How to Monitor Network and Zoom Performance & Fix “Your Internet Connection is Unstable” on Zoom

Laggy video, packet loss, and jitter make it difficult to have a clear and coherent conversation over Zoom - which is why it’s important to identify these Zoom issues before your next call.

In this article, we’re teaching you how to monitor network performance and Zoom performance to help you have the clearest Zoom experience, and fix “Your Internet Connection is Unstable.”

Zoom calls have become a staple of modern life, connecting us with friends, family, and colleagues from all over the world. But have you ever experienced the frustration of a laggy, glitchy Zoom call that leaves you feeling like you're in a bad sci-fi movie?

Fear not, fellow Zoomers, because in this post, we're going to teach you how to become a Zoom performance monitor extraordinaire! Whether you're hosting a virtual happy hour, giving a presentation, or attending a team meeting, we've got you covered with tips, tricks, and tools to ensure that your Zoom calls are as smooth as butter. So, grab your headphones, your favorite beverage, and let's dive in!"

VoIP Quality and unified communication applications, like Zoom, can be drastically impacted by poor network performance. Since Zoom is an Internet-based platform, it relies heavily on a stable and reliable network connection to provide a seamless user experience. Network performance plays a critical role in the overall performance of Zoom and a stable and reliable network connection is essential to ensuring a smooth and seamless user experience.

That's why monitoring end-to-end network performance to identify network issues in your network will help you improve your Zoom performance and allow you to address Zoom issues like unstable Internet connection.

Anyone that uses Zoom on a regular basis will be familiar with some of the most common Zoom performance issues and error messages that pop up and interrupt your most important meetings. Monitoring your Zoom performance will help you troubleshoot some of these very annoying performance issues:

1. "Network connection failed": This error message indicates that there is an issue with the user's internet connection, preventing them from joining or hosting a Zoom meeting.
2. "Your Internet connection is unstable": This message appears when the user's Internet connection is too weak or unstable to support a reliable Zoom call.
3. Bandwidth Limitations: Zoom requires a minimum bandwidth of 1.5 Mbps for both upload and download speeds. If the available bandwidth is not sufficient, it can result in a poor quality video and audio.
4. Firewall Settings: Firewalls can block Zoom traffic and prevent it from functioning properly. This can cause issues with audio, video, and screen sharing.
5. Virtual Private Network (VPN): Using a VPN can cause issues with connectivity and slow down the network speed, leading to problems during Zoom calls.
6. Zoom Server Issues: Occasionally, Zoom may experience server issues or outages, which can cause problems with connectivity, audio, and video.

Anyone using Zoom has undoubtedly seen this message at least once. If your Zoom connection is unstable, freezing, buffering and disconnecting will happen and you’ll see a message pop up that says “Your Internet Connection is Unstable.”

The quality of the Internet connection is what makes or breaks Zoom meetings. When you see that message, you know that you have Internet problems and Zoom performance issues and things are not running smoothly.

The symptoms of an unstable connection when using Zoom can include:

Zoom packet loss refers to the situation where some data packets transmitted during a Zoom video conference call fail to reach their destination. When data packets are lost, it can result in disruptions to the flow of the call, such as frozen images, choppy or distorted audio, or even dropped connections.

Packet loss can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as network congestion, interference, or hardware or software issues. It is typically more prevalent in wireless networks or in situations where the Internet connection is not stable or has limited bandwidth.

Zoom jitter refers to the variability in the delay between packets of data transmitted during a video conference call on the Zoom platform. Jitter can cause disruptions in the flow of the call, such as frozen or pixelated images, choppy audio, or lagging. This can be particularly problematic during video calls where participants are trying to communicate in real-time.

Jitter can be caused by a variety of factors, such as network congestion, internet bandwidth limitations, and software or hardware issues.

Zoom screens freezing occurs when the video feed on a Zoom call becomes stuck or frozen, usually due to a problem with the transmission or reception of data packets. When screens freeze, participants may not be able to see or hear each other clearly, which can make communication difficult.

