FAQ - Webex

The correct e-mail address is already displayed in the TC portal and in Webex. However, the error message "Your account is not authorised. Please contact your administrator".

This may be due to the fact that the Webex account was only recently created. It may take up to an hour for the data to be fully synchronized in the system.

Please be patient at this point. If you are still unable to log in, please try the following:

1. Log out of Webex.
2. Close Webex completely. Also via the taskbar
3. Try logging in again via Single Sign-On.
4. The login should now work.

To ensure that Webex is automatically used as the telephone client when you click on telephone numbers, you can configure Windows as follows:

1. press the Windows key to load the Start menu and enter "Default apps"
2. then click on the " Choose default applications by protocol" link in the new window
3. scroll down the list to the "TEL" protocol
4. click on the button after the protocol name and select Webex as the default application.

The following contacts are migrated to the Webex app:

• Jabber directory contacts whose emails are also available in Webex
• Customised contacts and photos

It is not possible to display contacts by last name

If the Webex telephone service is not available in the app on your smartphone, an orange exclamation mark will appear next to the Calls button. 

To re-establish the connection, you must switch the appropriate option for your operating system (Android softphone client or iPhone softphone client) off and on again in the TK-Portal and restart the app. 

Then follow the instructions in the app to log in again.

The e-mail address can be freely selected from the addresses displayed in the TC portal. The selected e-mail address also corresponds to the e-mail address used for the Webex account.

Options:

1. Selection of the work e-mail address. If an e-mail is stored for the person in the personal directory, this can be selected. (If a person has two entries, e.g. at two different institutes, both e-mail addresses are also available for selection)

2. Selection of the personal RWTH e-mail address. If a personal RWTH e-mail address is available, this can also be selected.

3. If neither an official e-mail address nor a personal RWTH e-mail address is available, a cryptic @webex e-mail address is available for selection.

If the Webex client does not generate an audible ring despite correct device settings, it is necessary to deactivate the "Softphone-Client Desktop" setting in the TC Portal and reactivate it after a waiting time of around 10 seconds.

You must then completely exit the Webex client by clicking on "Sign out" in your profile (see point (1) in the Webex user interface). You must then log in to Webex again. Logging in to the Webex client is done via the primary e-mail address displayed in the Webex account in the TC portal. You will then be redirected to the RWTH Single-Sign On, where you enter your user ID in the format ab123456 and the corresponding password.

If this does not work, the computer must be restarted. Webex should then ring clearly.

• You can share your Webex screen during an ongoing video conference if the meeting host has authorized this.
• To do this, first select the Share screen function. A bar will now appear at the top of your screen. 
• Click on More sharing options and then select the Show my Webex app option.

The synchronisation of Webex and Outlook calendars is not yet optimal. After the meeting has been deleted in the Outlook calendar, it still exists in the Webex calendar. This is also the reason for the notification.

As a workaround, the appointment in Webex must also be deleted manually.

The synchronization of the Webex and Outlook calendars is currently not yet optimal. After the date of a meeting or meeting series has been changed in Outlook, it is not automatically adjusted in the Webex calendar. This results in the wrong notification.

The following workarounds are available:

1. The creator of the meeting or meeting series cancels it and creates a new meeting or meeting series.

2. You deactivate the notification function (Aus) for meetings in the Webex settings. This means that you will only receive the correct notification for a meeting or meeting series in Outlook.

If you cannot find your chat directly, click on the filter button with the 3 dashes. A selection will then open where you can click on Hidden.

Your hidden chats or areas will now be displayed here. Hidden chats are no longer displayed in your message list. Right-click on the hidden chat to show it again.

Webex offers a very high level of security and data protection for meetings and chats. All meetings, calls and chat messages between Webex clients, RWTH telephones and combiantions of the two are encrypted. This means that telephone calls via the RWTH telephone system with Webex softphones or desk phones are also encrypted and are made exclusively on RWTH infrastructure.

To increase the level of security, the key management for all RWTH Webex participants is also operated locally on servers in RWTH data centers.

If you want to hold confidential meetings, such as HR meetings, you should proceed as follows:

Create a Webex meeting of the type "private meeting". Proceed as follows:

• In the Webex application, select the "Meetings" tab on the left-hand side of the screen, then "Schedule meeting".
• Then click on "Advanced settings".
• You should now be able to select the "Meeting type" at the top right of the screen.
• Please select "Webex Meetings Private Meeting (Video Mesh only)" here.

