A lot of people and businesses have turned to Zoom as their go-to video-conferencing application. However, Zoom isn’t always perfect. Here are some tips on troubleshooting your Zoom call for a better audio and video call experience.
Review System Requirements
When running any type of software, one of the first things you need to do is check that your device is up to the task. No matter if everything is installed and set up properly, if you’re using old and outdated hardware or hardware that doesn’t meet the minimum requirements, it’s not going to run smoothly.
Zoom conveniently lists out the requirements, from system requirements, to supported operating systems and browsers, to supported devices. Give it a read and make sure your device is up to the task.
Check Your Network
Unsurprisingly, you also need to have a decent internet connection to use video conferencing apps. Zoom lists out those requirements for you as well. We’ll give you the short version here. These are the minimum requirements only. It’s better if you can exceed these numbers:
- High-quality 1-on-1 video chat: 600kbps up/down
- High-quality group video chat: 800kbps upload, 1Mbps download
- Screensharing:
- With video thumbnail: 50-150kbps
- Without video thumbnail: 50-75kbps
You can check your internet speed online using Speedtest. Just head over to the site and select “Go.”
After a few moments, you’ll get the latency (ping), download, and upload speed results.
Cross-check your results with Zoom’s requirements to see if your network speed is the source of your Zoom problems.
If you do meet the network requirements and are having issues, it could be that you need to tweak some Zoom settings.
Adjust Your Zoom Settings to Improve Performance
We mentioned the minimum requirements in the previous section, but that’s only the minimum requirements to be able to use a Zoom call. If you barely meet those requirements but have some other features enabled, then the minimum requirements are going to increase and it’s possible you don’t meet them anymore.
Two of the main features you should disable are “HD” and “Touch Up My Appearance.” We all want to look nice on a Zoom call, but there are other ways. We actually give some tips on looking your best in a Zoom call. Disable these two settings and give that article a read to look great while retaining network speed.
To disable these settings, open your Zoom client, then select the “Gear” icon in the top-right corner to open the “Settings” menu.
Select “Video” in the left-hand pane.
In the “My Video” section, uncheck the boxes next to (1) “Enable HD” and (2) “Touch Up My Appearance.”
If your video feed isn’t really required for the call, you can also turn it off completely.
Fixing the Audio Echo/Feedback Issue
Audio echo is a common problem people tend to experience with video conferencing software. Echo also includes that really loud screech (i.e., audio feedback) that’s worse than nails on a chalkboard. Here are a few common causes of this issue:
- Multiple devices with the audio turned on in the same room
- One participant with the computer and phone audio both turned on
- Participants have their computers or speakers too close
Make sure you stay spread out if you share a conference room with another attendee, and if you’re not speaking set your mic on mute. We also recommend using headphones when possible.
Your Video Isn’t Showing
This can be caused by several issues. First and foremost, check that your video is actually turned on. During the Zoom call, you’ll know your video is off if the camcorder icon in the bottom-left corner has a red slash through it. Click the “Camcorder” icon to turn on your video.
Also, make sure that you have the correct camera selected. To see which camera Zoom is currently using, select the arrow next to the camcorder icon and your currently-in-use camera will be displayed. If that’s not the one you’re looking for, you can select the correct one from this menu (if you have other cameras connected, that is), or you can do so in the Settings menu by clicking the “Gear” icon and then selecting “Video Settings.”
In the “Camera” section, select the arrow and choose your camera from the menu.
Additionally, make sure that no other program on your device is currently using the camera. If so, close that program. This could fix the issue.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you’ve updated the camera driver to the latest version. You can generally do this from the camera manufacturer’s download and support page on its official website.
If all else fails, restart your computer and try again. If your video still isn’t working, it could be an issue with the webcam itself. Contact the manufacturer’s support team.
Contact Zoom’s Support Team
Word on the street is Zoom has a pretty good team of support members. If you can’t figure out what’s going on with Zoom, it’s always a good idea to contact the experts.
If they aren’t able to fix the issue with you right away, Zoom support can actually send you a troubleshooting package to store log files. Once you’ve installed this package, you can zip the log files and send it over to the support team for further analysis. The company provides instructions on how to do this for Windows 10 PC, Mac, and Linux on its Support page.