There are several factors that can cause screens to freeze during a Zoom call. These include network congestion, limited bandwidth, unstable or slow internet connections, hardware or software issues with the computer or device being used, or problems with the Zoom software itself.

Poor Zoom audio and video quality can occur due to a variety of reasons and can be frustrating for participants, making it difficult to communicate effectively. Some of the common causes of poor quality include:

• Poor Internet connection
• Insufficient bandwidth
• Hardware issues
• Zoom software issues

Zoom meeting disconnection occurs when a Zoom call is unexpectedly terminated, either by the participant or due to an issue with the Zoom software or internet connection. When a disconnection occurs, participants may be unable to communicate with each other, and any work or discussions that were in progress may be lost.

There are several factors that can cause a Zoom meeting disconnection. These include:

• Unstable Internet connection
• Zoom software issues
• Hardware issues
• Meeting timeout

When this happens, our instinct is to panic and blindly try different solutions to improve our Internet connection. But what’s actually causing such poor connectivity?

Monitoring your network performance with a tool like Obkio Network Performance Monitoring helps you monitor your Internet connection and address Zoom Internet connection problems by monitoring your Zoom network performance during your calls, and showing you clearly when a network problem occurred, why it happened, and what part of your network is responsible.

Because, despite the message, the “Your Internet Connection is Unstable” notification doesn’t necessarily mean your Internet is the main culprit.

Now, we’re going to run you through the steps for monitoring network and Zoom performance, including how to continuously monitor Internet connection and how to troubleshoot “Your Internet Connection is Unstable” on Zoom.

To continuously monitor your network and Zoom performance, we recommend using a tool like Obkio Network Monitoring software to do the work for you.

A network monitoring tool can continuously monitor end-to-end network performance and identify network issues for you. It can help locate the source of problems affecting Zoom when Zoom performance is unstable, but your Internet is working just fine.

Remember, your Internet isn't always the main problem! With Obkio's UC and VoIP monitoring features, you have your very own Zoom network monitor.

Get started with Obkio’s Free Trial!

To begin monitoring Zoom network performance with Obkio, you need to deploy Monitoring Agents which continuously run tests to measure network and application performance.

As mentioned earlier, Zoom is supported by AWS. It leverage AWS’s global infrastructure, storage, content distribution, and security to deliver its services.

So when you’re looking to monitor Zoom network performance, use an AWS Monitoring Agent. This would be Obkio’s AWS Monitoring Agent.

AWS’ Monitoring Agents are hosted and maintained by Obkio in the AWS cloud infrastructure, which means that they can be deployed within seconds. They're great for AWS network monitoring

Zoom leverages Amazon’s AWS infrastructure and therefore stores customer data in Amazon’s global cloud locations. So when you’re looking to monitor the performance of these apps, it’s important to choose a Public Monitoring Agent which has been deployed in the Data Center located closest to the AWS Data Center closest to you.

To learn how to find the AWS Data Center location used by your Zoom, check out our article on How to Identify the Zoom Data Center Location on AWS Infrastructure.

If you’re using a Pro, Business, Enterprise or Education account, you can choose your Data Center in the Zoom settings. Learn how to do this in this Zoom documentation.

We recommend deploying a minimum of more than two Agents to more accurately compare data.

Many other applications, like Zoom, use cloud providers like Google Cloud, AWS and Azure to function. Even if you’re not a client of these providers yourself, monitoring the performance of these cloud apps can help you identify:

• If the problems you’re experiencing are local
• Or if they’re happening within AWS’ network and affecting a variety of different applications and sites using AWS

For example, if you’re monitoring Zoom network performance between your head office and your Internet:

• Use 1 Agent in your Head Office
• 2 Agents to monitor Internet performance (example, an Azure Agent and an AWS Agent).

This way, if you have a network problem, you can easily see if that same problem is affecting all your sites or just one. If the problem is affecting all your sites, having Agents allows you to collect the most accurate data to troubleshoot, as well as create a comparison point.