In this case, voice and video data from this meeting will only be distributed via resources in RWTH data centers. The following restrictions apply:

• Only RWTH members registered in Webex can participate.
• The meeting can only be attended with the Webex app.
• All end devices must be connected to the RWTH network. This is also possible via VPN, e.g. from the home office.

If chats / calls / meetings are not displayed in Webex or the list is not updated, you can use the following workaround:

• Reset the database:
  • Open Webex
  • Click on your initials / picture at the top left
  • Select Help
  • Select Status check
  • Select Reset at the bottom left next to Database status 

Follow the instructions for dialling numbers. In particular the outside line access digit "0".

This problem can occur with telephones with fixed numbers. In this case, the authorisation of the telephone must be set to "International".

If your phone displays “Phone registration in progress” or “Network being detected”, you have two options for solving the problem yourself:

Reset phone to factory settings

• Step 1: Open settings (press the gear icon)
• Step 2: Select administrator settings
• Step 3: Select item 5 Reset settings
• Step 4: Select item 2 All settings
• Step 5: Select Reset

Your phone will now restart automatically.

If the error is not rectified after the restart, carry out the following steps:

Reset the phone

• Step 1: Switch off the phone by disconnecting it from the power supply.
• Step 2: Plug the phone back in.

           Important: Press and hold the “#” key while the phone restarts automatically.

           Now the headset lamp (bottom right) lights up green.

• Step 3: Press the keys in the following order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, *, #

           After the entry, the mute button (bottom right) lights up red and the reset is carried out automatically. This may take a few minutes.

If the error still persists, please contact the IT Service Desk (servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de). Indicate in the e-mail that you have already carried out the steps.

• If you want to reach a phone number within the RWTH, it is sufficient to dial the last 5 digits of the phone number, e.g. instead of +492418012345 only 12345.
• For external numbers either start with the prefix code "0" or with "+" and the corresponding country code, e.g. 00241... for Aachen or 00031... or +31... (for the Netherlands)
• This also applies to cell phone numbers.
• These rules also apply when setting up call forwarding!

Incidents can be reported to the IT-ServiceDesk via fax, email oder telephone.
We ask you to please include all the information requested in the forms in order to avoid unnecessary back and forth and ensure a swift resolution of the incident.

This message can be closed with the help of the "Close" button.

Such message appears when the server cannot be reached. If the message appears again the next day after you have closed it, please contact the IT-ServiceDesk.

Users who have logged off from all devices are unreachable if they have not otherwise informed the telephone system where the call is to be routed.
The way to do this is to set call forwarding.
Users can configure under which conditions calls should be diverted: This can also be initiated precisely for the case that one is no longer logged on to any device
See: Forwarding using the TK-Portal

When a name is changed, the display name on the display is automatically replaced by the new name.

If a person changes the institute, the adjustment of the institute abbreviation in the display name can be adjusted by the person with the role “Telephony administration”.

If there is no person with this role at the institute, please contact the IT Service Desk (servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de) with the following information:

• Current display name
• New display name if necessary

The new telephones are no longer personal, but are assigned to a specific workstation. If you change your workplace, the phones will remain at your old workplace.
After the move, use the phone at the new workstation by logging on to the phone with your user data. Your phone number and individual settings are now stored on the new phone.

Important: Do not unplug any cables from the phone or the switch, otherwise the data port trap will be automatically blocked by our security configuration. The devices can then no longer be used. Reactivation is only possible through the IT Center. Please contact the IT Service Desk (servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de) for this purpose.

Speed dialling destinations can be defined for the Cisco phone in the TK-Portal. There are instructions on how to set and retrieve speed dial destinations.

The new phone system also provides the option of accessing phone books on the Cisco phone. There you can search for contacts and start a call. There are instructions on how to search the phone book.

Cisco telephones should be used with a USB headset. Most headsets should come with appropriate adaptors. Should you require a new headset or an adaptor, please contact the IT contact person in your institute.

When using the standard configuration, the screen will be turned on automatically from 07:30 until 18:00. After this time, the screen will only remain illuminated for an hour after the device is used.

The angle of the phone can be adjusted by around 10 to 20 degrees. The silver stand of the phone can be adjusted accordingly.

An overview of the available telephony devices for the new system can be found under Cisco Phones.

You can order a replacement battery. 

You can find instructions here.