Thalamus Video Troubleshooting - Internet Connectivity

This guide contains information for Troubleshooting and Supporting interviewers and applicants while using the Thalamus Virtual Interview platform. 

We recommend users test the virtual interview platform prior to their first interview day. View our guide on Testing the Virtual Interview Platform Prior to Your Interview Dates.

Check out our additional guides on this topic :

Thalamus Video Troubleshooting - Device Settings

How do I fix audio feedback (echo, reverb, static noise) during my session?

Thalamus Video Troubleshooting - In Video Experience

Optimizing Internet Connectivity:

Thalamus Video is a purely web-based video application run through your browser on Zoom.  The feature uses a technology called WebRTC.  This means that no software installation is necessary to use Thalamus video, which makes the experience similar to Google Meet/Hangouts.  Most users today connect to Zoom and Teams through software downloaded directly a user’s local computer.

The following steps can be taken to optimizing your connection:

Maximizing your Internet Connection and Speed: 

Maximizing your internet connection and speed, will result in the highest call quality on Thalamus video.  A hard-wired ethernet connection is most reliable, although most Wifi connections will be sufficient.

• Minimum Requirements
  • Download bandwidth: >8Mbps (i.e. your download speed)
  • Upload bandwidth: >1.5Mbps (i.e. your upload speed)
  • Ping speed/latency: <150ms (i.e. the time it takes for a small data set to be transmitted from your device to a server on the internet back to your device again.

When possible, disconnect from VPNs prior to joining Thalamus Video.  Firewalls and security settings may result in a poorer video experience. If a VPN is blocking your access to Thalamus Video, you will need to speak to your network administrator/IT. More information about our network configuration guidelines can be found in this guide

If on a mobile device, Wifi is preferred to cellular connection data.

Internet Speed Test: https://speedtest.net

*Note, most commercial internet providers offer download bandwidth of 50-1000Mbps, and upload bandwidth of 10-50+.  So we have attempted to optimize the software to work with all satisfactory internet connections.  The higher the available bandwidth, the higher the call quality will be.

• Ways to improve your connection/internet speed/video performance:
  • Move your device closer to your router or use a hard-wired ethernet connection.
  • Disconnect from your VPN.
  • Limit extraneous internet use (i.e. make sure nothing is streaming (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc.) or being downloaded/uploaded to your Wifi during your call when possible).
  • Close non-essential internet browser tabs.
  • Close non-essential applications on your computer, especially those that may use your speakers/microphone/camera.
  • Update your internet browser. Patches are released regularly as webRTC continues to grow and will result in enhanced video performance. 
    • Thalamus video is accessible through Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers. For the best optimal experience using Thalamus Video, we suggest using the most updated browser version of Chrome or Edge.
    • Important note: Internet Explorer is not a supported browser for Thalamus Video.
  • Clearing your browser cache may improve computer/mobile device performance, although can initially increase loading time of web pages.

If none of these options are successful, please try restarting your device.

Testing your Connection to Thalamus Video:

• • If none of the above options resolve the issue you're seeing, please contact us with the following:
    • Screenshot of the test results
    • Home or hospital network connection?
    • Are you on a VPN?
    • Personal or hospital-issued computer?
    • PC or Mac?

To-date, Thalamus video has completed tens of millions of minutes of virtual interviews and the information in this guide will assist in ensuring a high-quality virtual interview experience.

For additional questions or support please contact our team by submitting a ticket here or from the teal "Contact Thalamus Customer Support" button in the lower right hand corner of any page of our website.