When using MSN Messenger and Netmeeting to video conference, my speech comes back though my headphones. The computer is an AMD Athlon XP 2200 notebook running Windows XP with a Conexant AC-Link Audio card and Conexant 56K AClink Modem.

The most common reasons for feedback is due to an issue on the other parties end. The first possibility relates to a simple concept. Ideally, both parties in a videoconferencing call should have headphones or headphones with a built in boom microphone. If the other party is using speakers and a microphone, when you speak the sound is coming out of their speakers and back into the microphone, which is why you hear your own voice! Using headphones eliminates this problem. You can find this, and other simple reasons for this problem occurring at support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=166038.

If the above suggestion and article do not help, it is possible that the wave output is being incorporated into the recording mix on the other end. This means, when you speak and this is transmitted on the other end, this audio is being incorporated into the recording mix and being sent back to you. You will have to get your partner on the other end to try this procedure. Double-click on the speaker icon in the system tray. In the Volume Control window, go to the ‘Options’ menu > ‘Properties’. Select ‘Playback’ and enable all the options in ‘Show the following volume controls’. Click OK. Then note which mixer controls are muted, and which are not, then mute all the controls except ‘Wave’ (or ‘Wave/MP3′) and ‘Volume Control’ (or ‘Play Control’) depending on their version of Windows. Now, go back to the ‘Options’ menu > ‘Properties’ and select ‘Recording’ and enable all the options in ‘Show the following volume controls’. Check which mixer controls are muted, and which are not, then mute all the controls except ‘Microphone’. Close the mixer and try Netmeeting/MSN Messenger again. Be aware that you have disabled the playback and recording from some devices. For example, if you want to play a MIDI file you won’t hear anything as you have muted this control. If you want to play back audio files which use the other controls you will need to re-enable these through the mixer. If the feedback/echo persists, reset the playback mixer and record mixer to their original values (i.e., muted and un-muted controls) and please contact me again.