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Home Network Intercom

Can my wife and I use our home network as an intercom between two PCs? Each of the computers has its own microphone and speakers.

Mark Gallagher, Point Lookout, New York

Yes, you can. The right tool for the job is NetMeeting, which comes with Internet Explorer and therefore with Windows.

To get started, select Start, Programs, Accessories, Communications, NetMeeting (depending on your version of Windows, NetMeeting may be in the Internet Tools folder, or even on the Programs menu, instead of in Communications). The first time you run NetMeeting, a wizard helps you set it up. When asked to specify a connection speed, select Local Area Network.

To communicate over the network, you and your wife must be running NetMeeting. To place a call, click the icon of a phone or select Call, New Call. In the To field, enter the name of your wife's PC (if you don't know the name, open Network Neighborhood on your desktop to see a list of the network's computers). In the Using field, select Network, and click Call.

Your wife will hear the sound of a phone ringing, and a pop-up window will announce that there's a call. If she accepts the call, you'll soon be talking.