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The Transcriber and Reader versions of the TypeWell software can link with TypeWell on other computers using a variety of network hardware, either wirelessly or with a cable.
When computers are linked in TypeWell, the text typed by the transcriber is sent immediately to the linked reader computers.
Similarly, anything typed on the reader computers will be displayed to the transcriber.
In some configurations, readers can see what the other readers type, as well as what the transcriber types; in other configurations the readers are walled off from each other and each can see only what the transcriber types.
Some of these linking methods say "premium only," which means that they require the Premium versions of the TypeWell software.
For instance, Premium is required for all the methods of remote linking (via Skype, Streamtext, or Web Browser) over the Internet.
Considerations for any type of linking:
Standard linking methods:
Premium linking methods:
Turning On Any Kind of Linking
You must have two things turned ON for linking to work.
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First, you must enable the type of linking you want to use for that session, so that a check mark appears next to the "By XXX" entry on the Link menu of the TypeWell Transcriber program.
For instance, if you want to user Serial linking, you need "By Serial..." to be checked on the Link menu.
To enable one or more types of linking, click the entry you want from the Link menu, which will open a dialog box.
You must then click the checkboxes in the dialog box, as needed, to enable that form of linking.
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This second step is easy to miss! You must turn on the master linking control, which is the first entry on the Link menu in the TypeWell Transcriber program.
Make sure there is a check mark next to Enable Linking, at the top of the Link menu.
This control gives you a fast way to turn all linking on and off without having to adjust the individual configuration for each type of link.
Local Linking (version 6 only)
(For version 5 of TypeWell see old-style wireless linking, below.)
Local linking is the best way to link TypeWell computers that are in proximity to one another, using whatever local network is available.
A local WiFi network is usually the most convenient choice for Local linking.
"Local" means that the computers must be connected to the same computer network, identified by a network name.
A WiFi network name is also known as the SSID.
To use Local linking in TypeWell, first get the computers connected to the same local network or SSID using Windows.
Usually this means they must be in the same room as well.
The simplest example of a local network is everyone in the same room connected to the same WiFi Internet connection.
Once the computers are connected to the Internet, go to the Link menu in TypeWell and choose "By Local network/WiFi..."
Follow the directions in the dialog to make up a "subnet" name.
Remember to check the "Enabled" box next to that subnet name, to turn ON Local linking.
For each of the other computers to be linked, follow the same two steps above, entering the same subnet name in the dialog box.
TypeWell will link all computers on the local network that share the same subnet name.
Local linking also works on other types of local networks than WiFi, including some Bluetooth networks as well as wired LAN connections.
Peer-to-Peer with Local Linking (version 6 only)
This section is intended for those who are expert in the configuration of WiFi connections, which includes those who are already familiar with the peer-to-peer linking configuration steps that were required in earlier versions of TypeWell.
While the easiest way to set up Local linking is to use the existing Internet connection, for long-term use the most versatile type of network for Local linking is to configure the computers for computer-to-computer WiFi, also known as peer-to-peer or ad-hoc WiFi.
This allows the computers to communicate even without the presence of Internet base stations.
Peer-to-peer is the only type of network that will work in every environment, both in the classroom and on field trips.
However, in some classroom environments, there may be so many other computers present that they overwhelm a peer-to-peer system.
A symptom of this is a link that drops out intermittently, but only when many other people nearby are using the same network.
In that case, the regular Internet (technically known as an infrastructure network) may be more reliable, because then you'll be "joining them" instead of "fighting them."
To configure a TypeWell computer for peer-to-peer linking, also known as computer-to-computer or ad-hoc mode, see steps 6 through 11 of the wireless instructions for your particular operating system, by following the appropriate link in the Old-style section below.
NOTE: You never need step 12 for Local linking in TypeWell V6. That is, you can configure a peer-to-peer connection in V6 without setting those special IP addresses in the Wireless Network Connection Properties.
If you only infrequently need linking while away from the classroom Internet connection, you may not need to set up peer-to-peer, or you may only need steps 8 through 10.
Some computers will automatically "fall back" to using a peer-to-peer connection if no Internet connection is available.
When the computers are set to do this, they can take up to 60 seconds to give up on an Internet connection and fall back to the peer-to-peer link instead.
If you upgrade from TypeWell V5 to V6 on computers that were already configured for Old-style V5 peer-to-peer linking, it is not necessary to "undo" that special configuration in the Wireless Network Connection Properties.
After you upgrade to V6, Local linking should work as long as all the linked computers have V6 Local linking enabled.
However, if some of the linked computers are still running TypeWell V5, the V6 computers must use Old-style wireless linking instead of Local linking.
