Improving Internet Connection Stability

IMPROVING INTERNET CONNECTION STABILITY 

If you are attending a video meeting, uploading files, downloading files, installing programs, or updating software, the following can improve your experience through a better internet connection. Note: Typically, not all of these are needed to get sufficient internet for your task—unless you have dial-up or your internet service provider isn’t providing adequate service speeds. Check your speed: In general, more than 5 Mbps Download and 1.5-2 Mbps Upload, and under 100ms Ping and Jitter rates are good. Download speeds between 5 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps may be survivable too.

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IN GENERAL

• Disconnect other devices in your area from the internet. This includes doing things like:
  • Unplugging smart TVs. 
  • Unplugging Rokus, Apple TVs, other devices that make TVs smart.
  • Turning off smart home devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home.
  • Turning off your phones' and tablets' Wi-Fi.
  • Disable the smart refrigerator’s Wi-Fi or make it forget the WiFi network.
• Make sure that your computer system's updates are finished or paused. 
• Make sure all other file uploads or downloads are complete or paused. 
  • Check that your OneDrive, iCloud, and other cloud services synced to your device have finished syncing files too or pause their syncing process.
• Restart your modem and plug your device into the modem/router with an ethernet cable. (Plug into the modem instead of a router, when possible)
• In the web browser you primarily use, close out all unrelated tabs or use an extension like OneTab to temporarily collapse them all.
  • When using OneTab, you can keep the important tabs open by pinning them or moving them to a separate browser window before clicking on OneTab.
  • If you generally use multiple browser windows, go to each window and press the OneTab button to collapse each one to its own section in OneTab’s list.
• In the web browser you primarily use, disable as many unnecessary extensions and add-ons as possible. (Do not turn OneTab off!)
  • Managing Chrome Extensions
  • Managing Firefox Add-ons (Extensions and Plugins)
  • Managing Safari Extensions
  • Managing Edge Extensions 2
• On your device, close all programs not related to the intended task.
  • If it is also possible to essentially combine other programs (for example, using the online version of PowerPoint when you’re going to need your browser for other things too), it probably wouldn’t have a noticeable impact on your internet but could improve your computer’s processing abilities.
• Restart or close your browser, restart your computer, close any unrelated startup programs, and double check that updates and synchronizations are still paused. 
  • Restarting your browser and your computer is intended to reduce the number of programs running in the background that may be using your internet.
• If you are comfortable doing so, turn off as many programs running in the background as possible.

FOR VIDEO MEETINGS

• Upload a profile picture then turning off your camera. 
  • Upload profile picture to Zoom profile. 
  • Upload profile picture to WebEx Meeting profile. 
  • Upload profile picture to Google Hangout/Meet profile via Gmail.
  • Upload profile picture to WebEx Teams profile.
  • Upload profile picture to Microsoft Teams profile.
• Try routing the meeting audio to your phone.
  • Routing Zoom Meeting audio to phone.
  • Routing WebEx Meeting audio to phone.
• Attend the meeting from your phone, using your cellular data connection.
  • Download Zoom app. 
  • Download WebEx Meeting or WebEx Teams app.
  • Download Microsoft Teams app.
  • Download Google Meet app from device’s app store.
• Try a different microphone.
  • Wired microphones are more reliable than wireless microphones.
  • Headsets tend to work better than built-in or free-standing microphones.
    • If using a headset, make sure the microphone is close to your mouth.

If you have more questions, email ITHELP@clemson.edu or call 864-656-3494.