Troubleshooting Guide: Online Consulting

The platform we use for synchronous online consulting works well in most cases, but below you will find tips for troubleshooting the most frequent audiovisual connectivity issues our consultants, tutors, and clients encounter.

The tips are intended to offer guidance once you have made an online appointment and accessed the online consultation module.

Top Troubleshooting Tips for Online Consultations in WCOnline

1. Make sure you have allowed your browser access to your camera and microphone. And use the chat feature in the sidebar in the meantime.
2. Exit the online session and reenter from the Appointment form by selecting “Start or Join Online Consultation” again. (Try this simplest of steps first, especially if the connection issues appear mid-session.)
3. Switch browsers. (Firefox, Chrome, and Safari can all work fine. Sometimes simply closing your current browser and switching to an alternate resolves audiovisual connection issues in which video and audio seemed to be blocked.)
4. Make sure your browser is updated. (If problems persist, follow the steps outlined below for making sure you browser is fully up to date.)
5. Close everything and restart your computer. (This time consuming process has proven effective for resolving a number of otherwise persistent connectivity issues, particularly an issue in which users could not see that others were logged into the platform at all. But in the middle of a session, consider the following step, too.)
6. Switch to another mode of interaction. (Zoom, Skype, etc.)

How to Update Your Browser

We have discovered that audio issues occur when browsers are not updated to their latest version.

Before your session (or if you start a session and find your audio is not transmitting), we recommend that you check for updates to your browser. You can do so following the quick steps below.

Updating your browser on a Mac

Chrome (on Mac)

Click on “Chrome” next to the apple in the upper-left corner, then select “About Chrome.” It will open a page that should automatically check for updates. Select to apply the update if an update is detected (which will close and relaunch Chrome).

Firefox (on Mac)

Click on “Firefox” next to the apple in the upper-left corner of the screen, then select “About Firefox.” In the window that opens, a message will either display that Firefox is up to date or that it can be updated. Select the update, which will relaunch the browser.

Updating your browser on a PC

Chrome (on PC)

Click on the three vertical dots to the right of the address bar, then select “Help,” and then “About Chrome.” Select to apply the update if one is missing.

Firefox (On PC)

Click on the icon of three stacked bars to the right of the address bar, then select the “?” at the bottom of that menu, and then at the bottom of the list “About Firefox.” In the window that opens, a message will either display that Firefox is up to date or that it can be updated. Select the update, which will relaunch the browser.