What is Gatekeeper?

Gatekeeper acts as a proxy server for all video conference devices on the UCT network. It ensures that special firewall rules do not have to be assigned for each device and that devices can work with a dynamic (DHCP) IP address. Gatekeeper also dynamically manages bandwidth usage ensuring that each video conference gets the best throughput and quality possible at the time of the call.

Register with Gatekeeper

Registering with Gatekeeper is a once-off procedure and allows you to seamlessly conduct a video conference without having to type in a username and password for every call. During the registration process a short dial number, or 'alias', is assigned and used to identify your device for incoming calls. Registration allows quick access to other UCT devices that are also registered with Gatekeeper.

To register, log a call with the IT Helpdesk: select Phone and Communications Services > Video Conference/Streaming Services > Request a consultation for video conference/streaming solution.

Make a video call using a Gatekeeper-registered device

To make a video conference call
  1. Go to the Polycom web conferencing home screen.
  2. Click Place a Call.
  3. In the IP Address field, enter the address of the video conferencing device you want to connect to:
  4. Click Call.
To make a video conference call to a Skype user
  1. Go to the conferencing device home screen.
  2. Click Place a Call.
  3. In the number field, enter the email address - not IP address - of the Skype user you want to connect to.
  4. Click Call.

NOTES:
You can only connect with Skype users if they are using Skype on a Windows computer. This functionality will be extended to Apple Mac users once Microsoft releases a new Skype for Mac client.

If the person's email address does not end with msn.com, live.com or hotmail.com, use the following format:

emailaddress(emailprovider)@msn.com

for example, testing123@gmail.com would become
testing123(gmail.com)@msn.com

Receive a video conference call from off campus

My guest uses Skype (for Windows) My guest doesn't use Skype (for Windows)
  1. Ensure that your guest has the email address of the conference device before the conference is due to start.
  2. The device email address is normally displayed on the conference device home screen and may look something like this ictsmobilevc@ipt.uct.ac.za
  3. They will use this as the address when they call you using Skype.

Your guest must dial 137.158.158.224## plus the short dial number of your video conferencing device.

For example to contact the video conference device in the ICTS boardroom, the guest will dial: 137.158.158.224##102