When you participate in a multiplayer online session of a First Person Shooters (FPS), an RPG or any other type of cooperative video game, being able to communicate with your companions via voice chat has become a must . The ability to maintain clear and constant communication without having to type commands or text allows the team to be more efficient and competitive. If you want to find out how to use TeamSpeak, how to connect to a public server or what you have to do to configure your own, you just have to continue reading this article.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Download and Install TeamSpeak
Step 1. Log in to the TeamSpeak website
You can download the latest updated version of the program for free directly from the main page of the site. To download the TeamSpeak client version for 32-bit Windows, OS X, Linux, Android or iOS systems, press the black "Download" button located in the homonymous section of the site relating to the version of your interest.
- If you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, download the 64-bit program client to ensure the best performance.
- Remember that you need to install and use the TeamSpeak client even if you have set up your own server.
Step 2. Accept the terms of the license agreement
Before you can download the program, you will need to accept the terms of the contract in question. Read it carefully to fully understand the rights and obligations you will have to comply with, then select the "I agree" checkbox.
Step 3. Install the client
Once the download is complete, run the installation file to start the wizard. The TeamSpeak client setup process is identical to that for most other application installation procedures. Most users do not need to change the default settings that are shown during installation.
Part 2 of 4: Setting up TeamSpeak
Step 1. Start the TeamSpeak client
After the program installation is complete, you can start the TeamSpeak client for the first time. Before you can connect to a server, you need to configure some TeamSpeak settings in order to have the best audio quality both in headphones and when using external speakers.
Step 2. Follow the client setup wizard
The first time you launch TeamSpeak, you will be greeted by the initial setup wizard. If you have already used the TeamSpeak client, you can perform the initial configuration at any time by accessing the "Settings" menu and selecting the "Setup Wizard" item.
Step 3. Choose a "nickname"
This is your username, which will be shown to all other players and administrators connected to the TeamSpeak server you are using. The nickname does not have the function of a classic username and has no effect on the security of the connection or on the account; it is simply the name by which you will be identified in the chat. Type your chosen name, then press the Next> button to continue.
You should choose a TeamSpeak nickname that is identical or very similar to the one you use when playing online. This way your teammates will be able to recognize you making communication with the rest of the team quick and easy
Step 4. Choose your microphone activation settings
TeamSpeak offers different ways to use the microphone, they are the following: "Voice Activation Detection" (VAD) and "Push-to-Talk" (PTT). VAD mode activates the microphone automatically as soon as your voice is detected. The PTT operating mode requires the configuration of a special key that must be held down for as long as the use of the microphone is required.
Most public TeamSpeak servers prefer users to use PTT microphone activation mode to prevent background noise from spreading due to continuous automatic microphone activation in VAD mode. By using the PTT mode you can get a better gaming experience for both you and your teammates. However, remember that in order to communicate with your teammates, you will need to press and hold the key that activates the microphone
Step 5. Configure the microphone activation button
After selecting the PTT mode, you can press the "No Hotkey Assigned" button; the next button you press will be used to activate the microphone in the future. For this functionality you can choose to use any key on the keyboard or one of the mouse buttons. Just make sure your choice doesn't conflict with other features of the video game you are using.
Step 6. Configure the sensitivity of the microphone
If you have chosen the automatic VAD activation mode, you need to set the microphone sensitivity level. This step consists in setting a volume threshold beyond which the microphone will be activated automatically by the program. Press the Begin Test button to start the calibration process, then change the TeamSpeak volume slider as you speak clearly into the microphone to set the level above which the microphone should activate.
Step 7. Configure the hot keys for the "Microphone Mute" and "Speaker Mute" functions
These two buttons allow you to deactivate the microphone and loudspeakers on command. The "Microphone mute" function is particularly useful if you have configured the VAD microphone operating mode, as you can turn it off when you need it with the push of a button.
Press the relevant configuration buttons, then use the hotkey combination you want to set for each function. When you have finished making your selection, press the Next> button to continue
Step 8. Choose the sound effects ("Sound Pack")
TeamSpeak notifies you both when users join or leave a chat channel and when a player receives a "poke" from another user. You can choose to use a male or female voice for notifications. By pressing the "Play" button you can listen to a sample sample for each of the notifications that will be sent to you by TeamSpeak.