Once you’ve set up your AWS Monitoring Agent and followed Obkio's Onboarding Wizard, you now have a Zoom network monitoring tool! Your Monitoring Agents will then start to continuously exchange synthetic UDP traffic between each other to monitor performance and Zoom performance everyone in your network.

A stable and reliable network connection is essential to ensuring a smooth and seamless user experience. That's why Obkio monitors key network performance metrics to help identify any network-related issues that may be impacting Zoom performance, such as:

• Latency: Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel from the sender to the receiver. In Zoom, high latency can cause delays in audio and video synchronization, leading to a poor user experience. It is measured in milliseconds (ms), and lower latency values are desirable.
• Jitter: Jitter is the variation in the delay of packet arrival caused by network congestion, improper queuing, or other factors. In Zoom, high jitter can cause audio and video distortion, making it difficult to understand and follow the conversation. Jitter is measured in milliseconds (ms), and lower jitter values are better.
• Packet loss: Packet loss occurs when data packets are dropped or fail to reach their destination. In Zoom, packet loss can result in choppy audio or video, pixelation, or frozen screens. It is expressed as a percentage, and lower packet loss rates are preferred.
• VoIP Quality with MOS Score: VoIP Quality: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) quality specifically focuses on the audio aspect of Zoom performance. It assesses the clarity, consistency, and reliability of voice communication during a video conference. Factors such as background noise, echo, distortion, and dropped audio packets can affect the overall VoIP quality. VoIP monitoring metrics helps ensure that participants can communicate effectively without experiencing audio-related issues. Common VoIP quality metrics include mean opinion score (MOS), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and packet loss rate for audio packets.
• Bandwidth: Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted over a network connection in a given time. In Zoom, sufficient bandwidth is necessary to support high-quality audio and video streams. Insufficient bandwidth can result in degraded audio and video quality. Bandwidth is typically measured in bits per second (bps) or kilobits per second (Kbps).
• Network Congestion: Network congestion occurs when there is a high volume of traffic on a network, leading to reduced performance. In Zoom, network congestion can cause increased latency, packet loss, and jitter. Monitoring for signs of network congestion can help identify potential issues before they impact the user experience.
• Firewall and Proxy Settings: Firewalls and proxies can impact Zoom's performance by blocking certain network ports or interfering with data transmission. Monitoring firewall and proxy settings is important to ensure that the necessary ports are open and properly configured for Zoom.
• Quality of Service (QoS): QoS refers to the ability to prioritize specific types of network traffic, such as Zoom video and audio packets, over other types of traffic. Implementing QoS mechanisms can help ensure that Zoom traffic is given priority, reducing the likelihood of performance issues.

Obkio's Network Response Time Graph and VoIP Quality Graph showing Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss .

To identify Zoom issues, you’ll want to let the Agents run and collect data for some time. If you’re unlucky enough, you’ll see the performance issues after just a few minutes, but we recommend letting the Agents collect data for at least 3 hours.

Obkio can then detect outages within 5 seconds and network degradation within a minute. So Obkio can identify the exact moment that your Zoom Internet connection becomes unstable, according to Zoom, incluidng:

• The cause and source of the network problems.
• Where and when they happened.
• And who is responsible for fixing it.

Check out our article on Zoom Troubleshooting Performance and Connection Issues for next steps. We'll also give you a summary next:

Zoom Troubleshooting: The Complete Guide

Learn how to use Network Monitoring tools for Zoom troubleshooting to identify and fix common Zoom performance and connection issues.

Learn more

If you have a Zoom performance or connectivity issue, you’ll be able to see it in the graph. You can see moments of jitter, packet loss, and latency. And even the impact on MOS Score.

From here, we’ll start with the 3 Zoom troubleshooting steps.

To begin troubleshooting your Zoom issue, you need to first establish: Is it really a network problem?

To do this, you’ll need to compare the monitoring sessions between the AWS Public Monitoring Agent and the other Public Monitoring Agent you deployed.

