GSI Zoom Accounts
GSI offers Zoom accounts for OA groups to use for online meetings, free of charge. Using the GSI account requires that the meeting be listed on the GSI website.
Pick a Zoom contact person for your group. Decide how your meeting will share the host key amongst hosting members.
1. Have the Primary Contact email webmaster@seattleoa.org and include the following:
2. Email Subject: Zoom Registration
3. Meeting Day, Meeting Times, and Meeting Location (when off Zoom)
4. Primary Contact name and email
5. Your group’s plan for sharing your host key.
6. Your contact will be emailed the Host Key if your time slot is available.
Claim host by entering the meeting, click on Participants and copy the Host digits into the “Claim Host Key” button (on the bottom of the Participant’s sidebar). Check your name – you should be host. Host can rename themselves, but they cannot put on a background picture as the account is shared by many.
You must be out of the room 10 minutes after the meeting ends IF there is another meeting close to your time. Press the red “End Meeting For All.” Otherwise, the next meeting will get the dreaded “HOST is in another meeting.”
Participants can join before the host, because the host has to Claim Host Key. Members can use the chat and use the 3 dots by “File” to save the chat on their hard drives. The host can record.
There is no waiting room as the password is embedded in the link to the meeting. Everyone comes in the room with their video off and their Mute button on. Co-hosts can be added. Co-hosts can add co-hosts. Hosts and co-hosts can create meeting polls. Only the host can share a screen. Participants may rename themselves. Should there be an intruder in the room, they are not allowed to rejoin. Breakout rooms are allowed, virtual backgrounds and filters are allowed. Users can have a profile picture in the background, but the Host cannot as you share this account with many people.
Zoom Troubles
The “Bandwidth is low” happens while you are sharing:
1) Turn off your video. 2) Close down other programs. 3) Plug in your power cord if you unplugged. Zoom takes up a lot of Power Resources, especially with your video on.
Around the house: 1) Sit closer to your wi-fi modem. 2) Move your modem out from behind the bookshelf. If computer is within line of sight of the modem, the better the bandwidth. Modems broadcast down – so get it up off the floor. 3) Look up “band steerage” on the internet if Comcast user. 4) Disconnect other devices that use wi-fi like the printer, Kindle, phone. 4) Tell your family to get off the Internet and go play outside. 5) Also, baby monitors right next to your computer, stainless steel appliances, and brick walls slow it down. 6) I did not find a wi-fi extender to be of any use.
If all else fails, call into the meeting using the phone 1-206-337-9723. Enter the Meeting ID followed by the # sign. *6 toggles Mute off and on. *9 raises your hand. Ask the host to rename you as it defaults to your phone number. If you have a speaker event, remind the speaker of this method if their Internet fails.