The following are answers to some of the most common questions or problems users come across.
Read common questions about:
Getting started with Zoom
Where do I download the latest version of Zoom?
You can download the latest version of Zoom from our Download Center. Learn more about downloading Zoom.
How do I use Zoom on my PC or Mac?
Do you need an account to use Zoom?
A Zoom account is not required if you are strictly joining Zoom Meetings as a participant. If someone invites you to their meeting, you can join as a participant without creating an account. However, if the host has restricted joining meetings using authentication profiles, then the participant will need a Zoom account to access the meeting. Learn more about joining a Zoom meeting.
A Zoom account is only required if you need to create your own meetings and send invitations to participants. Having a Zoom account allows you to create your own Instant Meetings or Schedule Meetings. An account also allows you to access your personal settings, where you can update your profile or upgrade your plan at any time.
How do I signup for Zoom?
You can sign up for a free Zoom account at
How much does Zoom cost?
Weekly live trainings
Join us for a live training to learn the basics of Zoom and ask questions live.
Joining a meeting
How do I join a Zoom meeting?
You can join a meeting by clicking the meeting link or going to join.zoom.us and entering in the meeting ID. Learn more about joining a meeting.
How do I join computer/device audio?
On most devices, you can join computer/device audio by clicking Join Audio, Join with Computer Audio, or Audio to access the audio settings. Learn more about connecting your audio.
Can I use a Bluetooth headset?
Yes, as long as the Bluetooth device is compatible with the computer or mobile device that you are using.
Do I have to have a webcam to join on Zoom?
While you are not required to have a webcam to join a Zoom Meeting or Webinar, you will not be able to transmit video of yourself. You will continue to be able to listen and speak during the meeting, share your screen, and view the webcam video of other participants.
Scheduling a meeting
How do I schedule a meeting?
You can schedule a meeting on the web, through the Zoom Desktop client or mobile app, or through one of our many integrations. Learn more about scheduling a Zoom meeting.
How do I invite others to join my meeting?
You can invite others to join your meeting by copying the join URL or meeting invitation and sending it out via email. There are many other ways to invite others to join your meeting – learn more.
Zoom webinars
How do I purchase a webinar license?
To host a webinar, you need to be a licensed user and have a Zoom webinar license. You can purchase these licenses on the Billing page of your Zoom web portal.
How do I host a webinar?
After purchasing your webinar license, you can schedule your webinar on the Webinars page of the Zoom web portal. When it’s time to start your webinar, you can start it from the Webinars page of the Zoom web portal or from the Meetings tab of your Zoom client. Learn more about getting started with Zoom webinars.
Meeting and webinar features
How do I share my screen?
Click Share in your meeting and choose the screen that you would like to share. Learn more about sharing your screen.
Can I record my meeting?
All Zoom hosts can record locally to their computer unless this feature has been disabled by their Zoom account owner or admin. Hosts who are Licensed can also record to the Zoom cloud. In a Zoom meeting, press Record to start the recording. Learn more about local recording and cloud recording.
Where do I find my recording?
By default, local recordings are saved to your documents folder. Cloud recordings can be found on the Recording page of your Zoom web portal. Learn more about locating your recording.
My Zoom account
How do I reset my password?
What role do I have on my Zoom account?
You can find your role on your Account Profile page of the Zoom web portal. Learn more about the Account Profile page.
Where can I find my account owner?
You can find your account owner on your Account Profile page of the Zoom web portal. Learn more about the Account Profile page.
Troubleshooting
My video/camera isn’t working.
There is echo in my meeting.
Echo can be caused by many things, such as a participant connected to the meeting audio on multiple devices or two participants joined in from the same local. Learn about common causes of audio echo.
Audio isn’t working on my mobile device.
If you are still having issues, please submit a request.
(Pocket-lint) – As more and more people turn to services like Zoom, many are encountering problems that need fixing, and if that’s you this Holiday season, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with some of the quickest and easiest fixes for Zoom problems if you run into troubles.
Is Zoom down?