1. A Network Issue On 2 Sessions: If you find a Zoom issue happening on 2 network sessions, this means that the issue is happening on a network segment that is common to both network sessions. The issue is broader, not exclusive to Zoom and affects all services and applications that depend on the network. This could be in the LAN, the firewall or the local loop Internet connection.

A Network Issue On 2 Sessions

1. A Network Issue On 1 Session: If you find a Zoom issue happening on only 1 network session, This means that the network problem is happening specifically towards that specific location on the Internet and that the problem is further away.

A Network Issue On 1 Session

If the Zoom issue is happening on both network sessions, compare that data using Obkio’s Device Monitoring feature to further understand if the Zoom connectivity issue is happening on your end, or over the Internet, in your Service Provider’s network.

1. CPU or Bandwidth Issues: When you compare your previous data with Device Monitoring metrics, if you find CPU or Bandwidth issues, this likely means that the problem is on your end and you need to do something.
2. Internet Problems on Your ISP’s Side: If you don’t see any resource issues from your devices, this is a sign that the network problem affecting your Zoom performance is on your Service Provider’s end. In this case, you need to open a service ticket with as much information as you can collect. And, for your request to be taken seriously and be quickly escalated past 1st level support, you need to share as much information as you can.

At this point, you can now collect the last bit of data about where exactly the network problem is located so you can share that information with your Service Provider. To do this, we’ll be using Obkio Vision, Obkio’s free Visual Traceroute tool.

By using Traceroutes, the Network Map, and the Quality Matrix you’ll be able to identify if:

1. The problem is happening specifically towards a specific location over the Internet. So only one specific site is being affected.
2. The problem is on your ISP’s side and you need to open a service ticket with as much information as you can collect.

Obkio Vision Network Map

If the problem is on your ISP's End:

• Contact your ISP to get technical support using the screenshots of Monitoring Sessions, Dashboards or Traceroutes in Vision.
• Share results of Live Traceroutes with your ISP using a public link.
• If your ISP wants to analyze your data further, you can create a temporary Read-Only User in your Obkio account for them.

Now that you know what issues are affecting Zoom performance, you're ready to take the next steps to solve them!

As we mentioned above, if the Zoom issue is happening in your ISP's network, open a support ticket using Obkio's data and work with them to troubleshoot. If the performance issue is happening locally, it's up to your team to troubleshoot. Obkio will also give you the data to help you decide how to proceed, but to get you started, here are some ways to solve some common Zoom issues.

To minimize packet loss during a Zoom call, it's important to ensure that you have a stable and reliable Internet connection, use wired connections instead of Wi-Fi whenever possible, close any unnecessary applications that may be using up bandwidth, and optimize network settings to prioritize video and audio traffic. Additionally, Zoom has a feature called "Optimize for low bandwidth" that can help to reduce the impact of packet loss during calls by adjusting video quality to accommodate for slower or unstable connections.

1. Check your Internet connection: A slow or unstable Internet connection can cause packet loss on Zoom. You can try resetting your router or modem, or upgrading your Internet service plan to a higher speed.
2. Use a wired connection: A wired Internet connection is typically more stable than a wireless connection. Consider using an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router.
3. Close unnecessary programs: Running multiple programs on your computer at the same time can cause network congestion and packet loss. Close any programs that you are not using to free up bandwidth.
4. Update Zoom: Make sure you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your device, as updates may include bug fixes and improvements that address packet loss issues.
5. Adjust Zoom settings: You can adjust Zoom settings, such as video quality and bandwidth usage, to optimize performance and reduce packet loss. Lowering the video resolution or disabling the video altogether can reduce the amount of data being transmitted and lower the likelihood of packet loss.
6. Consider QoS settings: Quality of Service (QoS) settings on your router can prioritize traffic for Zoom calls and reduce packet loss. Consult your router documentation for information on how to enable QoS.