Step 9. Choose if you want to activate the volume control and "Overlay" functions
From this page of the TeamSpeak configuration wizard, you can enable the use of some additional features of the program. The "Overlay" option allows you to display the TeamSpeak interface superimposed on that of the current program in use. This feature allows you to see the name of the user who is currently communicating through the chat. This is a very useful function in the case of a very large group of players. The "Volume Control" function automatically lowers the volume of the game audio when your teammate is talking, a very useful function in the case of video games in which the audio sector is predominant.
The "Overlay" function requires the use of some additional resources and may not be compatible with all video games (if to run the game you have already had to give up the maximum graphic resolution or the maximum level of visual detail, the use of this function is not recommended)
Step 10. Complete the setup
The last page of the initial setup wizard gives you the ability to view the list of public servers available, manage your favorites and the option to rent your own server. At this point, the program configuration is complete and you are ready to connect to a TeamSpeak server. To find out how to connect to your team's server, continue reading the next section of the article or continue to the end to learn how to configure your own TeamSpeak server.
Part 3 of 4: Connecting to a Server
Step 1. Display the "Connect" window
To do this, access the Connections menu, then choose the Connect item. Alternatively, you can use the hotkey combination Ctrl + S. From this window you can enter the information of the server you want to connect to.
Alternatively, you can use the TeamSpeak links on the website that automatically start the client and the connection to the indicated server
Step 2. Enter the required information
You will need to provide the server address, which could be the URL or the IP address directly. Remember to also include any communication port indicated by the number that appears after the ":" symbol. If the connection to the indicated server is protected by a password, you must enter it in the "Server Password" field. For the management of the hotkeys ("Hotkeys Profile") and the audio capture settings of the microphone ("Capture Profile") you can choose different profiles, although most likely, at this point, you will not need to change these options.
- The nickname that will be displayed will be the one you have configured within the TeamSpeak client. If the name you have chosen is already in use by another user connected to the server, it will be changed automatically.
- Normally, connection information to a TeamSpeak server is posted on the website or forum of the group you are playing with. If you can't find them, ask another member of your team for help.
Step 3. Press the Connect button
The TeamSpeak client will try to establish a connection with the indicated server and the main program window will start populating with various information. You can check the connection status by looking at the bottom of the main client window.
Step 4. Browse the server contents
Inside the left pane of the TeamSpeak main window, you will see the list of all the channels present on the server. Access to channels can be protected by a password, so you may need to request it from one of the administrators. The list of users connected to each channel is displayed below the name.
- Most large groups of players divide the server into channels, each of which references the different video games in use. Often, when the group is very large, there is a section reserved for "Senior" users (ie those who have been active for the longest time). Server configuration can vary greatly from one group to another.
- To access a channel, double-click it to select it. Remember that you are only able to communicate with users in the same channel you are connected to.
Step 5. Use the text chat to talk to other users
In addition to giving you the ability to communicate via voice chat, the TeamSpeak client also offers very simple text chat for each of the server's channels. To access this tool, just select the tab located at the bottom of the program window. Do not type in crucial information relating to the strategies or tactics to be adopted in the current match, as many users of your team will not be able to see it in real time.
Step 6. Bookmark the servers you usually connect to
If you have decided to use a particular server regularly, you can simplify the connection process by adding it to your favorites. This allows you to make future connections with just a click of the mouse. If you are logged into the server at this point, access the TeamSpeak client Bookmarks menu, then choose the Add to Bookmarks option to add it to your bookmark list.
If you want to add a server that you are not currently connected to, go to the Bookmarks menu, choose the Manage Bookmarks option, then manually enter the connection information to the server of your choice
Part 4 of 4: Setting up a TeamSpeak Server
Step 1. Download the server installation file
TeamSpeak is a free program aimed at all users who intend to use it without profit (for example a group of friends who love video games). You can run the server directly on your computer or take advantage of a hosting service to make it available to up to 32 users. Alternatively, you can choose to create a dedicated public server accessible to up to 512 users; in the latter case you can rent a ready-made one directly from TeamSpeak.
- You can download the server version of TeamSpeak from the "Downloads" section of the website. Make sure you download the software version compatible with the operating system installed on the machine that will host the server. The installation file is downloaded in compressed format.