First and foremost, if you can’t get Zoom to work, you should check Zoom’s service status to see if the problem is at Zoom’s end. Point your browser at status.zoom.us and you’ll be able to see if any of Zoom’s services aren’t working, any ongoing problems and what’s being done about it.
General Zoom problem fixes
Shut down apps you’re not using: Zoom and any video application can be demanding on your computer and internet connection, so it’s worth shutting down apps you don’t need if you’re having problems. That frees up resources for Zoom to use.
Make sure you’re using the latest version of Zoom: There have been a number of Zoom updates recently, the latest version at the time of writing is Zoom 5.4.4, so it’s worth checking that you’re using the latest version of the app. You’ll usually be prompted to update when you open Zoom if there’s an update, but it’s always worth checking, as some features change between updates.
My app keeps crashing or closing: First of all, do both of the things above. If you’re still having problems, try restarting your computer. If that doesn’t solve it, check if there are any software updates for your computer.
Fixing audio problems on Zoom
Check you’re not muted: When you join a Zoom meeting you’ll normally have to click to activate the microphone, because you’re muted. Look for the microphone icon in the bottom left hand corner, if it’s crossed out, click it to unmute your microphone. If you’re on the mobile app, you’ll have to “join with audio” to be able to speak or hear sound.
If using an external microphone: Many external mics have they own mute feature – make sure the mic itself isn’t muted.
Check your Bluetooth connection: If you join a call and no one can hear you, check you’re not connected to a Bluetooth headset elsewhere in the house. It might be that an existing connection has claimed your audio. Or, if you want to use a Bluetooth headset, make sure it’s properly connected to the device running Zoom.
Check the audio source in Zoom: If you’re in a call and no one can hear you, you can click on the up arrow to expand the audio button in the Zoom app. You’ll then see the options available on your computer so you can use the correct microphone.
Check the audio settings in Zoom: Similar to above, if you’re not in a meeting you can open Zoom, open the settings and head to “audio”. Here you’ll have the option to set your preferences as well as test the microphone and speaker on your PC to see if it’s working. If your mic is too quiet, you can turn up the levels here.
My Mac can’t access the mic: Sometimes your Mac might say it can’t access the microphone and ask you to restart. This might then ask for admin permission. Entering your details can then correct the mic fault without having to restart.
Ensure your PC audio settings are correct: If you’ve not been able to fix the problem through Zoom itself, then check your settings or preferences on your computer. Above everything else, check they actually work to help isolate the problem.
Background noise is disrupting the call: If there’s too much noise around you – people in the house, traffic noise, animals, aircraft, then consider using a noise cancelation app like Krisp. This can cut the background noise so you come across sounding clearer. It can also cut background noise from others on the call, so you don’t hear their noise either.
There’s no sound when sharing a video/YouTube: If you want to share video content with sound via screen sharing, you’ll need to tick the “share computer sound” option when you share your screen. Otherwise the only sound people will get is that coming through your mic.
There are echos or feedback on the audio: This usually happens when a mic detects audio coming from the speakers. It might be that the microphone is too close to the speakers, it might be that someone it using a phone and computer or that multiple computers are too close together. Muting the mic can resolve the problem or identify which participant(s) are causing the problems.
Fixing video problems in Zoom
No one can see me: If you can’t be seen – and can’t see yourself – start by checking you’ve started video on the call. Press the button in the bottom left-hand corner to make sure you’ve joined video on the call. Most calls start with video off.
Check the camera you’re using: Just as with audio, Zoom will let you choose which camera to use. Tap the arrow next to the video button and a list of available cameras will pop-up. Check you’re not using a camera that’s covered or on a closed (docked) laptop, for example. It’s also here that you’d be able to find virtual cameras, if you wanted to turn yourself into a potato.
Confirm the video settings in Zoom: If you’ve tried both the above with no success, open the settings in the Zoom app and examine the “video” options. You’ll be able to see a preview from your webcam and select the webcams available. If you can’t see a webcam preview, you’ll have to check your computer settings and check your webcam is properly installed.
My video is blocky and keeps freezing: Many quality issues in video are because of data. That might be because you don’t have strong Wi-Fi, or there’s someone else using bandwidth on your connection (streaming in 4K or downloading large files, for example). Try to limit other demanding services and ensure you have a good Wi-Fi signal, or a wired connection.
