[Closed] WFH. Skype for business through Citrix?

You might need to make sure the Skype for Business client is set to use the right audio devices.  This article should point you in the right direction:

https://support.office.com/en-gb/article/set-audio-device-options-in-skype-for-business-2533d929-9814-4349-8ae4-fca29246e2ff

There are also things you can do to optimise the sound quality but it needs stuff done on both the Citrix Server end and on the client (your laptop).  That said, if your IT team have done the server end already, then you could try the following to 'optimise' your laptop:

https://docs.citrix.com/en-us/hdx-optimization/current-release/install.html

hth

Try restarting you computer and then doing a test call in skype for business before starting citrix.  That should tell you if the problem is your computer setup or citrix.

If it works ok before citrix but not after then you might need to talk with your it folks.

Could be any or all of the following:

local pc not set to right audio/muted
citrix session not set to right audio/muted
Citrix server/published desktop not set to allow audio passthrough
Citrix permissions not giving you access to audio
Skype permissions not giving you access to audio
Old drivers
Non compatible/old version of citrix receiver/workspace (I've had a call with citrix receiver installation date of 2012. Yeah, no. Reinstall that shit).

Before you do any of that, as leffeboy says, give the laptop a reboot. If you're curious, check the uptime before you do that. Anything over 5 days and it's due a reboot, especially if it's old.

Call your servicedesk, if they're any good they'll go through all these options but crucially will know whether the citrix environment has audio enabled, and whether you have the right permissions for it.

Citrix? Good luck.

Drac
Subscriber

Citrix? Good luck.

I think that's the default answer & very much my experiance so much so we call it Shitrix.
Though I understand if your IT dept know what they are doing it can be OK.
Ours are crap

Is the S4B client installed locally on your laptop, or into the Citrix environment?

"Citrix" is a company, not a product, it's like saying you're having a problem with Microsoft. It could be a published desktop, published apps or even just a glorified VPN. What are you using?

(I used to be a Citrix engineer but I've not touched it in like ten years so I may be a little out of date now...)

I can see but cannot get audio aspect

What do you mean by this exactly? You can't hear anyone else, they can't hear you, or both?

Are you "seeing" video or just the chat client? Can others see you?

Oh, and,

Using own oldish laptop to wfh.

How "oldish"? What OS? Can't work provide you with something?

I take it you don’t have a work office 365 account you can use externally? You could install SFB locally and just log in there? You might need multi factor authentication and I guess it depends on whether your employer allows this.

I'm on Cougar's side for a lot of this... Citrix is a broad brush to tar things with. If you are using NetScaler ad a VPN, you have my sympathies but should also be able to just install the SfB client locally and have it all work. With that said, your IT people could expose the Skype service externally, secure properly and then let you connect without having to run through a VPN... Maybe ask them about that.

As for video being seen, but audio not, it's possible that the audio VC is not configured to pass that through. Do you hear the noises from Outlook (if that is published)? XenApp/XenDesktop will do the video easily enough by default, but may not have audio passthrough enabled. Again, check that with the admins.

One thing to bear in mind, "Shitrix" is now the official name for the latest NetScaler vulnerability, despite the previous history that tag had for all things CPS/XenApp.

There's a Skype for Business mobile app - some of my team are WFH on their own kit and find it easier to use the mobile app for voice.

Loads of our lot use Citrix on laptops..

They have to turn up the mic/speaker volume before logging into Citrix.

The proper way is to use the Citrix HDX Realtime Optimization Pack - it has an agent on the VDI desktop, and pairs to one on the device you're sat in front of (thin client, laptop, whatever). It offloads all the media processing to the local device and gets it off the VDI - you still interact with the SfB client in the VDI desktop.

Needs setting up properly to work - if you have a combination of Citrix and SfB at work worth checking if they're using it, and that you have the right things installed.

Failing that, Citrix can do virtual audio devices that get presented through to the VDI - doesn't work as well though and much more prone to quality issues.

If you don't have HDX RTOP and you're working from home then running the SfB client on your own PC will be much better - again, assuming your work allow that and will let an unmanaged client connect.

Failing that, dial in to meetings (or dial out to your mobile number if it lets you), it'll probably work better still.