There could be several issues affecting your Windows desktop or laptop computer preventing it from successfully connecting to a RingCentral event Backstage/Stage, Session, Expo Booth, Networking. Find below a few suggestions to help you troubleshoot those issues, go through them in order.
1. Test Microsoft Defender Firewall
Turn off your Microsoft Defender Firewall (temporarily just to do this test) by following the instructions available on the Microsoft Support Site: Turn Microsoft Defender Firewall on or off.
Then run the RingCentral Pre-Event Check as described in our article Test your local setup with the RingCentral Pre-Event Check. It may take a few minutes to complete.
When complete, you should see a screen such as below.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step, but first turn your firewall back on following the guide above.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means your Windows Defender Firewall was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
In this case have a look around your Windows Firewall settings and see if there's anything being blocked related to RingCentral Events or ports as per our Network Connectivity Settings article, and disable it.
Once you have disabled anything that may have affected RingCentral Events, you can turn your firewall back on and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
2. Test Microsoft Defender or Third-Party Antivirus
Windows comes with its own antivirus solution named Windows Defender Antivirus, however you may have a third-party antivirus installed on your desktop or laptop device. You may also have a third-party Internet Protection software that comes as part of your third-party antivirus or as a separate package. They can all interfere with connectivity to RingCentral Events if misconfigured, so we are providing some suggestions below to help you.
You should check if any of your settings are interfering with RingCentral Events or they are limiting what you can do. If unsure please have someone technical or your company IT department assist you with this. First try disabling Windows Defender Antivirus temporarily (scroll to the bottom of the article for instructions): Stay protected with Windows Security.
If you have a third-party antivirus Windows Defender Antivirus will be automatically disabled. In that case or if you have any internet protection software as well check out the settings and see if anything mentions hopin.com or app.hopin.com or anything is restricting the use of your camera and microphone. Also check if your settings are set for maximum protection/safety as that may disable needed functionality.
Once you checked your settings and temporarily disabled your antivirus or internet protection software try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/ again and see if it works.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step, but first turn your antivirus and/or internet protection software back on.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means your antivirus and/or internet protection software was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
In this case have a look around your antivirus software settings and see if there's anything being blocked related to RingCentral Events or ports as per our Network Connectivity Settings article, and disable it.
Once you have disabled anything that may have affected RingCentral Events, you can turn your antivirus and/or internet protection software back on and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
3. Test your Windows network connection
There may be some custom network settings on Windows such as custom DNS settings which may or may not get you out on the internet properly, possibly installed by VPN software or Internet protection software or other third-party app.
Again you may need the assistance of an expert or your company's IT department to troubleshoot this. Below is a document from Microsoft which you may find useful for this purpose: Fix network connection issues in Windows. Use the network troubleshooter to see if there's anything affecting your connection.
If you have a VPN installed, make sure you turn it off temporarily.
Once you have checked your network settings, run the network troubleshooter, and temporarily disabled your VPN or internet protection software try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/ again and see if it works.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means one of your network settings, VPN, etc., was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
4. Test your startup and installed applications
There may be an application that is taking control of your camera and/or microphone or another app/utility when you start Windows up. Check the document below from Microsoft to see if there are any startup apps that may be interfering:
Change which apps run automatically at startup in Windows.
See if anything looks like it may interfere, you can always turn apps off temporarily. System utilities provided by the computer manufacturer may also interfere, app trials that may have expired can also be an issue, camera and microphone utilities installed when you purchased a third-party microphone or webcam may cause issues if not configured properly. The below document from Microsoft shows you how to check all the apps you have installed:
Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows 10.
If you see something that may cause issues, an app trial has expired (and you don't plan to continue using it) you should be able to remove them.
Once you have checked your startup and installed apps for issues and misconfigurations, try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/ again and see if it works.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means one of your apps or configuration settings was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
5. Test external devices
Your Windows computer may have external devices connected to it that may not be working properly such as:
- External microphone and/or webcam
- USB/Thunderbolt Ethernet Adapter
- Bluetooth WiFi adapter
- USB/Thunderbolt multiport Dock or Hub
Make sure they are installed and configured properly, try disconnecting them (eject them from within Windows) and connect them again. Try looking at the software that came with the devices and see if the settings are correct.
Once you have checked your external devices for issues and misconfigurations, try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/ again and see if it works.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means one of your external devices, associated apps or configuration settings was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
6. Test your Internet Router
Make sure your internet router doesn't have any firewall or port blocking turned on, check that your Windows devices are getting an IP address from it and are not blocked by mistake. You should be able to call your ISP and have a technician log into your router to double check for you. You should have been provided with instructions from your ISP on how to login into your router and check basic configuration settings. Sometimes resetting your router to default settings may help.
If you have a TV package included with your internet service (such as Virgin Media, Sky, etc) try to switch off the TV temporarily while you test connectivity to RingCentral Events, a 4K TV stream can also cause problems.
If you are connecting to your router via Ethernet cable, make sure the cable is not faulty, if possible, test with a new or different cable.
Check that all the connections to your router and from your router are correctly plugged in, cables and connectors are not loose or damaged.
Once you have checked your router for issues and misconfigurations, try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/ again and see if it works.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, skip to the next step.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check does not report connection issues, you should now be able to access the RingCentral Events platform as expected and means one of your router settings, functions, cables, or associated apps was blocking access to RingCentral Events.
7. Test a different device within your network
Last but not least, if anything else fails to prove successful, find a different computer/laptop or one from a friend or family member you know it works with RingCentral Events when connected outside your network. Connect this new device to your network and try to run the test at https://pre-event-check.hopin.com/.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event Check reports connection issues, most likely it is an issue with the internet connection, so long as the new device can connect fine within another network.
If the RingCentral Pre-Event check does not report connection issues, then you will definitely know there is something wrong with your computer set up.