How to Connect External Devices and Map Controls to Conferfly Actions

Conferfly Team

Conferfly Team

— 4 min read
How to Connect External Devices and Map Controls to Conferfly Actions
Photo by Markus Spiske / Unsplash

Conferfly now supports mapping external input devices directly to meeting actions. This feature (available on Enterprise plan) allows you to trigger meeting controls with a single button press on a connected device like a speaker mic with built-in buttons.

Supported devices include USB-connected speaker phones and meeting peripherals with programmable buttons. Whether you're using an ASUS Google Meet Speakermic (G017A), Logitech devices, or other HID-compatible input devices, this guide will walk you through the setup process.

What You Can Do

With external device mapping in Conferfly, you can:

  • Start Active Meeting - Automatically join the selected or currently active meeting with a single button press
  • End Meeting - Close the active meeting window instantly
  • Toggle Mute - Control your microphone without reaching the keyboard
  • Toggle Camera - Turn camera on/off with a dedicated button
  • Trigger Custom API Calls - Send HTTP POST requests from your browser to integrate with third-party systems, including local network devices like smart lighting, door locks, or notification systems

Supported Devices

Conferfly supports HID (Human Interface Device) compatible USB peripherals, including:

  • Speaker Phones - ASUS Google Meet Speakermic (G017A), Logitech Rally Mic, and similar devices
  • USB Remote Controls - Presentation clickers and custom HID input devices
  • Meeting Peripherals - Any USB device that exposes input report interfaces compatible with WebHID

Device Compatibility Notes

  • Devices must be USB-connected and expose proper WebHID input report interfaces
  • The device should have dedicated buttons or input controls that send HID reports
  • Devices designed specifically for conference rooms (like Logitech speaker mics with control buttons) work best

Getting Started

Requirements

  • Enterprise plan Conferfly account
  • Chrome or Edge browser on your conference room device
  • A USB HID-compatible input device with buttons (such as a speaker mic with controls)
  • Meeting settings configured in your Conferfly account

Step 1: Access Advanced Settings

  1. Navigate to Settings in your Conferfly account
  2. Click on Advanced Settings
  3. Scroll to the External Devices section

Step 2: Authorize Your Device

In the Connected Devices section:

  1. Make sure your USB device is connected to your conference room PC
  2. Click "Authorize HID Device"
  3. A browser dialog will appear prompting you to select your device from the list of connected USB devices
  4. Choose your device (for example, "ASUS Google Meet Speakermic" or "Logitech Rally Mic")
  5. Your device will appear in the Connected Devices list once authorized

Step 3: Create a Device Mapping

  1. Click "Add Mapping" in the Saved Mappings section
  2. Select Device - Choose your connected device from the dropdown
  3. Select Action - Pick one of the available actions:
    • Start Active Meeting (triggers only if a meeting is active or selected in the room)
    • End Meeting
    • Toggle Mute
    • Toggle Camera
    • Browser POST API Call (requires URL and optional payload)
  4. For API POST Actions:
    • Enter the POST endpoint URL (must start with http:// or https://)
    • Optionally provide a JSON payload or plain text body

Step 4: Capture Device Input

  1. Click "Listen" to enter input capture mode
  2. Press the button on your physical device that you want to map
  3. Conferfly will capture the input and display the Report ID and Byte Value
  4. Click "Save Mapping" to confirm

The mapping is now ready to use. When someone presses the mapped button in the conference room, it will automatically trigger the assigned action as long as the Conferfly room is active.

Step 5: Manage Mappings

Your saved device mappings are listed in the Saved Mappings table, showing:

  • Device - The connected device name
  • Input - The captured button/input identifier
  • Action - The assigned action and (for API POST) the endpoint URL
  • Delete - Remove a mapping with the trash icon

Advanced: API POST Actions

The Browser POST API Call action allows you to integrate Conferfly with external systems. When the mapped button is pressed, Conferfly will send an HTTP POST request directly from your browser to your specified URL.

Because the request originates from the browser (not a server), it can reach devices and servers on your local network without firewall restrictions.

Example Use Cases

  • Smart Lighting - Dim lights when a meeting starts
  • Door Lock Systems - Send a signal to unlock/lock the conference room
  • Local Network Integrations - Trigger actions on internal APIs and devices
  • Notification Systems - Alert team members when a meeting begins
  • Third-Party Webhooks - Integrate with Slack, Microsoft Power Automate, or Zapier

API Request Structure

When you press a mapped button, Conferfly sends your custom JSON payload:

POST https://your-api-endpoint.com/trigger
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "key": "value"
}

If you provide a custom JSON payload, it will be sent as the request body instead. This allows complete control over what data is sent to your endpoint.

Troubleshooting

Device Not Showing in Connected Devices List

  • Ensure the USB device is properly connected to your conference room PC
  • Restart your Chrome browser to refresh device detection
  • Try reconnecting the USB device
  • Verify the device is a WebHID-compatible input device (check device documentation)

Listen Button Doesn't Capture Input

  • Ensure the device is a button-enabled peripheral like a speaker mic with controls
  • Try pressing different buttons on the device to trigger input reports
  • Check the browser console (F12) for error messages
  • Verify the USB device drivers are installed on your PC

Mapping Doesn't Trigger in Room

  • Ensure Conferfly room is running on the room's display device and in focus
  • Verify the device is still connected to the PC
  • Check that the Conferfly Extension is installed and enabled in Chrome
  • For "Start Active Meeting," confirm that a meeting is active or selected in the room
  • Test the mapping with a different action to isolate the issue

What's Next

Once your device mappings are configured, they'll activate automatically whenever someone uses the mapped buttons in the conference room. Consider mapping:

  • Meeting join button on speaker mic to Start Active Meeting
  • End meeting button to End Meeting
  • Mute button to Toggle Mute

For room automation, explore Conferfly's Custom Buttons feature or integrate with your conference room's smart control system via API POST actions to local network devices.

Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions about external device mapping, contact our support team at [email protected]. We're here to help you get the most out of Conferfly!

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