Cannot "sign in" with client app on Windows PC (Verizon router)

[DSperber]

I've exhausted all possible avenues of investigation and potential causes and possible workaround on this issue, and still not solved the problem. So I'm hoping experts here in the Zoom community might have some thoughts or even more creative ideas or suggestions, that potentially can resolve this.

Environment: Windows10 Pro x64 PC, including (a) existing "production / customized" Windows #1, as well as (b) an absolutely brand new "factory" Windows #2 fresh install with ZERO done other than simply installing Zoom app right after Windows install completes and the desktop comes up for the first time). Verizon FIOS, with G3100 router.

Symptom: cannot CONNECT (i.e. sign-in successfully) so that Zoom Meetings app launches properly; instead, after either (1) pushing SIGN IN button on Zoom app after entering valid username and password, or (2) pushing JOIN or HOST on web browser interface after successfully signing in to Zoom through web browser, the "connecting" window appears with spinning circle that never completes properly.

Summary of problem: Zoom Client on Windows PC just "spins" while "connecting" using absolutely VALID username/password but the response (and auto-launch the properly installed Meeting app). Something is preventing the expected response activity from producing the expected message back to launch browser which in turn launches Zoom Meeting app.

Clues:

(1) "connecting" spins for both versions of Windows, i.e. existing "production" customized Windows as well as "brand new factory" fresh install with nothing done except install Zoom.

(2) Doesn't matter if I disable Firewall (either Bitdefender, Windows, or Verizon router security set to minimum). I've also tried fully uninstalling Bitdefender, but again to no avail. So it doesn't appear to be a firewall issue, either in hardware or software anywhere.

(3) using the same Zoom sign-in credentials on any other Windows PC WORKS PERFECTLY, and Zoom Meetings app window launches perfectly! So the Zoom account is just fine.

(4) using the Zoom app installed on an Android phone which is connected via WiFi to the same Verizon router (in the house that the desktop PC is also connected to via ethernet cable) WORKS PERFECTLY! This suggests there's nothing in the Verizon internet world or Verizon physical router or its security functionality that is blocking Zoom Meetings from getting launched since the Zoom Meetings app can launch on the phone. Obviously the phone Zoom app is not the Windows Zoom app, but there must be something different that allows Zoom on the phone to sign in successfully and produce the Zoom Meeting interface, whereas it is not successful on the Windows PC.

(5) I have fooled around with browser interface instead of the Zoom app to first sign in to the Zoom account, and this preliminary step is successful. But if I then try to either HOST or JOIN through this web interface, the "connecting" dialog is initiated, and once again results in "spinning indefinitely". For JOIN I enter the meeting ID, and then the meeting password, and then the "spinning" starts.

(6) I have tried with launching the meeting connection automatically by clicking on the URL link in the invitation email, but again as soon as it attempts connecting the "spinning" starts.

(7) I have not yet tried a second physical PC (e.g. laptop) connected to the router, either via ethernet cable or WiFi, to see if Zoom fails to launch on this second Windows PC. If Zoom launches properly then there must be something in the hardware of the primary desktop PC which is relevant, since it's not dependent on version #1 or #2 of Windows running on that primary PC and fails with both of those. If Zoom doesn't launch using a second Windows PC this again points to the Verizon infrastructure as being responsible, somehow.

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I am open to any thoughts or ideas or more creative experiments. I will arrange for a second Windows PC to go through the same router for the next test, so that's in the works.

[ZoomTestKitchen]

Just a couple of thoughts to try...

1. You said your phone connected just fine using WiFi to the same Verizon router. Have you tried to connect your Windows PC over that WiFi, instead of being hardwired?
2. Have you tried to connect using the browser in private (incognito mode). Also, try to connect using the browser only, not letting the browser auto-link to the Zoom client.
3. Have you executed a "Clean Uninstall/Reinstall" of the Zoom client?
   
   

Run CleanZoom to remove Zoom completely

To remove Zoom completely, including any configuration files, run CleanZoom on your device.

1. Download and run CleanZoom.
   Note: Use of the clean uninstaller will completely remove the Zoom desktop client, as well as the Zoom plugin for Outlook. The Outlook add-in, Chrome/Firefox extensions, and Google Workspace add-on are unaffected.
2. Once completed, download Zoom from our download center and reinstall. 

If you find this information helpful, please click on "Accept as Solution".

If you have further questions, please reply, we're happy to help.

[DSperber]

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I was unaware of CleanZoom but have now used it. Before trying to a download and reinstall of the latest version and another re-test, I decided to try hosting and joining using the browser-only functionality (and manually stepping in to do something when it seemed appropriate). I will describe my browser-only results in the next post.

But first, after the browser-only test I did do what you suggested, which is another download/install of Zoom. Unfortunately this accomplished nothing productive. Trying to sign-in once again initiated the unsuccessful "spinning". Right back where I started from, with the Zoom Meeting simply unable to perform all that is required from sign-in (with perfectly valid Zoom credentials) because something is being blocked or failing on this particular Windows system.

Now I did look at the Clean log file, just to see what it did. I noticed a number of "error" entries, which I don't know if they're benign and acceptable or whether they might provide some clues as to why the installed Zoom software simply cannot complete the signin in order to present the Zoom Meeting home page screen.

