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Zoom Meetings Now Require Passcode or Waiting Room

As you may know, Zoom recently released Zoom 5.0, which provides additional security and privacy for Zoom meetings. In addition to this update, Zoom is also modifying their default security settings. As of September 27, 2020, if you do not have a passcode on an existing Zoom meeting, a waiting room will be enabled by default. Now, newly created Zoom meetings will require either a passcode or a waiting room. These changes further secure Zoom video conferences by preventing unwanted participants from joining your meetings.

Here's what you need to know:

• Passcodes are randomly generated, but can be customized by the host.
• If you select the passcode option, all attendees—either joining via their computer or by phone—will be required to access the meeting with the passcode (e.g., through the passcode embedded in the Zoom meeting link or by manually entering the passcode via phone or web).
• If you add passcodes to an existing meeting, calendar invites will need to be sent again to include the passcode.

FAQs

• What is the difference between a password and a passcode?

  As part of this change, Zoom is making the distinction of calling the codes that are unique to your meetings "passcodes," and will no longer be referring to them as "passwords." Passcodes are meant to be shared with your invited meeting participants, along with the meeting ID, for access.

  "Passwords" will refer to your Zoom account login credentials.

• What are waiting rooms and how do they work?

  The waiting room feature allows the host to control when a participant joins the meeting by placing participants in a waiting room prior to joining the session. Review your waiting room settings and make updates, as necessary.

• How do I enable passcodes or waiting rooms?

  If you would like to enable passcodes, please review this detailed support article. (Note: if you add passcodes to an existing meeting, calendar invites will need to be updated and/or sent again to include the passcode.)

  If you would like to enable waiting rooms, please review this detailed support article.

  In addition, hosts can log in to the Zoom web portal (zoom.miami.edu) and enable a passcode or waiting room by default via your personal settings.

• Can I see which of my meetings have passcodes or waiting rooms enabled?

  Yes. You can log into the Zoom web portal (zoom.miami.edu) to see a list of your meetings (in the "Meetings" tab). Meetings that do not have a passcode, will display a red warning icon.

• What if I don’t have a waiting room or passcode enabled?

  If neither is enabled, Zoom will automatically enable a waiting room for your meetings.

• If I already have a passcode or waiting room enabled, will anything change?

  No, your settings will remain the same for your current selection.

• How will passcodes affect participants joining the meeting via web, desktop, or mobile client?

  If you have selected passcodes as your security method, a passcode will be embedded into the meeting link automatically (unless you have specifically disabled this feature). With a single click, your meeting participants can join the meeting. If participants join by phone or web, they will need to manually enter the meeting ID and passcode.

• How will passcodes affect participants joining the meeting by phone?

  Your security selection for meetings will not affect phone passcode requirements unless you select "Require a passcode when joining by phone."

• How will waiting rooms affect participants joining the meeting by phone?

  For meetings with waiting rooms, participants will dial in as they normally do. They will hear a prompt that they are in the waiting room and the host will have to admit them.

• How will waiting rooms affect the host joining the meeting by phone?

  If the meeting has waiting rooms enabled and "join before host" is disabled, then the host will be able to start the meeting and disable the waiting room by entering their host key. The host will hear audio prompts indicating that the waiting room has been disabled, all attendees will be admitted, and they can lock or unlock the meeting by pressing *5.

• How will this affect my calendar invitations when scheduling meetings?

  If you already use passcodes or have enabled waiting rooms, there will be no change to how you schedule meetings.

  If passcodes are added, calendar invites for any existing meeting will need to be updated and sent again to include the passcode. New meetings will have the passcode embedded in the meeting link automatically.

• How will passcodes affect participants joining the meeting with Conference Room Connector (CRC)?

  For most meeting rooms, if you've selected passcodes, the passcode is automatically embedded into the meeting information and meeting link (unless this feature is specifically disabled). Participants will see the meeting listed in the CRC and simply click to join. For meeting rooms where one must manually enter the meeting ID, they will need to manually enter the passcode.

• How will waiting rooms affect participants joining the meeting with a Conference Room Connector (CRC)?

  If you've selected waiting rooms, participants will be placed in the waiting room until you admit them. You can customize who is put in the Waiting Room in your settings.

  If a meeting is started from a SIP/H.323 device (CRC) with a host key, the attendees in the waiting room can be admitted to the meeting by using the DTMF menu to navigate to the "Show Meeting Participants" menu.

• How will passcodes affect participants joining my meeting with Zoom Rooms?

  Zoom Rooms and controllers running versions 4.5.0 or higher that have calendar integration and "Bypass the passcode when joining meetings from meeting list" enabled can join a meeting from the meeting list, without needing to manually enter the meeting passcode.

  If room participants join by entering the meeting ID, they will be asked to manually enter a passcode before joining the meeting.

• How will waiting rooms affect participants joining my meeting with Zoom Rooms?

  If you've selected waiting rooms as your security method, participants joining the meeting via Zoom Rooms will be placed in the waiting room until you admit them. You can customize who is put in the waiting room in your settings.

• How do these changes affect webinars?

  This change does not affect webinars. Passcodes are already enabled by default for webinars; however, hosts have the ability to disable passcodes for webinars.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the UMIT Service Desk at: (305) 284-6565 or help@miami.edu.

Thank you.