- How Smartproxy can help you avoid geo-restrictions and protect your privacy – The best proxy? (promo)
Parth Shah
28 Jun 2020
Work from home is the new norm this year. The major IT companies, such as Twitter and Spotify, are encouraging employees to work from home. Online meetings and virtual conferences replace our traditional meetings and group discussions. Zoom leads with a high market share. The software can be complex for new users. While making video calls, it can become embarrassing when the audio/speakers stop working on your side.
The audio issues on the admin side can interrupt the ongoing Zoom meeting. Something that’s not ideal for the overall software experience. There can be many reasons behind the behavior.
For instance, you might have accidentally hit the mute button, he PC/Mac might be connected to another Bluetooth device, problems with the audio settings no Zoom, etc. In this post, we will guide you through the top eight troubleshooting options to fix the audio issues on Zoom.
1. Join Zoom Video With Computer Audio
When you start the meeting on Zoom, the app gives you a couple of options to join the meeting. You can directly compose the meeting with video and audio.
The Zoom app will offer the pop-up to let you join with Computer Audio when you tap on the New Meeting option. You can enable the ‘Automatically join audio by computer when joining a meeting’ option. he software will remember the settings and make sure that you join the Zoom meeting with audio enabled.
2. Check Computer Audio
This has happened to me a couple of times. That’s because the mute button looks on the Apple MacBook. Sometimes I use the mute button on the keyboard to quickly silence the sound. MacBooks don’t display the LED indicator showing the mute button it on.
You can forget to unmute it before the Zoom meeting. Press the F10 key and make sure that you have unmuted the sound on your device.
Also on Guiding Tech
13 Helpful Zoom Video Settings That You Might Not Know
3. Select Your Device Speakers From the Zoom Audio Settings
Zoom allows you to change the default speakers for the meeting. If you are using your phone as a webcam or connected to some third-party speakers, you need to make sure that you have selected the Zoom Audio Settings’ relevant accessory.
Let me share what happened to me. I used my iPhone as a webcam on Zoom using the EpocCam software. For that, I downloaded the relevant drivers and set up the service. During setup, I changed the Audio Settings on Zoom from MacBook Speakers to EpocCam device.
The next time when I tried to conduct the meeting on the Zoom app, it remembered my last settings and tried to use EpocCam instead of MacBook speakers for audio. When I didn’t use EpocCam app, I couldn’t hear audio from the other side. So I had to revert to MacBook speakers from the Zoom Settings > Audio to fix the issue.
4. Check Output Volume From Audio Settings
It’s always advisable to check the volume output setting before starting an important meeting. Follow the steps below to test and make volume adjustments in the Zoom app.
Step 1: Open the Zoom app on your device.
Step 2: Tap on the Settings icon at the upper right corner.
Step 3: Go to Audio Settings and use the slider and tap on the Test Speakers button to adjust the volume levels.
If you are hearing feedback or echoes in your meeting, that means there is a device in the meeting that is channeling your audio back.
There are 3 main causes of audio echo or feedback in a Zoom meeting:
- A participant has both the computer and telephone audio active
- The speakers on participants’ computers or telephones are too close to each other
- There are multiple computers with active audio in the same conference room
Case 1: A participant has both the computer and telephone audio active
If you join from a computer and call in from the telephone, please make sure you either:
- Enter your participant ID when calling in, or enter #participant ID# when already in the call
- Or, use the Audio Settingscaret to the right of the Mute/Unmute button to manually Leave Computer Audio.
Case 2: Participants with computer or telephones speakers that are too close to each other
If another participant is too close to you, and both of you have speakers on, either hang up one of the telephone connections or select Leave audio conference on one of the computers.
Case 3: Multiple computers with active audio in the same conference room
If you are in a conference room with multiple devices, disconnect your computer audio from the other devices. Muting your speaker is not enough.
- On a PC or Mac: Select Audio Options > Leave Computer Audio
- On an Android or iPhone: Select Disconnect
To figure out which attendee is causing the echo:
- Choose one way of muting all attendees:
- The host can mute the attendees one at a time
- The host can mute all of the attendees at once
- Attendees can mute themselves
- Un-mute one attendee at a time.
