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Newcomer
January 19, 2022
Question

Low Network Bandwidth

  • January 19, 2022
  • 5 replies
  • 1 view

I don't host meetings - I attend them generally via a link I am sent via email.  I constantly receive a prompt 'Your Network Bandwidth is Low'.  I have changed internet provider to try and get to the bottom of this.  No progress.  It would seem no-one wants to take responsibility.  I can find no resolution that I can understand myself to implement.  I have already tried 2 internet providers, I suspect this problem is set to continue.  The local computer shop can find no issue with my laptop and so I remain stuck with this problem which I cannot solve.  Just desperate to get resolution, but no idea who to ask for assistance that I can understand as an attendee.  

    5 replies

    CarlaA
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    March 28, 2022

    Hi @bdan139 ! Welcome to the Zoom Community. I just realized you didn't receive a reply to your post. Are you still having this issue? If so, please check out the following knowledge base article and let me know if that helps! https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362463-Wireless-WiFi-Connection-Issues

     

    Please also try Disabling HD video: Simply go to Settings, click on the Video tab, and uncheck the box for HD video. 

     

    Moderator 

    Zoom Community Team

    Newcomer
    February 2, 2024

    I disabled HD video

    I have connected my laptop directly to the router

    I have closed all other programs

     

    Still consistently getting low bandwidth error

     

    My high speed internet speedtest is well over the range of 350+

     

    What is going on?

     

    I'm also unable to view the zoom meeting in the desktop app and must view thru my browser. 

     

    Please advise asap

    Newcomer
    October 4, 2022

    Hello Carla,

     

    Zoom has been a continual headache because of the excessive bandwidth requirements and data use.  On reading your response, I immediately went to Settings, but was unable to find any means to disable HD video.  Please see the attached screenshot.  Do you have better instructions on how to do this.

     

    By the way, I have a limited bandwidth and data plan that is completely adequate for my needs, but obviously not with Zoom.  I live in a rural community.

     

    Thanks.

     

    CarlaA
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    October 4, 2022

    Hi @FDR , I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues with Zoom at the moment. There are a couple of things you can do when experiencing poor performance caused by bandwidth congestion.  As mentioned above, you can try manually reducing the amount of bandwidth required to run Zoom Meetings by:

    ● Disabling HD video: Settings > Video > uncheck HD

    ● Disabling video feed: Although video is a key feature of Zoom Meetings, you can turn off your video to reduce the amount of bandwidth used for situations where clear audio is a higher priority. Click on the video icon and make sure your ‘Start Video’ button is crossed out to turn off video.

     

    Carla,
    Zoom Community Team

    Please click Accept as Solution if this answered your question. Thank you!

    Newcomer
    October 4, 2022

    Hello Carla,

     

    My video is already disabled, yet a typical Zoom call uses about 1.3 Mbaud of bandwidth.  Full screen is about 1.8 to 2.4 Mbaud.  Minimal sized display is about 300 to 500 kbaud.  This is an obscene use of bandwidth.  I do not need high resolution during Zoom, except for the occasional display of a spreadsheet or a document.  Yet Zoom gives me (as a user) no control over its use of my bandwidth.  Other meeting software does.  I would like to be able to limit Zoom bandwidth to no more than 300 kbaud regardless of window size, with the option of increasing resolution where necessary.

     

     How to I limit Zoom's use of bandwidth to no more than 300 kbaud or less? 

     

    Thank you.

     

    PS - The last Zoom meeting I attended, I used my phone only, but even so there were issues.  My ability to mute and unmute failed 20 minutes into the call.  Very frustrating.

    Newcomer
    April 24, 2024

    I am having the same issue.

    Details: My cooperation partner hast switched from Zoom to Zoom workplace. I entered the conference via browser as I didn't know that and had the app not installed. Camera was switched off as the video freezes if I try to switch it on. The internet usage monitor of my router showed me that upload and download speed were well below the limit of my contract (less than 1 Mbit/s download with a 250 Mbit/s connection) . And still I got the "low network bandwidth" message every few minutes. 

    The reason cannot be the "HD video" as my camera was switched off. It has t be something else which actually is not related to the internet bandwidth of my place. 

    Partner
    May 2, 2024

    Solution - Zoom recently upgraded their network requirements. The minimum is an I3 processor and 8GB Ram.  Most low end Chromebooks do NOT meet this requirement and they cannot be upgraded.  I just bought a new one from Amazon.