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Can't do Video chatting in Hangouts?

B

bixler777

Well-Known Member
I've done everything as per the instructions...but....when i call someone, it just rings and rings and rings on my end (and says "connecting"), but all the while they hear/see NOTHING on their end.

apparently i need to be signed in to "Google +" prior to making a video call?
and maybe the recipient needs to be signed in the Google + also? (even when i am signed in, same result....and maybe that's because they aren't signed in at the time?)

otherwise, what am i doing wrong?

thanks.
 
Nothing they may see that your calling in and refuse to chat or they may be on the phone or they not around to hear the special ring dozens of things .also their device may not be on hangouts
 
i was standing right next to my wife, and son, and tried both of them several times over...and nada. my screen displayed "connecting" each time, but their phone just sat there...with nothing happening.

again, at the time, they were NOT signed on to Google plus....which i didn't realize was a part of the equation...if it is?

i'm still not sure IF the receiver has to be signed on to Google Plus at the time i'm calling?

and...do they have to have Hangouts app launched at the time the call is coming in....or does the video call itself launch it for them as its coming in?
 
Yes it does need to sign into g+ cause it have to sign into automatic cause the device run off of google
 
BRAINZ2013 said:
Yes it does need to sign into g+ cause it have to sign into automatic cause the device run off of google
Click to expand...

Having your Google account added on your device isn't enough? I don't recall EVER specifically signing in to G+, and hangouts works fine for me. However, I do recall setting up in Hangouts how members of each circle can interact with me.
 
Hangouts as is (w/o signing in to google +) does work for me for texting....but not for video.

i'm gonna try having all parties signed in to google + today and see if the video portion works that way.
 
still doesn't work.

i turn on Mobile...sign on to Google +....launch Hangouts....select a contact to video chat with....dial them up....and my screen shows "connecting" as i hear it ring, and ring, and ring, and ring....

all the while the person standing right next to me that i'm calling sees NOTHING on their screen. nothing happens. their phone doesn't ring...and they see no notification of an attempted inbound call, etc, etc, etc.

what the hell is going on? lol

btw...ditto in return: when they attempt to video chat with me via Hangouts, the same thing happens in reverse.
 
yeah, i've tried all of that. my wife and son got their phones within a few day of me getting mine, but i'll triple check we have the same/latest version of software. dunno why that would stop the calls from going through, but i'll try.

is there anything in my process (seen above) that i'm NOT doing when attempting a video chat that i should be doing?

all i have to do is pick someone from my contacts list (via Hangouts), then video dial them...and assuming they have Hangouts, and are signed on to Google +, we should be able to video chat?
 
bixler777 said:
yeah, i've tried all of that. my wife and son got their phones within a few day of me getting mine, but i'll triple check we have the same/latest version of software. dunno why that would stop the calls from going through, but i'll try.

is there anything in my process (seen above) that i'm NOT doing when attempting a video chat that i should be doing?

all i have to do is pick someone from my contacts list (via Hangouts), then video dial them...and assuming they have Hangouts, and are signed on to Google +, we should be able to video chat?
Click to expand...

I'm not with my phone at the moment, but in the Hangouts app, what are the notifications set to? Are they logged in to the GMail account in Hangouts, and set to be notified if somebody in their circle attempts to call them? Or, if the contacts are not circled, that they will be notified if somebody not in circles attempts to call?
 
doogald said:
I'm not with my phone at the moment, but in the Hangouts app, what are the notifications set to? Are they logged in to the GMail account in Hangouts, and set to be notified if somebody in their circle attempts to call them? Or, if the contacts are not circled, that they will be notified if somebody not in circles attempts to call?
Click to expand...

yeah, they're logged into their Google + accounts, and always logged in to their gmail accts. dunno about Hangouts notifications, but i'll go check. dunno about circling accounts to connect? is that required?

and does Hangouts have to be set as my default SMS program for Video calls to go through?


thanks.
 
bixler777 said:
yeah, they're logged into their Google + accounts, and always logged in to their gmail accts. dunno about Hangouts notifications, but i'll go check. dunno about circling accounts to connect? is that required?
Click to expand...

No, but I'm not sure what the defaults are, but in Hangouts, go to menu (top right), settings, tap the google account name (not SMS). Under "how others get in touch with you", tap "customize invites". Here's where you can set specific circles in your Google+ account to "invite only" (they have to be invited to chat) or "hangout with you" (which I believe allows them to call you.). At the bottom is "everyone else" - where you can do the same for people not in your circles.

While in the settings make sure that notifications are turned on for video calls.

Also, of course, I assume that you'll all want to go into Google+ (easier on a computer, I think) and each of you put everybody else in at least one circle. Perhaps you'll call the circle "family"? (You can call it anything.)

and does Hangouts have to be set as my default SMS program for Video calls to go through?
Click to expand...

No.

By the way, I type all this despite the fact that I have done a grand total of one video call on Hangouts... hopefully I have it all right.
 
bixler777 said:
dunno about circling accounts to connect? is that required?
Click to expand...

If the people are not in your circles, they are under "everyone else", and I'm not sure that everyone else can call you by default. Nor would you want anybody not in your circles to call you whenever they want, probably.
 
Thats what I was thinking and saying you and them need to be signed on and have accepted request from each other . if not anyone can contact you I Dont think you want this
 
by any chance do you have t-mobile? if i try to video chat with my tablet and i'm signed into my wifi at home it works fine, if i'm tethered to my phone it doesn't work. it also doesn't work on mobile network on my phone either. i think it's t mobile doing this.
 
bixler777 said:
I've done everything as per the instructions...but....when i call someone, it just rings and rings and rings on my end (and says "connecting"), but all the while they hear/see NOTHING on their end.

apparently i need to be signed in to "Google +" prior to making a video call?
and maybe the recipient needs to be signed in the Google + also? (even when i am signed in, same result....and maybe that's because they aren't signed in at the time?)

otherwise, what am i doing wrong?

thanks.
Click to expand...

After trying everything that you tried...you are not crazy. Hangouts should be easier than this but here's how I resolved this issue:
Go to your contacts
Select your caller and press edit
Add their email address that they use to sign into Google hangouts and Google+
Save

Depending on whether or not your phone automatically updates and links contacts you may have to manually link them. For example your phone may save Jane Doe's phone number and Jane Doe's email address as two separate contacts. If so follow these steps:
Open one of Jane's contact entries and press edit
Scroll down to "Connections"
Press the link
Link the two contacts (it will more than likely show you the most likely contact, which should be Jane Doe's email address entry)

For some odd reason you have to have their email address saved in your contacts despite being signed into Google+ and having them listed in one of your circles. Hope this helps.
 
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