Help More technical help for remote connection of Zoom, please....

[Guineveretoo]

Not my father this time, but another old man who lives alone and is a very good friend of mine. He is very lonely and struggling financially as a result of this lockdown because he has no work at all. (My daughter arranged for a food box to be delivered by a local caterer (he lives in Cambridgeshire) and he cried when he took delivery of it....)

He is trying to use Zoom to connect with friends, but mostly can't get it to work. I managed to get him connected on Saturday and it was lovely to see him, but it rarely works and i can't work out why.

And, weirdly, when Zoom does launch, it is entirely in Spanish. We have checked the language settings and they are all English.

Not helped by the fact that his computer apparently runs in something called Ubuntu - he says that Windows 7 was not working and they needed a password that they didn't know after his husband died so a friend installed Ubuntu instead. I have never heard of it...

he uses Firefox.

He can get emails and can access Facebook, and he says that is mostly what he uses the computer for.

I tried to get him to delete history and cookies but that made no difference to Zoom.

I did wonder if the difficulty launching it was to do with lack of memory - a problem I have on my old computer - so I tried to get him to delete temporary files, too, but can't work out how to do that in Ubuntu either.

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[bmd]

You’re in luck. Ubuntu is used by a lot of the techy people around here, or a flavour of it at least.

I can’t help you, I just wanted to say that he is lucky to have you and that I hope you and yours stay safe and sane.

 

[dessiato]

I understand how zoom is becoming the go to for most at the moment, but why not use messenger or skype? Both seem to be widely used and have most, if not everything, most people use. They also have multi participan option, although I think this might be restricted to participants.

 

[xenon]

I've not used this on Ubuntu myself. Which is a popular distribution of Linux. If this helps, here's how Zoom suggest changing the language settings on Zoom Meetings for Linux.

Change your language on Zoom

Overview You can change the language displayed by Zoom on your Zoom client and the Zoom website. The following languages are supported for Zoom clients: Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) Englis...

support.zoom.us

 

[bmd]

Also, it might be worth working out how to remote into his pc. Then you can just take over his computer and do stuff yourself instead of third-person.

 

[bmd]

If all else fails then I can send him a laptop with Windows 10 on it. It’s not going to break any records but it will do internet and email.

 

[xenon]

Does he have a smart phone or tablet?

 

[Guineveretoo]

I understand how zoom is becoming the go to for most at the moment, but why not use messenger or skype? Both seem to be widely used and have most, if not everything, most people use. They also have multi participan option, although I think this might be restricted to participants.

Because his friends use Zoom and he wants to join them for a virtual Sunday lunch.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I've not used this on Ubuntu myself. Which is a popular distribution of Linux. If this helps, here's how Zoom suggest changing the language settings on Zoom Meetings for Linux.

Change your language on Zoom

Overview You can change the language displayed by Zoom on your Zoom client and the Zoom website. The following languages are supported for Zoom clients: Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) Englis...

support.zoom.us

I did that and it is all set in English.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Also, it might be worth working out how to remote into his pc. Then you can just take over his computer and do stuff yourself instead of third-person.

I tried that with my father without success and don't have much expectation of it working with this friend either, tbh, for similar reasons. Plus, if I did get access I wouldn't be able to do it myself because I have never heard of Ubuntu and am not technically minded. (although my father and my friend think I am!)

 

[souljacker]

If he managed to connect previously, it doesn't sound like he has application problems. What's his broadband speed? If he types in speed test into google you can test your bandwidth.

You can get him to install teamviewer to get remote access. That might help you work out what's going on.

 

[Guineveretoo]

If all else fails then I can send him a laptop with Windows 10 on it. It’s not going to break any records but it will do internet and email.

Where would you get that from?

 

[Guineveretoo]

Does he have a smart phone or tablet?

Er, no.

 

[Guineveretoo]

If he managed to connect previously, it doesn't sound like he has application problems. What's his broadband speed? If he types in speed test into google you can test your bandwidth.

