Chapter 38 Moderator

Room Settings

Moderators can configure various room settings for a BigBlueButton meeting — both before the meeting starts (via the management interface) and in certain areas during the meeting. These settings control access, audio behavior, webcam restrictions, and more.

Access Codes

BigBlueButton supports access codes that control who can join the meeting and with which role:

Code Type Description
Moderator code Anyone who enters this code when joining the meeting automatically receives moderator privileges.
Attendee code Restricts meeting access to people who know the correct code. This is optional and can be used to prevent unauthorized access.

Keep your moderator code confidential. Anyone who has the moderator code will receive full moderator rights upon joining the meeting.

Mute on Join

When this setting is enabled, all new participants are automatically muted when they join the meeting. This prevents background noise from disrupting an ongoing presentation or discussion.

Enabling "Mute on Join" is recommended for meetings with more than a few participants to avoid accidental interruptions from background noise.

Webcam Restrictions

Moderators can restrict webcam usage in the meeting for performance or privacy reasons:

  • Disable webcam sharing for participants so that only moderators can share their camera.
  • Restrict the display of other participants' webcams, which can improve performance on slower connections and enhance privacy.

Welcome Message

A custom welcome message can be configured that is displayed to all participants when they enter the meeting room. This message appears in the public chat area and can contain important information such as the meeting agenda, rules, or helpful links.

The welcome message is configured through the management interface (such as the bbbserver dashboard, Greenlight, or a learning management system) before the meeting starts.

Scheduling (Start and End Time)

Meetings can be scheduled with a defined start and end time through the management interface:

  • Access to the room is only available within the defined time window.
  • The meeting can be automatically ended after the scheduled end time.
  • Scheduling is configured through the bbbserver dashboard, Greenlight, or a learning management system — not within the meeting itself.

Many room settings are configured before the meeting starts through the management interface, not during the meeting. Check your management dashboard (bbbserver, Greenlight, or LMS) for the full range of available settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some settings, like muting participants or restricting webcams, can be changed during the meeting through the lock settings. Other settings, like access codes and the welcome message, must be configured before the meeting starts in the management interface.

The moderator code grants full moderator privileges to anyone who enters it when joining. The attendee code is an optional access restriction that requires participants to enter the correct code to join the meeting at all.

The welcome message is set in your management interface — for example, the bbbserver dashboard, Greenlight, or your learning management system. It cannot be changed from within the meeting itself.

Scheduling controls when the room is accessible. The meeting starts when the first moderator joins within the scheduled time window. It does not start automatically without a moderator present.