- Before you can download the program, you will need to agree to the terms of the licensed software agreement.
Step 2. Extract the contents of the compressed archive
The file you downloaded is a ZIP archive with multiple files inside. Extract the contents of the archive in order to use the software. Unzip the archive into a folder that is easy to reach, such as your computer desktop.
Step 3. Start the server
Run the application contained in the folder generated by extracting the compressed archive. You will see the creation of different folders and files, then you will see a window appear containing some information: the username and password of the server administrator account and the "privilege key".
- Copy each of the information that appeared within a new text document. To do this, you can use the buttons next to each of the text fields in the displayed window to copy their contents to the system clipboard.
- At this point, the server is already up and running. To be able to configure it, you need to access its interface.
Step 4. Connect to the server
Start the TeamSpeak client. Access the "Connection" menu, then choose the "Connect" item. Type the localhost parameter in the "Server Address" field. Change your nickname to whatever name you prefer, then make sure the login password field is blank. Press the Connect button to establish the connection.
Step 5. Obtain server administration rights
At the first attempt to connect to the server, you will be asked to enter the "privilege key" you copied in the previous step. This feature allows you to change the server configuration and allows access to other users. After providing the "privilege key", the server administrator icon will appear next to your username listed in the left pane of the client.
Step 6. Configure the server
Right-click the server name, located at the top of the left pane of the TeamSpeak client interface. Choose the "Edit Virtual Server" option from the context menu that appeared. A new window will appear allowing you to customize the server settings; you will have a wide variety of useful options available.
- Enter the name you want to assign to the server in the "Server Name" field. Normally, the choice of this information is based on the name of the user group that will use it and the video game they will use.
- Configure a server login password using the "Password" field. In this way you will be sure that the only ones who can connect to the server are authorized users. Use a forum or private message to disclose the password to the people who are entitled to it.
- Inside the "Welcome Message" field you can enter a short welcome message that will be shown to all users every time they connect to the server. You can use it to share the latest news or the most important topics covered on the group forum with your playmates.
Step 7. Customize the server
Press the ▼ More button, located at the bottom of the "Manage Virtual Server" window, to display a series of advanced configuration options. These settings allow you to refine the server configuration to make it more suitable for your needs. The most important section is definitely the "Hosts" tab.
Within the "Host" tab, you can set the server image banner that will be displayed by all users. You can create a "Host" button which will appear in the upper right corner. This is a feature used by many servers to redirect users to the team's website
Step 8. Create the channels
If the user group you belong to has a wide variety of interests, it may be useful to create multiple communication channels to facilitate information management by topic or game. For example, if there are two most used games within your group, you can create a channel for each title and a third channel called "Lounge" or "Waiting Room" where you can deal with more general issues. While playing their favorite video games, users will be able to connect to the appropriate channel; when, on the other hand, they are in a relaxing phase, they can connect to the "Lounge" channel to exchange opinions and ideas without distracting the other players engaged in carrying out arduous tasks on their respective battlefields.
- To create a channel, select the server name with the right mouse button, then choose "Create Channel" from the context menu that appeared (the server name is placed in the left pane of the client interface). From here you can configure the name of the channel, the access password, a description, the time duration of the channel and the order it will take in the server channel list.
- Within each channel it is possible to create other channels, a very useful feature in the case of a very large group of users.
- The "Permissions" tab allows you to configure the level of authorization necessary for users to perform various actions within the channel itself.
Step 9. Open the communication ports
While most clients are already able to connect to the server, opening different communication ports ensures that as many users as possible do not run into connection problems. Access the configuration page of the network router, then open the following communication ports: UDP 9987 and TCP 30033. The UDP 9987 port is used to manage incoming communications, while the TCP 30033 port allows you to transfer files between users in a simpler way.
Step 10. Set up dynamic DNS
If you wish, you can provide the IP address of the server directly to users who are part of your group, so that they can connect. Unfortunately, the IP addresses assigned automatically by ISPs are subject to change over time; they are also not always easy to memorize. For these reasons, you can use web services such as DynDNS to assign a host name to the IP address of your TeamSpeak server through which users will always be able to automatically access the server even if the address changes.