You can get him to install teamviewer to get remote access. That might help you work out what's going on.

The problem doesn't seem to be connection speed - once I got him in the other day, it seemed fine - it is about getting it to launch at all, and then everything being in Spanish. My daughter was on the phone to him for an hour the other day trying to fix it without success and, in the end, she googletranslated the Spanish and told him what all the commands were.

But he is now saying that he can't even get Zoom to launch so he has missed another Virtual Sunday Lunch (a group of old friends who have been meeting for Sunday lunch in pubs for decades have moved online). He relies on friends setting things up for him, but no-one is allowed to set anything up for him at the moment...

 

[2hats]

Language settings on Ubuntu (like any decent Unix) are ultimately dictated by the locale setting.

Presumably though they are using it via a GUI desktop so can check what is configured under System Settings -> Language Support.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Language settings on Ubuntu (like any decent Unix) are ultimately dictated by the locale setting.

Presumably though they are using it via a GUI desktop so can check what is configured under System Settings -> Language Support.

It is only Spanish on Zoom and then only after it has launched, seemingly. All the Zoom settings I could find all said that it was in English.

But even then, when he clicked on the link I sent him in order to connect with me, it took several attempts before he even got it working in Spanish.

He knows nothing about computers at all, and I have never seen Ubuntu.

 

[bmd]

Where would you get that from?

Right now? It’s under my bed, near the wall, underneath the head end iirc. It used to be my mum and dad’s until they got another one that has the same ‘problem’. It doesn’t and never did but there we go. I collect them from people for situations like this. I have a better one that has no keyboard. I used it with a keyboard and usb dongle and it was great, but I’m guessing that it would be best to remove that step.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Right now? It’s under my bed, near the wall, underneath the head end iirc. It used to be my mum and dad’s until they got another one that has the same ‘problem’. It doesn’t and never did but there we go. I collect them from people for situations like this. I have a better one that has no keyboard. I used it with a keyboard and usb dongle and it was great, but I’m guessing that it would be best to remove that step.

Oh, if you could send him a laptop all set up and ready to go it would be wonderful!

 

[existentialist]

For what it's worth, I run Ubuntu, and use Zoom, and I have never encountered this Spanish thing. But the Zoom client is somewhat flaky - options appear and disappear; it might also be worth his while upgrading to the latest edition of the client.

Unfortunately, I think the real snag is going to be that installing something like TeamViewer on Ubuntu is a somewhat trickier prospect than it is on Windows, which will make it more difficult for someone who COULD do the techie stuff to log in and make the necessary changes. I could probably talk someone through updating Zoom on the phone...I seem to have spent rather a lot of the last 4 weeks handholding people through that process.

ETA: bmd's solution sounds better

 

[bmd]

Right now? It’s under my bed, near the wall, underneath the head end iirc.

Oh, if you could send him a laptop all set up and ready to go it would be wonderful!

Cool. So, he uses Firefox and Zoom. What else? Does he have an online email? Like Gmail etc? I ask because he won't need any more software installed than Firefox if it's online.

Can anyone else think of any useful freeware I could put on it?

 

[Guineveretoo]

Cool. So, he uses Firefox and Zoom. What else? Does he have an online email? Like Gmail etc? I ask because he won't need any more software installed than Firefox if it's online.

Can anyone else think of any useful freeware I could put on it?

Yes, he uses gmail - I set him up with an account a long time ago and he still uses it.

When I asked him the other day, he said all he uses the computer for is facebook and email. And now zoom.

He doesn't even use it for word processing. I guess he has no need for it. Doesn't have a printer.

 

[existentialist]

Cool. So, he uses Firefox and Zoom. What else? Does he have an online email? Like Gmail etc? I ask because he won't need any more software installed than Firefox if it's online.

Can anyone else think of any useful freeware I could put on it?

Probably worth slapping TeamViewer on, so long as he can have it made very clear that he should only give out the ID/password to someone who has been vouched for (eg by Guineveretoo)?

