How to Solve Hardware and Software Issues

This article describes what to do if a connection is not established.

Last Updated: May 2024

On this page:

1. Immediate troubleshooting steps
2. Check your web browser
3. Check your internet connection
4. How to improve your internet connection
5. Screen-sharing is not working
6. My camera is not working
7. I cannot hear my client or patient
8. My client or patient cannot hear me
9. My device is slowing down
10. Connecting from a corporate or work network
11. More support options

Check your web browser

• Coviu currently supports Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox. You can find out what web browser you use by accessing this website.
• We prefer Google Chrome (82+), but Coviu also works on Firefox (75+) and Safari (12+). Please use an updated web browser to ensure all of Coviu's features are supported.
• You can run Coviu on Windows, macOS or Linux.
• Use our Pre-call Test to check whether your setup is compatible.

Check your internet connection

• If it is taking a long time to connect and, when it does connect, you get poor-quality video and broken audio, you may want to check your internet connection.
• We recommend a minimum of 350 Kbps upload and download connection speed for each participant in the video call.
• However, bandwidth is not the only important parameter; we also recommend the following:
  • Upload and download latency should be less than 50 ms.
  • Upload and download jitter should be less than 30 ms.
  • Packet Loss should be 0%.
• More information is available here.

How to improve your internet connection

• You may have different types of internet connections; which is best for Coviu?
• We recommend using a wired connection first (e.g. Ethernet in your office). If your computer runs on wireless and wired connections, you may want to turn off the wireless connection to ensure it uses the ethernet connection.
• A wireless connection in an office can sometimes turn out worse than a 4G or 5G connection, particularly when many users compete for wireless access. Often it is not even a lack of bandwidth, but the amount of packet loss that causes issues and dropouts; try ethernet, 4G or 5G connection if that is the case. If you are worried about your data usage, you can check the bandwidth usage of Coviu.

Screen-sharing is not working

A mixed Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browser connection will disable certain features due to a lack of web browser interoperability; this may be why the screen-sharing feature is not working for you.

My camera is not working

• Are you stuck in a loop of being unable to access your camera? Please ensure you use Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, or Mozilla Firefox.
• You can do an audio-only call if you do not have a camera. However, it will give you a reduced experience. So, we recommend you buy an HD webcam.
• If your computer has a camera but you cannot access it, try restarting your browser or Coviu. If that still does not work, restart your computer.

I cannot hear my client or patient

• This can be an issue with your audio source or the microphone at your client's or patient's end.
• Please ensure your headphones and speakers are plugged in properly, and the volume is turned up and unmuted.
• You can always play a YouTube video to check if your audio works.
• Coviu allows you to choose different output devices; go to the in-call Settings, click Select speakers and choose your preferred speakers.
• If your audio is fine, you may need to ask your client or patient to check their microphone.

My client or patient cannot hear me

• If other call participants cannot hear you, please ensure your microphone is plugged in properly and the microphone level is turned up.
• Make sure Coviu is using the right microphone. You can change your microphone input by going to the in-call Settings, clicking Select microphone and choosing the correct microphone.
• On tablets or mobile devices, check that the microphone has not been disabled or muted.
• If your microphone is fine, you may need to ask your client or patient to check their speakers. Please ask them to check if their volume is turned up and unmuted.

My device is slowing down

• This may happen if you have blurred or virtual backgrounds enabled on an older device.
• Performance can vary with older devices; you may see a noticeable frame rate loss or lag in your video feed.
• Usually, this should only affect what you see of yourself, not what your client or patient sees (in other words, your client or patient should be able to see you normally).
• However, we recommend disabling virtual backgrounds if your device slows down noticeably with the feature.
• If your device is stuck or frozen with virtual backgrounds enabled, you can clear your web browser cache and cookies to disable virtual backgrounds.

Connecting from a corporate or work network

Your corporate connection's firewall may prevent you from connecting to a Coviu call. Your IT Team will need to allow Coviu through the corporate connection's firewall; please share this guide with them.

More support options

You have completed another Coviu help article. You now know how to solve hardware and software troubles.

If this is not what you were looking for, explore our knowledge base and search for another article from here.

If you still require any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly Customer Success team using any of the contact methods available here.