With fast internet connections now available to many people and computers/mobile devices that have plenty of processing power for video calls, the vast majority of online sessions are completed successfully with high-quality video/audio and responsive, smooth EMDR Tools.
If you ever do experience an issue such as poor-quality video/audio or call disconnection then firstly we understand how unwelcome and disruptive this can be and we want to assure you that we do all we can to ensure the platform is as resilient as possible in conditions where a computer/device is struggling to run the call or the connection between the participants’ devices is slow or patchy.
The following simple steps can often solve issues when they sometimes occur and these steps are relevant to both therapists and clients.
- Restart your computer – Devices that have not been restarted in a while can run short of memory and be more prone to software glitches. Restarting may also give your device a chance to install new operating system and browser updates which can help performance and improve security.
- Restart your internet connection – This applies if you are using a home-style internet connection where you have access to the internet router/wifi hub. Over time, internet routers can start to run more slowly. Turning it off and on again can improve your internet speed. If you’re using a mobile data connection (e.g. from a smartphone) then try switching to a WiFi connection as this is often faster. Using an ethernet cable to connect your device to your internet router is an inexpensive option that will ensure you are getting the best possible speed and reliability.
- Use the recommended browser for your device – These browsers offer excellent support for the technologies we use for video conferencing/bilateral stimulation. In our experience, they are a little more resilient to slow or patchy internet conditions:
- PC – use Chrome or Edge (Firefox also supported)
- Mac – use Chrome (Safari & Firefox also supported)
- iPhone/iPad – use Safari or Chrome
- Android Table/Phone – use Chrome
- Close other programs – Video conferencing requires quite a lot of processing power and memory. Closing other programs or browser tabs that you don’t need will free up your device’s resources. Some programs e.g. other video conferencing programs can also sometimes cause issues with preventing Bilateral Base from accessing the webcam, speakers and mic so it’s a good idea to close these programs if you have experienced an issue with webcam or audio setup.
- Is anyone else using your internet connection? – Ensure there isn’t anyone else doing data-heavy activities on the same internet connection (e.g. watching Netflix / doing a video call) as this will reduce the amount of connection bandwidth available to you and reduce the quality and reliability of your call
- Reduce Distance to WiFi – WiFi signals become weak when they have to travel through walls or floors. Ideally be in the same room as your wifi hub or if not, no more than 1-2 walls in between your computer and the hub.
- Test your internet speed – Check your internet speed https://www.speedtest.net/ At a minimum it should be 3Mbps upload and download. Ideally, it would be 10+ Mbps If you’re not reaching this, then move closer to your wifi hub. Restart your internet router. Speak to your internet provider.
Identifying which side of a call the issue lies #
For therapists – If you are finding that sessions with some clients are fine but others are problematic, this is an indicator that the issue lies with the suitability of the client’s device/connection and you should share this article with them to assist in resolving this. If you are finding issues with most or all of your calls then this is an indicator that the issue is with your device/connection and the above steps should be used to try and address this.
Connection issues not present on an alternative video platform #
Some therapists report that they have call quality issues with a client using Bilateral Base, but not when they switch to another platform such as Zoom or Teams. Like these other services we have a network of servers around the world so that the distance between you and the nearest server is never very far. In some cases where your connection speed is marginal for running video calls, it may be that the server of another platform happens to be closer or travelling though less congested routes through the internet to your location and that makes the difference in the call quality you see. If this is the case for you then you can always use the Bilateral Base EMDR tools alongside an alternative video conference provider. See https://www.bilateralbase.com/support/using-external-video/