Linking with Old-style (V5 and earlier) Wireless WiFi
The TypeWell V5 (a.k.a. "Old-style") linking method has two parts: 1) using a computer-to-computer WiFi connection; and 2) entering special IP addresses when configuring the Wireless Network Connection Properties.
To use Old-style linking, the computer's wireless connection must be set up exactly as described in the detailed wireless configuration instructions online: for Windows XP or for Windows 7 and Vista or on an Apple Mac with Parallels.
This is usually best done by a person with some technical expertise.
The Old-style settings for wireless "take over" the computers' wireless cards (adapters).
Once configured for Old-style linking, you won't be able to use the wireless adapters to connect to other computers, and even if your site provides wireless access to the Internet, you won't be able to access the Internet from that TypeWell computer.
Here's a link to more information below about using both the Internet and TypeWell wireless from the same computer.
In order to link a newer V6 version of TypeWell with a V5 or older version, you must configure both computers for Old-style wireless.
If all your systems use TypeWell V6 or newer, it's usually more convenient to use Local linking, above.
The Internet and Peer-to-peer or Old-Style Wireless
Peer-to-peer linking completely takes over the wireless settings.
This improves the versatility of the link since the computers can link even when there is no Internet access.
Some users would like to be able to access the Internet from the TypeWell computer.
The problem is that several of the steps for setting up peer-to-peer linking (7a, 8, 11, and 12) preclude the use of the Internet along with a reliable TypeWell connection.
Unfortunately, there is no way to use a "switcher" program to change all these settings back and forth for the two different uses, particularly step 12.
Here are the ways you can safely connect a TypeWell computer to the Internet.
- Use Local linking with an Internet connection instead of a peer-to-peer network.
This can also work away from the Internet, depending on whether the computers are configured to automatically "fall back" to a peer to peer network.
However, be aware that it may take as long as 60 seconds for the computers to find each other using this method.
- Use a wired connection for reaching the Internet.
In this configuration, the wireless hardware remains dedicated to TypeWell linking, and the wired network hardware can be used for Internet.
Similarly, you can safely use a dial-up connection to access the Internet with no negative effects on the TypeWell wireless settings.
- Add a second wireless interface to your computer, by purchasing a second 802.11b/g card.
Configure this second wireless card to work with the Internet, while leaving the first dedicated to TypeWell.
When doing this, we recommend that you remove the Internet wireless card when using the computer for TypeWell linking, both to prevent radio interference, and to avoid having the extra card sticking out of the machine and subject to damage when it's not needed.
- A method we don't recommend unless you are an expert with wireless, is to manually reconfigure wireless back and forth from one use (Internet) to the other (TypeWell) on a regular basis.
To do this, set up TypeWell as discussed above, then undo steps 7a and 12 to go back to Internet mode, then re-do 7a and 12 to go back to TypeWell mode.
We don't recommend this because it's common for non-expert users to casually mess with the settings (like 7b, or leaving 7a set to the Any available setting), which will seem to work at the time but then will result in unreliable connections later.
More Than One Reader
It is possible to have more than one reader computer linked to a transcriber computer, so that two or more people can read the transcript at once.
For instance, one reader can be linked to the transcriber by a serial cable, and two more could be connected to the transcriber by Local linking over a WiFi network, and all three readers computers would display the real-time transcript from the transcriber.
To link an extra computer using Old-style WiFi linking, follow the usual configuration directions (see Linking with Old-style Wireless (WiFi), above).
At step 12 of the configuration, set the IP address for the extra reader computer to an unused value in the same 192.168.247.1 through 192.168.247.4 range used for the others.
Since there are 4 available IP addresses in this range, you can have up to 4 computers wirelessly linked together.
You may additionally link to up to 8 readers in the Premium version of TypeWell V6 using Skype remote linking (see link at top of this page).
Finally, TypeWell Web Reader and Streamtext linking, both of which are Premium linking features, allow any number of readers to read the transcript over the internet using standard Web browsers.
Be aware that there is a caveat with linking wirelessly to more than one reader, regardless of whether you use V6 Local linking or Old-style WiFi linking.
Any typing on the Reader machines will interfere with the transcript displayed on other Reader machines.
It's best to plan not to allow any typing on the Reader machines when there are multiple readers linked in this configuration; or, set up a system to permit typing by one reader at a time.
This caveat does not apply to other types of links: the serial, IP, Skype, Streamtext and Web Broswer linking methods couple the reader machines directly to the transcriber so that readers do not see each other's typing.
