Ventrilo voice servers have a whole spectrum of uses ranging from “work” to “anti-work”, aka “sweet, sweet videogames.” Whether you’re setting up a conference call, a clan meet, or an actual clan-as-in-family conversation with members around the globe, a ventrilo server can let you talk without hassle or exorbitant charges. Here we look at the two most common applications and the server/client options you’ll want for each.
1. Gaming
By far the most famous use of voice-over-IP servers, a good central communications hub can make the difference between victory and defeat. Because you know that despite having played ten million rounds, every single one matters. Whatever you’re playing you’ll want a private server with clan-only access - the whole point of setting up your own communications channel is to make sure only people worth talking to are on it. Think how great it must be to log on to a server, start playing Counter Strike, and not have to alt-tab out to right-click “Mute” on half the players.
After that your options will depend on the style of game you’re playing. For action-packed anti-terrorist-fests you’ll want to set a volume-trigger level. That way you can talk any time without taking your fingers off strafe, run or weapon select - none of which you can afford to do with four deagle-wielding Arctic Avengers incoming.
For longer-duration games like E.V.E Online you’re better off with the “press to talk” option - though you should be sure to set the communications key somewhere close to your most-used keys (in case you need help quick in a major fleet action). With potentially hundreds of players spread out over a galaxy-wide corporation, transmitting every crunch and sniffle from your face to theirs is a great way to get thrown out post-haste.
2. BusinessSmall modern businesses can use
ventrilo servers for inter-or-
intra-office communications. You sidestep all the costs of phones, and for a new generation of technical workers the tabs and menus are far more sensible than the arcane conference call rituals of “Dial number - ## - press ‘
Conf‘ twice and hang up with your fingers crossed.”
Computer communications also offer massive advantages for office discussions in terms of file transfer. Rather than cradling the phone on your shoulder, searching for a pen to scribble a reminder to send the third quarter reports to the person, any file or notes can be drag-and-dropped right into the conversation. All parties can then be looking at the exact same thing at the exact same time - no more problems with version back-and-forth, with people operating from old data or worse, whatever they thought they remembered right while on the phone.
You’ll need to set a password with your voice server hosting company’s control panel. If you think nobody will bother to bother your private little server, you underestimate the sheer volume of spambot, malware and otherwise-exploitative online activity there is out there. The hassle of haggling a password and explaining “No, A for Apple” to everyone involved is far preferable to finding your private information online. Or having a meeting with clients spammed by 4chan.
Blue-crossed channels are public, those with red crosses are passworded.
If your server needs to be open to the public - for example, if you’re running a small online support or sales line from you business server - you can set passwords and privacy options for each channel. The public channels will have someone permanently assigned to them (that’s kind of the point), with administrator access to mute or ban those who cause trouble.