1. Check your Internet connection: A slow or unstable internet connection can cause jitter on Zoom. You can try resetting your router or modem, or upgrading your Internet service plan to a higher speed.
2. Use a wired connection: A wired internet connection is typically more stable than a wireless connection. Consider using an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router.
3. Close unnecessary programs: Running multiple programs on your computer at the same time can cause network congestion and jitter. Close any programs that you are not using to free up bandwidth.
4. Update Zoom: Make sure you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your device, as updates may include bug fixes and improvements that address jitter issues.
5. Adjust Zoom settings: You can adjust Zoom settings, such as video quality and bandwidth usage, to optimize performance and reduce jitter. Lowering the video resolution or disabling the video altogether can reduce the amount of data being transmitted and lower the likelihood of jitter.
6. Disable virtual backgrounds: Virtual backgrounds can be a source of jitter on Zoom. Disabling virtual backgrounds may help improve performance.
7. Use the "Optimize for low-end PC" option: This option can help improve performance on older or less powerful computers by lowering the quality of the video being transmitted.

1. Check your Internet connection: A slow or unstable Internet connection can cause latency on Zoom. You can try resetting your router or modem, or upgrading your Internet service plan to a higher speed.
2. Use a wired connection: A wired internet connection is typically more stable than a wireless connection. Consider using an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router.
3. Close unnecessary programs: Running multiple programs on your computer at the same time can cause network congestion and latency. Close any programs that you are not using to free up bandwidth.
4. Update Zoom: Make sure you have the latest version of Zoom installed on your device, as updates may include bug fixes and improvements that address latency issues.
5. Adjust Zoom settings: You can adjust Zoom settings, such as video quality and bandwidth usage, to optimize performance and reduce latency. Lowering the video resolution or disabling the video altogether can reduce the amount of data being transmitted and lower the likelihood of latency.
6. Turn off video or use audio-only mode: If the latency issue persists, consider turning off video or switching to audio-only mode.
7. Check system resources: If your computer is running low on memory or processing power, it may struggle to keep up with the demands of Zoom. Close any unnecessary programs or consider upgrading your hardware.

1. Check your Internet connection: A slow or unstable Internet connection can cause bandwidth limitations on Zoom. You can try resetting your router or modem, or upgrading your Internet service plan to a higher speed.
2. Use a wired connection: A wired internet connection is typically more stable than a wireless connection. Consider using an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router.
3. Adjust Zoom settings: You can adjust Zoom settings, such as video quality and bandwidth usage, to optimize performance and reduce bandwidth limitations. Lowering the video resolution or disabling the video altogether can reduce the amount of data being transmitted and lower the likelihood of bandwidth limitations.
4. Use virtual backgrounds sparingly: Virtual backgrounds can use a lot of bandwidth, especially if the background is constantly changing. Limit your use of virtual backgrounds to conserve bandwidth.
5. Turn off non-essential video and audio feeds: If you are in a large meeting or webinar, consider turning off non-essential video and audio feeds to reduce the amount of data being transmitted.
6. Upgrade your Zoom plan: If you frequently experience bandwidth limitations on Zoom, consider upgrading to a higher Zoom plan that offers more bandwidth.
7. Consider QoS settings: Quality of Service (QoS) settings on your router can prioritize traffic for Zoom calls and reduce bandwidth limitations. Consult your router documentation for information on how to enable QoS.

Network performance plays a critical role in the overall performance of Zoom - that's why a tool like Obkio is important! Zoom is an Internet-based platform, and it relies on a stable and reliable network connection to provide a seamless user experience.

Here are some ways that network performance can affect Zoom performance:

1. Audio and Video Quality: The quality of audio and video during a Zoom call can be impacted by network performance. Poor network connectivity can result in lag, frozen screens, and distorted audio, which can make it difficult to communicate effectively during the call.
2. Call Dropouts: Network performance can also lead to call dropouts or disconnections. If the network connection is unstable or weak, the Zoom call may drop or disconnect, interrupting the flow of the conversation.
3. Bandwidth Limitations: Zoom requires a minimum bandwidth of 1.5 Mbps for both upload and download speeds. If the available bandwidth is not sufficient, it can result in a poor quality video and audio.
4. Screen Sharing: Network performance can also impact the screen sharing feature of Zoom. If the network is slow, it can cause delays or lag in screen sharing, making it difficult to share content effectively.
5. Virtual Backgrounds: Zoom's virtual background feature can also be affected by network performance. If the network connection is poor, virtual backgrounds may not appear as smooth or may cause glitches during the call.

