TeamSpeak is a kind of Voice Over IP program. It allows you to hook a microphone up to your computer and talk to other people, almost as if you were on the phone with them. TeamSpeak also allows for you to be talking to multiple people at once, in a kind of conference call setting. TeamSpeak is free to download and use, but if you want to run your own TeamSpeak server you’ll generally have to pay for it, though there are some options for a free TeamSpeak server.

You won’t be able to do much with TeamSpeak unless you have a server you want to connect to. So, assuming that’s your goal, the first thing you’ll need to do is open up the ‘Connection’ drop down menu and then select ‘Connect’. A new menu will pop up and you’ll have to right click where it says ‘Servers’, then select ‘Add Server’. This will bring up a new menu that allows you to add a TeamSpeak server to your server list.

When adding a new server the first thing you should do is type in a name for the server, something that will help you identify it. Where it says ‘Server Address’ is where you will have to input the host name or IP of the TeamSpeak server you are trying to connect to. This is something you will have to get from the owner of the TeamSpeak server, or from someone else who connects to the server. Where it says ‘Nickname’ you should type in what you want to be identified as when you are in the TeamSpeak server. This can be anything from your actual name, to your online moniker of choice.

If you have never joined a server before you may have to connect as Anonymous and then register with the server once you have entered it. The TeamSpeak server owner, or an admin, will have to allow you to register. If you already are registered with a server that requires it, then type in your ‘Login name’ and your ‘Password’ before saving this server to your server list. Once you’re done putting in all of the information TeamSpeak will store it for you indefinitely, so you can easily connect to all your servers.

By default TeamSpeak will be running in voice activation mode. This means that once you are in a server TeamSpeak will automatically transmit anything you say to the rest of the server. To turn this option off, and have TeamSpeak only transmit sound when you push a hotkey, go to ‘Sound Settings’ under the ‘Settings’ drop down menu. Select ‘Push to Talk’ and then hit ‘Set’. Now, the next key you press will be bound as your hotkey and people will only be able to hear you when you are holding down that hotkey.

TeamSpeak is a very useful program and can be used for anything, from work to online games. The intricacies of the program can seem a little daunting at first but by following these steps you’ll know everything that you need to in order to connect to a TeamSpeak server and start talking.

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