ALL USERS: Zoom Internet Connection and Quality Issues

Troubleshooting tips and tricks to improve your Zoom connection (video breakup, audio dropout and synchronization issues)

IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S THEM:

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

  • If you are connecting over WIFI or cellular, check your signal strength. WIFI works best in a “line of sight” setup between you and the router. The more walls, ceilings, or other obstructions a WIFI signal needs to pass through, the greater the chance of connection problems and signal degradation. If you are in an area of weak signal, even moving to the other side of the room or a different space can sometimes improve your connection.

THE NEED FOR SPEED:

  • In general, Zoom conferences needs a minimum of 2mbps of internet data transfer to work correctly. Increasing the number of participants can greatly impact download data needs. It is important to check both the upload (your connection to Zoom) and download (Zoom’s connection to you) speeds to make sure your internet connection is strong enough. You can check your overall connection speed to your ISP (Internet Service Provider) at www.speedtest.net.
  • Along with a basic speed test, it’s also important to know what other devices are sharing your connection (especially if using WIFI). Other computers, cell phones, smart-home devices may also be competing for connection time. Devices connecting over WIFI must take turns sending and receiving data, this can create a digital traffic jam in your connection. Plugging into a wired ethernet connection can help to alleviate this bottleneck.

CONSERVE YOUR RESOURCES:

  • Turn off or sleep unnecessary devices that may be sharing your internet connection
  • Likewise, shutting down additional apps and programs on your device can free up computer resources and memory for Zoom.
  • Many Zoom adjustment settings can be accessed directly from the Zoom Desktop App main page by clicking on your profile picture. If you are in a meeting, settings can be reached through either the microphone or camera buttons on the Zoom toolbar. The ‘Statistics’ panel provides real-time information on processor, memory, and internet connection usage. You can adjust Zoom video settings in the "Video" panel. If you are using an HD webcam, you may be able to stream a lower quality video connection to lower data requirements. Additionally, muting microphones and cameras when not needed can also substantially lower data needs.
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