options: Use Lync (full audio and video experience) or Call me at, or Don’t join audio. Click on OK to confirm the selection.

4. Click on the People icon and then on Invite More People.

5. Click on the ellipsis icon (...), then on Meeting Entry Info.

6. Click on Copy All Info.

7. Open your Outlook (or webmail OWA) and create a new email message.

8. Paste the meeting information you copied in step 6. Enter some text in the Subject line, then add all your invites to the To field. Click on Send.

9. Once your invites have joined the Lync meeting, you will be able to see them listed.

You are an invitee

10. In your mailbox, open the email you received from the meeting presenter and copy the URL that is inside.

11. Paste the link in your web browser, then on the Lync Web App page that opens, enter your name. Make sure the Install Lync Web App plug-in option is checked, then click on Join the meeting.

Note: If your PC has Lync client installed on it, suffix the URL with ?SL=1. This will force the PC to use the browser instead of the Lync client.

12. Depending on your web browser configuration, a pop-up window may ask you to confirm the downloading of the LWAPlugin64BitInstaller32.msi file. Choose to save the file locally instead of opening it.

Note: Do not close the Lync Web App web page.

13. At the end of the file download, launch the plug-in setup.

14. When the installation is completed, note the change in the display of the Lync Web App web page. Click on Join now. Your web browser may ask for your permission to execute the plug-in: accept the request.

15. A pop-up window asks for the authorization to execute the newly installed plug-in. You may choose to always execute it or to allow it only for this time.

Internet Explorer

Google Chrome

16. If the presenter had chosen to integrate audio to the Lync Meeting, then a Join Meeting Audio window opens. Select your best option to join the meeting: Using my computer or I will dial in to the meeting. We recommend the first option: once selected, you have to click on Join.