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ELIGIBILITY:
METNET provides Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro to affiliated MnSCU institutions that are members of METNET region (Twin Cities metro-area)  as well as the COMET region (Southeast) of the Learning Network of Minnesota. A METNET Internet account and Password are required to activate a Connect account. Faculty and staff may have a METNET account and use Connect for work-related purposes. Graduate students employed as teaching assistants may also have a METNET account and use Connect for course-related responsibilities. 

Students enrolled in courses do not need an account. Students may access online Connect content and participate in web conferences and webcasts through a browser as Guests using the URL provided to them.

1. REQUEST A METNET ACCOUNT - (Faculty, Staff and Eligible Graduate Students only)
Users who already have a METNET account should skip this step.
If you do not yet have your METNET Internet account, please Contact METNET by E-mail to request an account. Include:

  • Your full name
  • E-mail address
  • institution name and department
  • position title (faculty, student support staff, etc.)
  • TechID number (If you do not know this, please check with Tech. support staff at your institution.)
  • a brief description of how you will use Connect. For example: "I will use Connect in my course ENGL 100 for online office hours."

2. INITIALIZE YOUR METNET ACCOUNT

  • If you have not yet done so, initialize your METNET Account using the instructions at http://www.metnet.edu/email/howtoinitiate/index.html.
  • Wait at least 20 minutes.
  • Log in to your METNET MAIL account (which also enables METNET e-mail) at http://www.metnet.edu/.
  • Set a password security question. This is important if you should ever forget your password.
  • Since this account also serves as an e-mail account you will sometimes be sent messages from METNET regarding Connect downtime or updates. You may also wish to set forwarding to your primary e-mail account. A link to do this is found at http://www.metnet.edu/email/index.html in the Quick Links box on the right side of the page. 

3. ACTIVATE YOUR METNET CONNECT ACCOUNT

New Connect Users

  1. Wait at last 20 minutes after initializing your METNET account.
  2. Go to Manage Account and click on "Log In" or log into the Connect Manager. Your Connect account becomes active the first time you log in to Connect.
  3. Log in using your METNET Internet ID and password.

CONNECT
Getting Started with Creating Meetings - (Faculty and Staff only)

  1. Check your computer to be sure that it meets the Adobe Connect System Requirements. For best results, have the most current version of the Adobe Flash Player and browser software. If your computer is not current, update it before using Connect.
  2. Install the Connect Add-in for Windows or Macintosh Operating Systems. The Connect Meeting Add-in allows you to share your screen and upload files to meetings. If you haven't done this, Connect usually prompts you when you log in to a meeting room.
  3. Connect requires that ports 80, 443 and 1935 be open on the routers and firewall. Users may need to check with local tech support staff to verify this.
  4. If you plan to use Voice over IP built-in audio. A headset type microphone is recommended to avoid echoing and picking up ambient room noise. Always connect your headset or other external microphone before entering the meeting. Run the Audio Setup wizard to be sure the microphone works properly.
  5. If you plan to use a web camera, connect your camera before entering the meeting. Select the camera and test it.
  6. Use a wired connection, not wireless.
  7. Test your computer to make sure that you are set up with all of the tools you will need to participate in the meeting.
  8. Always run a test meeting prior the the real event to make sure all equipment is working properly and to become familiar with the Connect interface. Use the exact network and hardware (including cables) that will be used in the live meeting.
  9. Add users (METNET account holders) and create user groups to invite to the Connect Meeting by visiting the Manage Account page.
  10. Log in to Connect Manager and click on the New Meeting link on the home page.
  11. Complete the Meeting Creation wizard. Unless other meeting participants have a METNET Connect account, use the Custom options to select "Allow anyone with URL to enter".
  12. Enter the meeting room by clicking the Enter Meeting Room button.
  13. Set the meeting bandwidth. Click on the Meeting menu then Manage My Settings>My Connection Speed. More details about Meeting Bandwidth.
  14. To invite other participants to the meeting, select "Invite Participants" from the Meeting menu or e-mail them to share the meeting URL.
  15. To help your first time meeting participants, provide them with the link to a "Participating in Your First Connect Pro Meeting", a short video tutorial at http://seminars.adobe.acrobat.com/participatemeeting/. Meeting participants should also set their personal bandwidth through the Meeting menu when they enter the meeting room.
  16. Adobe Connect has built-in Help which can be accessed within a meeting room. An online version is also available at http://help.adobe.com/en_US/AcrobatConnectPro/7.5/Using/index.html

ADOBE PRESENTER

Adobe Presenter is for PC (Windows) Only and is not available for the Macintosh operating system.

Getting Started with Publishing Presentations - (Faculty and Staff only)

  1. Install Adobe Presenter. Presenter is installed as a menu in Microsoft PowerPoint.
    NOTE:     If you download and install Adobe Presenter 6, it will add a Presenter menu inside your PowerPoint application. The Presenter menu allows you to create audio narrated presentations and publish them locally or to the web.
    1. On the left-hand side of the page under "Learn", click on "Getting Started".
    2. Click "Install Adobe Presenter".
    3. After downloading, double-click on the file and follow the installation instructions. After installation is completed, an Adobe Presenter option will be added to the PowerPoint menu bar.
  3. To publish to your own computer, In the Publish window, click on the My Computer tab on the left hand side of the window.
  4. To publish to the Connect Server, (Faculty and Staff only) click on the Adobe Connect tab on the left hand side of the window.
    The URL to use for Connect Server Preferences is "https://umconnect.umn.edu".
  5. Log in to Connect Manager and click on "Content" to manage content, including setting permissions or using presentations in courses and curriculums.
  6. Consult Adobe Presenter Resources to to access the Adobe Presenter Quick Start Guide and other Presenter references.

 

         
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