Zoom Web Conferencing, which is licensed for use at NC State by all faculty, staff and students, provides synchronous (real-time) video and audio communication as well as a variety of other features that facilitate collaboration. Many instructors are using Zoom meetings to help them conduct online classes, deliver lectures, or hold office hours.

Like any video conferencing software, Zoom requires a lot of network bandwidth to maintain a high-quality connection between participants in online meetings. Video is one of the most bandwidth-heavy types of data that passes through networks. Many factors can affect the integrity of the connection during a Zoom session, and the connection quality can vary between participants within a single session.

Strategies for Using Zoom in Low Bandwidth Conditions

If users experience problems with the quality of the connection during a Zoom session (issues such as unexpected disconnections, video lagging, frozen screens, or poor audio quality), there are some things listed below that may help to improve the quality.

• For Meeting Participants (typically students), consider using these tips in Zoom sessions that you attend.
• For Meeting Hosts (typically instructors), they can not only apply the tips themselves, but also encourage (or require) that students attending Zoom sessions apply them as well.

Students who experience problems in a class using Zoom should also communicate with the instructor of the class to inform them of any circumstances that might make Zoom meetings difficult.

If the best internet connection students have available for Zoom is a slow one, such as a weak cellular data connection, they should try to let the instructor know ahead of time to see what accommodations can be made.

One common approach that instructors take is to record Zoom sessions and make the recordings available for students to view later or download.

Optimizing your Internet Connection

These suggestions specifically apply to improving your home internet speed for better connection before a meeting.

• In general, wired internet connections are better than wireless (WiFi or cellular) connections.
• In general, WiFi connections are better than cellular (3G/4G/LTE) connections. 
• When using a WiFi router, the placement of the router can affect the internet connection. 
  • For best results a router should be located centrally within a space to maximize the signal throughout that space, with line of sight to connected devices.
  • Moving a wireless device closer to the wireless router, or raising the router higher off the ground, may also improve the signal.
  • The " Want faster wifi? Here are 5 weirdly easy tips" video provides more details and suggestions. 
• Check the internet bandwidth by consulting a free online speed test, such as www.speedtest.net or another similar service to see if the computer's network aligns generally with Zoom’s bandwidth requirements.
• Reduce other activities that use internet bandwidth during Zoom sessions, both on the computer used to access the meeting and other devices on the same network.
• Users can join a Zoom test session prior to the actual meeting to test their computer setup and see how it works with Zoom, refer to Zoom's "Joining a Zoom test meeting" article for further instructions. 
• Review Zoom's "Wireless (WiFi) Connection Issues" article for additional guidance

Reducing Bandwidth During Meetings

These suggestions specifically apply to improving bandwidth or call quality during the meeting.

• Disable HD webcam video, HD video can be disabled in the settings of the Zoom desktop client.
• Ensure that the Meeting-HD Video Quality setting in the Zoom meeting settings is turned off.
• Stop video when it is not needed.
• Mute the microphone when not speaking.
• The host of a meeting can mute all participant microphones and have participants speak one at a time, or use the hand raising feature to manage who is speaking during the session.
• Close other applications on the computer if they are not needed.

Teaching Recommendations

When planning and delivering classes that have a synchronous component, instructors should be aware of connectivity challenges that students might be experiencing. Especially during major disruptions, students may be facing a variety of unexpected stressors that affect their ability to access their classes synchronously, especially when most of them are not physically present on campus.

Some challenges reported by students include:

• Low-bandwidth internet connectivity (especially in rural areas).
• Sharing a household computer with K-12 students who are also being required to do schoolwork remotely.
• Needing to provide care for younger or older family members.
• Being sick or caring for someone who is sick.
• Shifts in their work schedules required by their employers. 

In some cases, the needs of a given class may require holding a live online session in which instructors and students can interact in real time. Instructors should be as flexible as possible about alternative delivery modes that might help alleviate or reduce students' connectivity challenges. Any steps that can be taken to reduce bandwidth can help, but the most useful approach in general is to try to reduce the need to share synchronous video.

If live sessions are held in Zoom, record the sessions and allow students to download the recordings and/or view them at a later time. This can help students with slow connections that might have trouble streaming a session in real time.

As an added benefit, Zoom’s cloud recording capability offers an alternative option for viewing synchronous content. See the "Recording in Zoom" article for more information.

Additional Resources

Optimizing Performance of Zoom in Low Bandwidth Environments (Zoom User Guide)

Wireless (WiFi) Connection Issues (Zoom Knowledge Base)

For additional assistance, please contact the LearnTech Help Desk at learntech@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7094, or via the Get Help form on the DELTA Knowledge Base.