In summary, network performance is a critical factor in the overall performance of Zoom. Monitoring key network performance metrics such as latency, packet loss, and jitter with Obkio can help identify any network-related issues that may be impacting Zoom performance, and taking steps to optimize network performance can help improve the overall performance of the Zoom application.

So we already know that network performance can affect Zoom performance, but how can you know for sure?

It’s not always clear if a problem is located in your business’ network, in your service provider’s network, or somewhere else entirely. We’ve all been on one of these never-ending conference calls with Service Providers where everyone seems to be pointing fingers and blaming someone else.

By using a performance monitoring solution and deploying Monitoring Agents in strategic locations, you can clearly identify if a problem is network-related, and if so, where a network problem is coming from.

For example, Zoom is supported by AWS, and has been since 2011. This means that problems within AWS’s network can affect your Zoom application. Although you may not be an AWS customer yourself, if you’re having problems with your Zoom performance, these issues may be affecting a range of other applications and sites using AWS.

Monitoring your AWS and network performance will help you determine if your network is affecting Zoom, and if so, how.

Network problems can affect so many different parts of your network, from your Internet, VoIP, firewall, and UC applications, like Zoom.

The best way to avoid network problems interrupting your Zoom meetings is to continuously monitor Internet connection to proactively identify problems that may make an appearance during Zoom meetings. Monitoring Zoom performance is important for several reasons:

1. Ensure Smooth User Experience: Zoom performance monitoring helps ensure that users have a smooth and uninterrupted experience during their calls. By tracking the performance metrics of the Zoom application, you can identify any issues that may be causing disruptions or poor audio and video quality.
2. Optimize Network Performance: Zoom performance monitoring can also help identify network-related issues that may be impacting Zoom performance. By monitoring network performance metrics such as latency, packet loss, and jitter, you can identify network issues that may be impacting Zoom calls and take steps to optimize your network performance.
3. Identify and Resolve Technical Issues: Zoom performance monitoring can help identify technical issues that may be impacting the performance of the Zoom application. By monitoring performance metrics such as CPU and memory usage, you can identify any performance bottlenecks or issues that may be causing slow performance.
4. Improve Meeting Quality: By monitoring Zoom performance, you can identify opportunities to improve the quality of your Zoom meetings. For example, you may identify that certain types of content or features are causing performance issues, and you can adjust your meetings accordingly to improve the overall quality.
5. Maintain Productivity: Zoom performance monitoring can help ensure that your team remains productive and efficient during virtual meetings. By minimizing disruptions and maximizing the quality of your Zoom calls, you can ensure that your team remains focused and engaged during meetings.

In summary, monitoring Zoom performance is essential for maintaining a smooth and productive user experience during virtual meetings. By identifying and addressing issues related to network performance, technical issues, and meeting quality, you can optimize the performance of the Zoom application and maintain productivity and efficiency during virtual meetings.

You’re ready to start monitoring! You won’t need to worry about freezing or lagging during your next client call over Zoom.

Monitoring Zoom performance is like having a superpower that lets you ensure smooth and seamless virtual meetings for everyone involved. By keeping a close eye on network performance and other performance metrics, you can identify and troubleshoot issues before they turn into major problems.

So, whether you're the IT superhero of your organization or just a Zoom power user, remember to keep your eyes on the metrics and your head in the cloud (computing, that is!). With the right tools and a little bit of know-how, you can make sure that every Zoom meeting is a success and that everyone involved is happy, productive, and ready to take on the world (or at least the next meeting).

Now that you have your Obkio monitoring setup in place, it’s extremely easy to install more agents in branch offices, data centers and other clouds providers to monitor network performance. Obkio is your very own Zoom performance monitor!

So, go forth, monitor Zoom performance, and save the day, one virtual meeting at a time!

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