More information and detailed troubleshooting steps for audio echo issues in Zoom are available in the Zoom Help Center.
A lot of people and businesses have turned to Zoom as their go-to video-conferencing application. However, Zoom isn’t always perfect. Here are some tips on troubleshooting your Zoom call for a better audio and video call experience.
Review System Requirements
When running any type of software, one of the first things you need to do is check that your device is up to the task. No matter if everything is installed and set up properly, if you’re using old and outdated hardware or hardware that doesn’t meet the minimum requirements, it’s not going to run smoothly.
Zoom conveniently lists out the requirements, from system requirements, to supported operating systems and browsers, to supported devices. Give it a read and make sure your device is up to the task.
Check Your Network
Unsurprisingly, you also need to have a decent internet connection to use video conferencing apps. Zoom lists out those requirements for you as well. We’ll give you the short version here. These are the minimum requirements only. It’s better if you can exceed these numbers:
- High-quality 1-on-1 video chat: 600kbps up/down
- High-quality group video chat: 800kbps upload, 1Mbps download
- Screensharing:
- With video thumbnail: 50-150kbps
- Without video thumbnail: 50-75kbps
You can check your internet speed online using Speedtest. Just head over to the site and select “Go.”
After a few moments, you’ll get the latency (ping), download, and upload speed results.
Cross-check your results with Zoom’s requirements to see if your network speed is the source of your Zoom problems.
If you do meet the network requirements and are having issues, it could be that you need to tweak some Zoom settings.
Adjust Your Zoom Settings to Improve Performance
We mentioned the minimum requirements in the previous section, but that’s only the minimum requirements to be able to use a Zoom call. If you barely meet those requirements but have some other features enabled, then the minimum requirements are going to increase and it’s possible you don’t meet them anymore.
Two of the main features you should disable are “HD” and “Touch Up My Appearance.” We all want to look nice on a Zoom call, but there are other ways. We actually give some tips on looking your best in a Zoom call. Disable these two settings and give that article a read to look great while retaining network speed.
To disable these settings, open your Zoom client, then select the “Gear” icon in the top-right corner to open the “Settings” menu.
Select “Video” in the left-hand pane.
In the “My Video” section, uncheck the boxes next to (1) “Enable HD” and (2) “Touch Up My Appearance.”
If your video feed isn’t really required for the call, you can also turn it off completely.
Fixing the Audio Echo/Feedback Issue
Audio echo is a common problem people tend to experience with video conferencing software. Echo also includes that really loud screech (i.e., audio feedback) that’s worse than nails on a chalkboard. Here are a few common causes of this issue:
- Multiple devices with the audio turned on in the same room
- One participant with the computer and phone audio both turned on
- Participants have their computers or speakers too close
Make sure you stay spread out if you share a conference room with another attendee, and if you’re not speaking set your mic on mute. We also recommend using headphones when possible.
Your Video Isn’t Showing
This can be caused by several issues. First and foremost, check that your video is actually turned on. During the Zoom call, you’ll know your video is off if the camcorder icon in the bottom-left corner has a red slash through it. Click the “Camcorder” icon to turn on your video.
Also, make sure that you have the correct camera selected. To see which camera Zoom is currently using, select the arrow next to the camcorder icon and your currently-in-use camera will be displayed. If that’s not the one you’re looking for, you can select the correct one from this menu (if you have other cameras connected, that is), or you can do so in the Settings menu by clicking the “Gear” icon and then selecting “Video Settings.”
In the “Camera” section, select the arrow and choose your camera from the menu.
Additionally, make sure that no other program on your device is currently using the camera. If so, close that program. This could fix the issue.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you’ve updated the camera driver to the latest version. You can generally do this from the camera manufacturer’s download and support page on its official website.
If all else fails, restart your computer and try again. If your video still isn’t working, it could be an issue with the webcam itself. Contact the manufacturer’s support team.
Contact Zoom’s Support Team
Word on the street is Zoom has a pretty good team of support members. If you can’t figure out what’s going on with Zoom, it’s always a good idea to contact the experts.
