How do I improve my connection?

What internet speed do I need?

• At least 6 Mbps download and 4 Mbps upload for smooth video and screen sharing.
• Use a wired Ethernet connection if possible, or sit near your Wi-Fi router to avoid drops.
• Check your speed by searching “internet speed test”.

We recommend testing your setup in the demo classroom before lessons. See “Can I try the New Classroom before my lesson?”.

Signs of a poor connection

• Camera and microphone quality dropping in and out, or not working at all.
• Lag in the classroom, in the video, audio, and the interactive whiteboard.

How to improve your connection

1. Use a wired connection with an Ethernet cable plugged directly into your router where possible. This is the most effective fix.
2. If you’re on Wi-Fi, move as close to your router as possible and remove obstacles like walls between you and the router.
3. Make sure other users on your Wi-Fi aren’t streaming video or music or gaming online, as this uses bandwidth.
4. Make sure you aren’t using a VPN, as this can affect connection quality.
5. As a last resort, turn off your video. We don’t recommend this, as it results in a poorer experience.

If your device is running slow

Connection quality can also drop if your computer is running slow. To help:

• Close any applications you don’t need for the lesson.
• Close any browser tabs you don’t need.
• Make sure your laptop fans aren’t covered, so it can cool down.
• Turn your device off and on again.
• If none of that works, try joining the lesson on another device.