Cisco webex
- Cisco webex
4.1. Connection and Video Quality:
Cisco webex delivers conferences in good video and sound quality. The connection
is stable and we could not detect any network related issues. However this only ap –
plies to conferences using the client program. Taking part in a conference using
the browser causes noticeably worse image and audio quality. While testing the
browser access we also noticed minor network issues like asynchronous
video/sound and pixelation of the video stream. This doesn’t mean that you cannot
have good conferences by using the browser version but compared to other ser –
vices like the BlueJeans browser version it falls back remarkable. It’s still usable
but we definitely recommend the client if you decide to use Cisco webex as your
conference service.
4.2. Functions:
Cisco webex comes with a large variety of useful functions like file sharing, screen
sharing, the options to present documents like presentations and comment on
those documents, a meeting agenda, a protocol system, a chat, a tool to run a sur –
vey, a recording function, website sharing with build-in browser, connection via
telephone, role assignment and a cloud. Furthermore, the client offers a build-in
meeting calendar that can be accessed from the login window of the app. Describ –
ing all those functions in detail would overload this test. The number of functions
and their usability promote Cisco webex as a very versatile tool to organize profes –
sional conferences even for a large number of participants. This applies to the
client version only since most features are not available inside the browser ver –
sion.
4.3. Usability/Interface:
The Cisco webex conference interface displayed in the browser is simple and easy
to handle. Core features can be found on the bottom in the middle of the screen.
The user interface inside the client was adapted to the numerous features of Cisco
webex. Many functions are accessible through the buttons at the top of the client.
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The program is well structured and all of the functions can easily be accessed (Fig –
ure 1). Main functions as microphone or webcam muting are displayed in the main
window. With its well structured client, Cisco webex allows efficient and comfort –
able work even with all these features provided. The meeting calendar can be ac –
cessed via the login window of the client.
4.4. Accessibility:
Conferences run in Cisco webex can be accessed with a browser or the dedicated
client. We definitely recommend to use the client version since most features are
just not available in the reduced browser version. The browser version was tested
with the latest editions of Firefox and Chrome and worked in both applications. The
client can be downloaded here: https://www.webex.com/de/downloads.html . You
need to create a free Cisco Account to download and use the client. This account
can also be used to log into the Cisco webex website. Meetings can be created
from that website or from the client. It is possible to choose the preferred interna –
tional dialing code for participants who want to join the audio channel on tele –
phone. Moreover the host can create a meeting agenda and greeting before a meet –
ing starts. The web interface allows planing of future meetings. Meetings can be
setup restricted to a limited number of participants and a password. Guests can be
invited using a web link or an automatic email. Participants can choose if they want
to enter the meeting with the desktop program or browser frontend. Mobile clients
for either IOs and Android are available.
4.5. Pricing:
The Cisco webex client can be downloaded on the link given above and used for
free and Cisco is offering meetings free of charge for up to 100 users. The free ver –
sion is stuffed with a 1GB limit for shared files. Bigger conferences of up to 200
users plus file sharing of up to 5GB is available as paid service from their sales
team.
4.6. Data Protection:
Cisco webex will save personal data you provide to use their service as well as net –
work information of the participants. A report on their data security standards can
be found on: https://www.cisco.com/c/de_de/about/legal/privacy-full.html .
Users have to be extra careful as Cisco webex and their users are in the focus of
phishing pirates: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisco-webexphishing-
uses-fake-cert-errors-to-steal-credentials/
4.7. Conclusion:
Cisco webex scored as a very good service in our test. The professional design and
the vaste number of features make it a round experience to work with compared to
other conference systems. The test meeting showed good video and audio quality.
A big downside of Cisco webex is the restriction of most features to the desk –
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top-app and the video and audio quality being very poor in the browser frontend.
We definitely recommend using the desktop-app for Cisco webex. If you do not
want to install the client program you better should use another conference ser –
vice. However if you are fine with the installation of the desktop-app Cisco webex is
one of the most powerful conference services that you can get your hands on at
the moment.
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