Just in case it might be of value, I will post the Clean log here. Because of the limit of 20,000 characters for a message I'll have to provide it in a link: you can download it from here.

NOTE: this CleanZoom was performed using the "production Windows" system, not the "lab / factory" version that I freshly installed yesterday, if that is of any value to know.

[DSperber]

Now as far as results trying to use the browser-only Zoom interface to manually host and manually join a meeting (with no Zoom client app installed, so that nothing can get launched by the browser), that DID WORK. Took a few manual hacks to kind of force it along when the auto-results associated with the Zoom app were not received, but in fact I WAS able to both host a new meeting, and also to manually join a meeting (not by clicking on the URL meeting link, but rather by manually entering the meeting ID and meeting password).

So at least this is a workaround, as inconvenient and clumsy it is. Certainly my cousin won't be very happy, since he's a caterer and not a computer nerd. But I've shown him how to use his phone instead, which works just fine... although clearly the screen is pretty small compared to his computer screen.

Obviously I'd like to get to the bottom of what's going on within the Windows world.

I've called my nephew to see if he has a laptop and can help out by going over there to be my onsite assistant. As you suggested I'd already planned to experiment with both a wired and wireless connection from laptop to the Verizon router. This should let me know if it's still a Windows issue (so that both tests should fail), or if one or the other or both works using the laptop (indicating it's some kind of an issue with the desktop PC), or what.

He doesn't own a laptop but will see if he can borrow one from a friend.

More to follow.

[DSperber]

Just an update on this issue, as the holiday has triggered a "holding pattern".

Never did get a positive reply from my nephew regarding any progress on his search to locate a laptop to borrow. So I decided to just send my cousin one of my own laptops (with Team Viewer and Zoom Client both already installed), along with an ethernet cable for him to connect the laptop to his Verizon router.

So all he has to do is connect the ethernet cable and power on the laptop. As the wired ethernet connection will instantly make the laptop remotely visible through Team Viewer to me I will be able to "drive" the whole test myself, from afar. He doesn't need to do anything at all. I will also facilitate wifi login SSID and password for his wifi network, for use in the wireless test.

Once the wired tests are complete he just needs to remove the ethernet cable and the laptop will connect through wifi, and i will still have access through Team Viewer. I can then repeat my tests, this time using wifi to the router.

This will give me a whole second PC perspective in his Verizon LAN environment for the Zoom client failures using his own desktop PC, through a known PC that absolutely works perfectly with Zoom in my own LAN environment.

Laptop is scheduled to arrive in NY next Thursday, but he's going to be away for New Year's so we may not get to perform the testing until the first week in January when he returns.

So this thread is still active, but on hold for another 10 days or so.

I'll be back!

[DSperber]

Finally, eventually, my laptop arrived at my cousin's house in NY after (a) freeze across US caused delays, and (b) his New Year's holiday plan had him out of town for a week. So I could proceed with my plan of several weeks ago, which was to try a second totally independent computer going through the very same Verizon router and the very same Verizon internet service, in order to try and use the Zoom Meeting app through that second computer.

The laptop (with its already known 100% working Win10 and Zoom Meetings Client app installed and working perfectly) has now been connected with an ethernet cable to his Verizon router. My plan was to try that wired method first, and depending on results then if necessary move to a wireless/wifi mode of connection to his home Verizon service to see if that made any difference. Turns out there is no reason to try wifi as the connection.

Turns out using the ethernet/wired connection to the router (and also using the previously installed and known to be working perfectly Zoom Meeting Client app) "Zoom Meeting -> sign in" works perfectly both using (a) my own Zoom credentials, as well as (b) his Zoom credentials! No problem whatsoever! Works perfectly.

Doesn't matter if I just sign-in, or JOIN, or NEW MEETING, or whatever. The Zoom Meeting app is properly launched and operates properly... on my laptop. Doesn't matter if I use the correct or incorrect password, the response from Zoom back at the laptop screen is exactly what is expected: either (a) rejected invalid username/passowr, or (b) successfully signed in Zoom home page presentation.

==> ZERO PROBLEM USING MY LAPTOP, WIRED CONNECTED TO THE VERIZON ROUTER.

Flabbergasted, I then double-checked using his desktop machine, to re-confirm that the previous failures still occurred. And sure enough it does. Still fails. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the Zoom Meeting app, and it's made zero difference. Signin just "spins", clicking on the URL in a Zoom meeting invite fails the same way, etc.  But if I try to sign in with the WRONG credentials I get a response advising of same! It's only when using VALID credentials (which wants to launch the Zoom Meeting app) that it "spins" (after obviously first validating the signin credentials).

And this happens both with (1) production Win10 system, and (2) out-of-the-carton freshly installed brand new Windows with nothing else in it except Zoom Meeting app installed.

I've checked the router for any "access blockage" of any kind, and there is none. And besides, how could my laptop work but the desktop not work when accessing the same URL? Can't happen.

I'm currently stumped.

Note again that I CAN use the "join meeting with browser" alternative, which Zoom offers in the event you don't have the Zoom Meeting client app installed on your machine and don't want to install it. The fallback of using your browser instead WORKS PERFECTLY!!!  So the meeting can be joined with normal operation and participation... when the browser (i.e. Firefox in this case) is used instead of Zoom Meeting Client app which simply will not launch.

Anybody have any thoughts?