Using Directories

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If you use Phone Dialer for making phone calls, or if you use it to make network calls to friends and associates whose computer name or IP address you know, you don't need to use a directory. But if you want to contact others, or if your regular correspondents don't have a fixed IP address (most dial-up connections get a new IP address each time they connect), an Internet location server (ILS) directory provides a good way to get in touch. For more about ILS servers, see "Getting Started with NetMeeting."

In Phone Dialer's left pane, under Directories, you'll find an entry for Internet Directories. Expand that entry to display the directories that have been set up on your computer. Within each directory is a People folder (which lists the people who are currently logged on to the directory server) and a Conferences folder (which lists upcoming conferences that you have permission to join).

In addition to the Internet directories that show who is currently logged on to a particular server, Phone Dialer maintains two other directories: My Network Directory and the Speed Dial directory.

To call someone listed in any directory, simply select his or her name and click the Dial button on the toolbar.

Adding a Directory Server

If your computer is part of a Windows 2000 Server domain, the administrator might have set up a list of published ILS servers. (These can be public ILS servers on the Internet, or private ILS servers on your network.) If this is the case, the first ILS server in the list appears in the My Network directory. If your network administrator hasn't set up a list of servers (or you're not part of a domain), you can connect to public ILS servers on the Internet by adding a directory server in Phone Dialer.

To add a directory server to the list of Internet directories, open the Edit menu and choose Add Directory. Type a directory name in the Add Directory Server dialog box, as shown in Figure 22-4.

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Finding Public ILS Servers

A good source for finding public ILS servers is www.netmeet.net. Although its focus is on NetMeeting, you can use the same servers with Phone Dialer for connecting with a friend who uses the same server, or for meeting new people.

Figure 22-4. You can connect to more than one directory server.

Adding Network Users to Your Local Directory

If your computer is part of a Windows 2000 Server network that uses Active Directory, you can add Phone Dialer directory entries for other network users with whom you frequently communicate. Names you add appear in the My Network Directory folder. To add a name:

1. Right-click My Network Directory and choose Add User.
2. Type the first part of the name you're looking for, and then click Search.

Windows searches the Active Directory for matching names.



3. After the search results appear, select a name and then click Add.

Setting Up Speed-Dial Numbers

Phone Dialer allows you to store an unlimited number of entries in the Speed Dial directory. These entries can be for people you contact by phone, by computer name, or by IP address. To add an entry to the Speed Dial directory:

1. Open the Edit menu and choose Add To Speed Dial List.

The Speed Dial dialog box appears, as shown below.

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Click the Add To Speed Dial button in a call window to open the Speed Dial dialog box—with the fields already filled in.

2. In the Display Name box, type the name as you want it to appear in the list.
3. In the Number Or Address box, type the phone number, computer name, or IP address you use to dial this person.
4. Under Dial As, select the type of connection you want to make, and then click OK

To delete a name from the directory, simply click it and press the Delete key. To reorder the names in your Speed Dial directory, or to change the information for an entry, open the Edit menu and choose Speed Dial List.