If they aren’t able to fix the issue with you right away, Zoom support can actually send you a troubleshooting package to store log files. Once you’ve installed this package, you can zip the log files and send it over to the support team for further analysis. The company provides instructions on how to do this for Windows 10 PC, Mac, and Linux on its Support page.
Good lighting isn’t just important for great selfies — it can also be a helpful addition when it comes to all the Zoom calls you’re probably making these days. Whether you’re attending work meetings via video calls or going to virtual happy hours, you want to have the ideal lighting to do so. And while some people use ring lights to achieve great lighting, you might not have the resources to get one of your own. Lucky for you, there is a ring light alternative for brighter Zoom calls built right into your phone.
While ring lights can be super effective at providing ample lighting, they can get pretty expensive. And with people’s work hours changed and pay adjusted due to the coronavirus pandemic, it might not be in your best interest to spend extra money on something you could find an inexpensive alternative for. You could always buy cheaper options online or use techniques around your home for better lighting, but if you want a quick fix, you can use the camera light on your phone to achieve optimal lighting for your Zoom video calls.
The best way to get great lighting for your Zoom calls is to use your phone camera light while on a call from your laptop or desktop. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to use your phone’s built-in flashlight while on a video call — for iOS users, you can’t even use the light while taking a selfie or recording a video. But what you can do is turn your phone light on and then adjust it on you during a Zoom call so that your face is illuminated.
To get to your camera light, slide your menu screen down by swiping your finger from the top of your screen to the bottom. Then, hit the flashlight icon — this will turn on your phone flashlight. After this, place your phone in a position where the flashlight is shining directly on you. You want to make sure that your light is shining on your face and not from behind you, otherwise it’ll just cast a shadow. You can place the phone on a tripod (if you have one), a windowsill in front of your laptop, or even prop it up against your laptop facing you.
If your phone’s flashlight just isn’t bright enough for you, there are a few apps you can download that can help you out as well. Flashlight by iHandy, Flashlight by John Haney Software, and Flashlight by Rik are all iOS apps that let you control and increase brightness on your phone for a more intense flashlight.
But if you don’t want to use your phone’s flashlight or any apps to improve brightness, there are still ways you can make your lighting better for your Zoom calls. Moving your work station to directly in front your window can do wonders for your lighting. Natural lighting can be a great way to look more refreshed in your video calls, especially if you have virtual meetings scheduled for the morning or early afternoon.
You can also play around with lamps in your room to create better lighting. If you have a couple different lamps around your house, bring them to your work station and set them up so they illuminate your face from all sides.
Ring lights can be great when it comes to illuminating your screen and your face, but they aren’t the only option when it comes to improving brightness. You may have all the tools you need — in your hand or around your house — to create the perfect lighting for your next Zoom call.
Answers
Zoom is designed to work in difficult/changing network environments.
We have designed mechanisms to adjust quickly even if there is more than 50% packet loss.
Business customers get a Dashboard function to diagnose issues. The message you are getting disappears as soon as the client adjusts – prioritising always the Audio stream over video.
The standard thresholds that generate an error message in my standard reporting are as follows:
Packet Loss: greater than 70%
Bandwidth: 0 Kbps
@ttorimoto – if you get the error message you mentioned then there must have been a time in the meeting where you almost completely lost connectivity or missed one of the benchmarks above.
Here is a link to give information about the bandwidth/network requirements:
I also fully agree with what @gw68 said – quite often it is the peripheral that causes an issue. When we started with webconferincing the cheapest stuff did the job as we were just using G.711 and CIF – but now with OPUS and H.264 actually peripherals really matter.
In addition if you can try and use our static virtual backgrounds as this reduces the amount of video bandwidth as well. (you can also try MP4 backgrounds but that will take up some more 😉
(I a working @ Zoom – but this is my private view and not intended to be promotional)
If you’re experiencing stuttering, call dropouts, or otherwise poor call quality with Zoom, this guide can help you narrow down the root cause.
Zoom is a popular virtual meeting/teleconferencing software, and like most voice/video chat services, it can be very sensitive to poor or inconsistent network conditions.
By using a free network troubleshooting tool (like PingPlotter), you can identify if the issues with your call quality are caused by a problem locally, an issue with your ISP, or with Zoom itself.
