How to Host a Successful Virtual Event

1.  For computer, you need a laptop or desktop computer with (at least) 2G of memory and a 1Ghz processor (any computer bought in the last fiveyears should be fine). 
2.  For bandwidth, you must have at least 0.5 Mbits/second upstream and 1 Mbits/second downstream.  To check bandwidth use, https://speedtest.net/.
3.  For browsers, we recommend Google Chrome (Flash is built-in) or Mozilla FireFox.  You can also use Safari on Mac OS X, but you’ll get better audio using Chrome and FireFox.
4.  For audio, we strongly recommend using a headset.  A headset will ensure that others can hear your voice clearly and you don’t cause echo or background noise for others.  You do not need to buy an expensive one -- any basic headset with a built-in microphone will suffice.  
5.  If you have a firewall, the BigBlueButton client running with your browser needs to connect to an external server on ports TCP/IP ports 80, 443, 1935 and UDP ports 16384-32768.  

A laptop with a built-in webcam and microphone will be sufficient as well if you’re in a quiet area.

Additional Recommendations for Moderators / Presenters:

A moderator or presenter has the same requirements as students, with the following additions if you intend to screen sharing.  For screen sharing, we recommend using FireFox or Chrome and choosing WebRTC if prompted.

Screen sharing uses more bandwidth than sharing a webcam, so a good upstream bandwidth is required (at least 1 Mbits/sec) .

If you are not using FireFox or Chrome, you can use Java to share your screen. To use Java, you must have the latest Java plug-in installed (Java SE 8).  You can test with http://www.java.com/testjava/‎

Also, we recommend moderators or presenters connect through a wired network (not wireless) if possible.  If connecting from a wireless network that is not reliable, you may experience periodic disconnects or gaps in your audio.

Tunneling

If the client is unable to make a direct connection to the BigBlueButton server, you'll see the words '[ Tunneling ]' in the lower right-hand corner.  When tunneling your client may disconnect during the session.

Try refreshing your browser (this will load the client from cache and connect immediately to the network).

If tunneling persists, try connecting from a different network location if possible.

Getting disconnected

The BigBlueButton client has built-in logic to detect if it has lost connection to the server and, in such cases, it will automatically try to reconnect.  

If you are getting frequent disconnects/reconnects, try switching between FireFox and Chrome.  We've seen different network scenarios where one browser performs better than the other. Also try restarting your computer (it may clear up some resources if the issue was lack of CPU).

As stated above, a direct (wired) internet connection is best.  If you are connected wireless, try moving closer to the base station.

If disconnects/reconnects persist, try connecting from a different network location if possible.