 

[bmd]

Probably worth slapping TeamViewer on, so long as he can have it made very clear that he should only give out the ID/password to someone who has been vouched for (eg by Guineveretoo)?

I'll do that and Guineveretoo can set up the username etc. Unless you want me to install it from here and you can change the password once you get it? Anyway, PM'd you.

 

[xenon]

Cool. So, he uses Firefox and Zoom. What else? Does he have an online email? Like Gmail etc? I ask because he won't need any more software installed than Firefox if it's online.

Can anyone else think of any useful freeware I could put on it?

TeamViewer.

 

[Part-timah]

Not my father this time, but another old man who lives alone and is a very good friend of mine. He is very lonely and struggling financially as a result of this lockdown because he has no work at all. (My daughter arranged for a food box to be delivered by a local caterer (he lives in Cambridgeshire) and he cried when he took delivery of it....)

He is trying to use Zoom to connect with friends, but mostly can't get it to work. I managed to get him connected on Saturday and it was lovely to see him, but it rarely works and i can't work out why.

And, weirdly, when Zoom does launch, it is entirely in Spanish. We have checked the language settings and they are all English.

Not helped by the fact that his computer apparently runs in something called Ubuntu - he says that Windows 7 was not working and they needed a password that they didn't know after his husband died so a friend installed Ubuntu instead. I have never heard of it...

he uses Firefox.

He can get emails and can access Facebook, and he says that is mostly what he uses the computer for.

I tried to get him to delete history and cookies but that made no difference to Zoom.

I did wonder if the difficulty launching it was to do with lack of memory - a problem I have on my old computer - so I tried to get him to delete temporary files, too, but can't work out how to do that in Ubuntu either.

Anyone got any suggestions?

May I ask where in Cambridgeshire? There’s a number of mutual aid groups in the area that have a fair few techies in them. Plus if he needs help with food there’s a couple of projects in certain areas that could help.

 

[Guineveretoo]

May I ask where in Cambridgeshire? There’s a number of mutual aid groups in the area that have a fair few techies in them. Plus if he needs help with food there’s a couple of projects in certain areas that could help.

We have set him up with food deliveries, and have put him in touch with the mutual aid groups. Initially, he wasn't asking because he thinks there are people worse off than him, which is undoubtedly true, but I told him that people are keen to help, and shared my experience - I have strangers doing my shopping at the moment - so I think he is okay on that one.

If bmd's solution doesn't work out, I might just chase up for some local techie help, but I do recall that the laptop in question is very old and it seems to have had lots of people doing different things to it over the years...

 

[bmd]

Doesn't work out? DOESN'T WORK OUT?!

I'll have you know that laptop saw out the old King. They're not built like that any more. Plus the hamster driver only has a few thousand inches on his little legs. He's rarring to go. Positively chomping at the bit.

 

[bmd]

I’ll just put this here, saves me farting about with PMs. I’ve set it up to sleep when you close the lid, otherwise it won’t turn off the screen, under any circumstances, whilst it’s plugged in. If he’s anything like my dad he will be terrified of electricity so he will no doubt turn it off at every opportunity. There’s no need imo. If he leaves it on and closes the lid it will go to sleep and pop back up again, once he opens it. I am using a little artistic licence with the word ‘pop’ there. More like one of those films where they keep shocking the victim way past any sensible point and then he suddenly groans back to life. Like that.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Doesn't work out? DOESN'T WORK OUT?!

I'll have you know that laptop saw out the old King. They're not built like that any more. Plus the hamster driver only has a few thousand inches on his little legs. He's rarring to go. Positively chomping at the bit.

I’ve still got to get him online with it from a distance...

And, I’m hoping he doesn’t decide it’s too complicated for him and that he’ll just stick to what he knows.

I may have to assertive with him.

 

[bmd]

It has Team Viewer on it so that might help. If he sticks with his old one then just post that one back. Not a problem. I wouldn't blame him tbf.