Setting up PingPlotter
To troubleshoot your network connection to Zoom using this guide, you will need to download and install the latest version of PingPlotter. A 14-day free trial is always available to help you get started.
For troubleshooting Zoom, you can use PingPlotter’s default settings.
What to target
Zoom has a list of servers and their IP addresses. However, there is not currently an easy method of identifying which you are using for each call. We went through Zoom’s list and selected a group of servers covering most regions.
You can click on the links below to automatically launch a PingPlotter trace to the server you think is closest to you (if the link does not open PingPlotter, you can also enter the IP address of the server into PingPlotter’s Target Bar).
- Australia: 202.177.213.97
- Canada: 64.69.74.1
- China: 52.81.151.129
- Germany: 3.127.194.12
- India: 3.7.35.1
- Japan: 52.197.97.21
- USA – California: 160.1.56.129
- USA – Colorado: 4.35.64.129
- USA – Louisiana: 4.34.125.129
- USA – Virginia: 3.235.69.1
- USA – Washington: 3.101.32.129
Step-by-step instructions
1. Check the status of Zoom’s service
If you have not already, check Zoom’s service status page to see if they are currently experiencing any known downtime. If so, this is most likely the cause of your issue.
2. Check your general connection
You can quickly identify basic network issues by starting a PingPlotter trace to a reliable target (such as Google.com). Enter “google.com” Into PingPlotter’s Target Bar and click the green Start button, or use the link below to start tracing automatically.
If you see high latency or packet loss, your network issue may be broader than just Zoom. See our guide on solving common network problems to identify what might be the culprit.
3. Check your connection to Zoom’s servers
Using one of the targets above, start tracing to the Zoom server closest to you. While the trace runs in PingPlotter, start a call in Zoom. If you experience any issues (such as stuttering or freezes), check PingPlotter to see if you see any sudden spike in latency or packet loss. Make note of this and continue testing.
We recommend collecting 10 minutes of data at a minimum for the most accurate results.
Once you have your PingPlotter results, use the information below to narrow down your issue.
What to look for
There are many issues that could be affecting your Zoom call quality. Here are some of the most common:
Device completely “down”
This result would show a bunch of solid red bars from the beginning of the route to the end. It can also start a “hop” or two down the line.
What do I do if I see this?
- If it’s starting at the very beginning of the trace, try giving your router a reboot.
- If that doesn’t help, and the pattern persists after you’ve given it a reboot, you may need to look into a replacement router.
- If the red is starting a hop or two down, contact your ISP.
WiFi interference
With this, we’ll see some red beginning at the start of the route similar to what we saw with a device being down, but more sporadic. This is normally caused by poor WiFi access point placement or by too many networks broadcasting nearby (apartment complexes are notorious for this).
What do I do if I see this?
- You can try a router or WiFi access point reboot right off the bat.
- Switch to a different wireless band. Most WiFi access points these days have dual-band; try to hop onto the other band temporarily.
- If the above isn’t possible, you may want to look at where you put your router or WiFi access point. Make sure that it is away from metal (including electrical conduit), and is away from televisions, microwaves, and Bluetooth devices like speakers.
- You may be experiencing saturation on your current WiFi channel. You can research the model of router or WiFi access point you have, and search for “channels”. You might want to set the device to switch channels automatically or search for a channel that isn’t being overused by nearby networks.
- If that doesn’t shape it up, you can acquire an Ethernet cable and plug your computer directly into your router. We always recommend a wired connection over a wireless one.
Bandwidth saturation
Normally, the pattern that indicates that you’re overusing your bandwidth would look like the above: an almost sawtooth-like pattern, which may or may not have a clear start and stop point.
What do I do if I see this?
- Use less bandwidth by limiting your demand on your connection. Close down music streaming, video streaming, and so forth.
- Throttle your network. This one’s a bit harder. Search for the model of router you have, and add terms like “rate limiting” or “bandwidth limiting”. That should get you to an explanation of how to throttle back the traffic a bit.
- If this continues to be an issue, you may need to contact your ISP and ask if you have a higher bandwidth tier available to you.
Helpful resources
We’ve compiled a list of useful links to help you find additional support information.