Premium linking
The Premium version of TypeWell Transcriber has several additional linking methods.
These provide two advantages.
First, many of these linking methods allow remote operation of TypeWell.
When used in conjunction with Skype or a cell phone to transmit audio from the classroom to the transcriber, remote linking permits a transcriber to work from a distant location.
For more information about remote see remote linking online.
Second, some of the Premium linking methods will work with alternative reader devices.
See Pocket TypeWell and especially Web Browser linking, below.
Web Browser Linking (Premium Only)
This linking method is very versatile: it works remotely over the Internet, and the transcript can be viewed on almost any type of reader device, including smartphones, iPads, and other Web-enabled devices.
No installation of software is needed for the reader.
All the reader needs is a standard Web browser to view the transcript.
The transcriber needs a reliable Internet connection in order for Web Browser linking to work.
The transcriber's typing is sent to the TypeWell server, where it can then be viewed as a Web page in the reader's Web browser.
Web Browser linking will be available through 2011 and a short while in 2012, at no extra cost, as part of Premium Transcriber V6.
So you can try it out during 2011 and early 2012 for free.
In future years, however, there may be a yearly subscription or per-minute usage charge for this feature, to support our server costs.
To use Web Browser linking, click "By Web Browser..." on the Link menu of the TypeWell Transcriber program, and follow the instructions in the dialog box to Enable a new channel.
Make sure Web Browser linking is enabled and the master linking control is turned ON.
Once linked to the TypeWell server, the Web page address for that session will be displayed in the top (reader) window of the TypeWell Transcriber program.
The transcriber can then copy and paste the Web address to send to the reader(s) via email or instant message.
The reader(s) must then click the link or copy/paste the unique Web address into their browser's address bar.
NOTE: Web Browser linking does not currently support "team transcribing." .
Skype Linking (Premium Only)
Skype linking uses the free Skype product to transmit the transcriber's typing to the reader computer.
The Transcriber must be using TypeWell Premium Transcriber, and the reader must be using TypeWell Premium Reader.
The advantage of Skype linking is that the link uses the same product (Skype) that is used to transmit audio from the classroom to the transcriber.
As with Web Browser linking, both the transcriber and the reader(s) must have reliable Internet access in order for Skype linking to work.
For more information, see skype linking online.
Streamtext (Premium Only)
StreamText linking sends the transcript from the Transcriber computer to the StreamText server on the Internet.
Readers may read the live transcript at the StreamText web site by using standard Web browsers.
This is much like Web Browser linking, above, but with some caveats: it costs slightly more than Web Browser linking, and it doesn't support the full range of TypeWell text features, such as superscripts in math, or bolded or italic words.
However, StreamText linking works very well for text-only applications, and even supports some specialized reader devices that Web Browser linking does not.
For StreamText linking to work, both the transcriber and the reader must have a reliable Internet connection.
For more information, see Streamtext linking online.
Pocket Linking (Premium Only)
Pocket linking uses special free TypeWell Reader software that runs on Windows Mobile PDAs.
It requires a specially-configured wireless link and does not work over the Internet.
Unlike Web Browser linking, Pocket linking works on supported handhelds without requiring an Internet connection, and at no extra cost.
For more information, see Pocket linking online.
Linking with Special Ethernet Cable
It's also possible to use a special kind of Ethernet cable called a crossover cable to directly link two computers when no internet is available and radio noise prevents use of wireless methods.
Linking with Serial Cable
Serial cable linking is easy if you have the following:
- Two Windows computers, each with a link-capable version of TypeWell.
Check by pulling down the Options or Link menu in TypeWell on each computer.
If the menu has a Serial Link entry, it is link-capable.
- A 9-pin serial port on each computer.
Some notebook computers don't have a serial port built in.
The most common solution is to get a USB-to-serial-port converter.
- The serial port enabled.
On some newer computers, the serial port is disabled in the BIOS.
Check this by going to Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device manager, opening the Ports(COM & LPT) entry, and seeing if your COM1 or COM2 is enabled.
If not, access the BIOS menu when the computer is booting up, to turn it on.
- An appropriate serial cable (in technical terms, a null-modem 9-pin female-to-female serial cable).
We don't sell serial cables, but good quality ones at a good price are available from
Cablesnmor (online link).
To activate Serial linking, just connect the cable between the two computers, and turn on the Serial Link entry in the Options or Link menu on each computer.
In the bottom right corner of the TypeWell screen, the readout will change from "Link Disabled" to "Searching" for a brief moment, and then will automatically change to "Linked on serial cable" when the computers detect each other.
This is nearly instantaneous when the steps above have been followed.
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