Mic hooked up, but doesn't work?

Have you set the mic you wish to use with your webcam as Default ?

XP
Plug in your webcam or headset or mic you wish to use with your webcam
Control Panel (Classic View)
Open 'Sounds and Audio Devices' folder and click on the 'Volume' tab - make sure the speakers are not muted, open 'Speaker volume' and set the sliders toward the upper end.
Open 'Audio' tab - make your preferred mic the default device in the 'Sound recording window'
Open 'Volume' below the window to ensure the mic is not muted
Click 'Apply' and 'OK'
Restart your computer
Configure the webcam / mic to your chat program

VISTA
Plug in your webcam or headset or mic you wish to use with your webcam
TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray or from Control Panel
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
Right click on the volume graph and select 'Show disabled devices' and 'Show disconnected devices'
To set your preferred mic as default - click the mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

Configure to your chat program

Plug in the webcam

TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray or from Control Panel
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
Right click on the volume graph and select 'Show disabled devices' and 'Show disconnected devices'
To set required mic as default - click on mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

Plug in the webcam
TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray or from Control Panel
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
Right click on the volume graph and select 'Show disabled devices' and 'Show disconnected devices'
To set required (webcam) mic as default - click on mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

You may not have your webcam mic set as default
I have a laptop with mic and webcam with mic so I have to tell the computer what mic it needs to be looking for
I have Vista

TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray or from Control Panel
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
To set required (webcam) mic as default - click on mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

Configure webcam to chat program

make sure the webcam mic is set as default - especially importsnt if you have laptop with a built in mic as well
TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray or from Control Panel
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
To set required (webcam) mic as default - click on mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

Configure to your chat program

make sure your webcam mic is set as default

TEST SPEAKERS
Right click on speaker icon in System Tray
Select "Playback Devices"
The speaker icon ( checked as working) and volume level graph should be visible
Right click on the volume graph and click "Test"
Left hand speakers followed by right hand should be heard

SET DEFAULT & TEST MIC
Click "Recording" tab.
To set required (webcam) mic as default - click on mic font to highlight and click "Properties"
In lower dropbox display "Use this device enable" click 'OK'
Click "Levels" tab and ramp up sliders ( adjust to suit later)
Return to "Recording". Test mic by speaking and make sure volume graph displays

Restart computer

Configure to your chat program

It does have a builtin mic, maybe its defective. Maybe return it.

Normal 0 Go to Control Panel and Click on Sounds, Click on Audio, then Click on the Microphone. Then Click on the drop down and select Desk Mike or Camera Microphone.
Click OK and it should work.
Hope this helps. Bud

Try testing it, last time I checked skype has a test section, its hard to find, but its there. You just talk into the mic and skype records it. Then play back.

It is possible the mic isn't working.

Before you consider taking it back, make sure you follow the instructions to the letter.

What kind of chat are you using?