Open H323

1
Open H323

• Features, tools and basic utilization
• Liane Tarouco
• Leandro Bertholdo

2
Open H323 Project

• It appeared from 1998 trying to solve the problem
  of the high cost of licenses for commercial
  implementation of the protocol.
• These costs was hindering its development and use
  in the community of the Internet.

3
Open H323 Project

• The OpenH323 project aims to create a full
  featured, interoperable, Open Source
  implementation of the ITU-T H.323
  teleconferencing protocol that can be used by
  personal developers and commercial users without
  charge

4
Open H323 - Project

• Developed in C
• Ported to several operational systems like
  Windows, FreeBSD, Solaris and Linux (Redhat,
  Debian, Fedora, etc.).
• Several tools implemented are available in
  http//www.openh323.org.
• Spanish tutorial at http//toncar.cz/openh323/tut/
  sp/files.html

5
OpenH323 x H323

• In terms of concepts and functionalities, does
  not exist significant difference in protocols
  implementations.
• Implementation uses the same standards that base
  the H323, as well as terminals, gatekeepers, and
  control units multipoint (MCUs).
• The hierarchy of class of the OpenH323 can be
  reached in http//www.openh323.org/docs/OpenH323/
  HIER.html

6
Open H323 Tools
Several tools are ready to run OhPhone H.323
interactive line command client. Supports audio
and video no shared whiteboard, file transfer,
or shared applications. OpenAM H.323 answering
machine. Plays back a recorded message and
records incoming audio. No video support at
present. Forwarder Forwards H.323 sessions from
one IP address/port to another. Used to serve
multiple H.323 destinations from a single IP
address.
7
Open H323 Tools
OpenMCU Multipoint Control Unit. Connects
multiple sessions together into a conference call
(Videoconference Server). PSTNGw Allows
NetMeeting clients to make phone calls onto the
conventional phone system - the Public Switched
Telephone Network (PSTN). Requires special
hardware. OpenIVRH H323 Interactive Voice
Response OpenGK H.323 gatekeeper CallGen323
H.323 call generator GnomeMeeting Same as
microsoft Netmeeting without full T.120 protocol.
8
Installing OpenMCU

• OpenMCU package was tested on FreeBSD and Linux
  (Fedora and Debian)
• FreeBSD instalation is very easy
• pkg_add r openh323
• pkg_add r openmcu
• make install
• /usr/local/bin/openmcu n -v
• NOTE If you are using FreeBSD 5.x, you have to
  install a compat4x package before.

9
OpenMCU Features

• OpenMCU has features like
• Audio codec G.711, GSM MS-GSM e LPC-10
• Video codec H.261
• Can accept multiples connections simultaneously
• Several different conferences can be talking
  place at the same time using room feature.
• display statistics on call in progress

10
OpenMCU Features

• You can do a loopback audio to test your signal
  quality
• You can permit/force/disable gatekeeper
  utilization
• You can trace all calls
• Support until four (4) videos at the same time.
  You can hear another people but only four can
  send a video signal.

11
Testing OpenMCU with Netmeeting
Netmeeting and Gnomemeeting interfaces.
12
OpenMCU Logs

• Waiting for incoming calls for "OpenH323 MCU
  v1.1.7"
• Command ? Opening connection
• Accepting call from Leandro Bertholdo
  192.168.1.11 using MicrosoftltAEgt
  NetMeetingltAEgt/3.0 with room id room101
• Member ip192.168.1.112422/25581 will not hear
  their own voice
• Started logical channel sending
  G.711-uLaw-64ksw lt3gt
• Started logical channel sending H.261-QCIF lt9gt
• Started logical channel receiving
  G.711-uLaw-64ksw lt5gt
• Opening connection
• Incoming H.323 call from Linux Bertholdo
  192.168.1.17 has not selected a room.
• Using room room101 as the default.
• Accepting call from Linux Bertholdo
  192.168.1.17 using gnomemeeting/1.2.1 (OpenH323
  v1.15.3) with room id room101