BBB Technical Requirements

Minimum Requirements

Minimum requirements may vary depending on the device and browser being used.

We recommend all users ensure they are meeting the minimum requirements for BigBlueButton HTML5 prior to their first live session.

If you would like to test your connection prior to joining or would like to initiate a demo session, you may use this link.

Recommended Browsers

The recommended browsers are:

Desktop/Laptop: Chrome, Firefox or Edge (latest versions)

Mobile iOS (12.2+): Safari Mobile

Mobile Android (6.0+): Chrome Mobile

Note: IE and legacy EDGE browsers are not supported.

Network connectivity

Each user should be able to make the following TCP/IP and UDP network connections.

Protocol Port(s) Description

TCP/IP 80 HTTP

TCP/IP 443 HTTPS

UDP 16384-32768 Encrypted WebRTC audio, video, and screen share media stream (DTLS-SRTP)

Note: If a firewall blocks the UDP connections for the user, it would cause the media connections to "tunnel" through port 443, which, if is also behind a firewall, the user may experience performance issues with sharing and viewing audio/video.

Mobile Device Users

The following settings are recommended for all users connecting to BigBlueButton from a mobile device:

For data network, we recommended 4G LTI for best results or a minimum 3G Network to use audio, view presentation content, and receive screen sharing.
For connection via wireless, we recommend private versus public networks.
For device settings, we recommend reducing device usage while connecting to BigBlueButton; close applications that may run in the background, and reduce browsing activities.

Additional Recommendations for Moderator/Presenters

Moderators and Presenters have the same requirements as viewers and can join BigBlueButton using a mobile device, however, the use of more bandwidth-intensive features such as screen sharing may be limited. For screen sharing, we recommend using FireFox, Chrome or Edge for the best results.

Screen sharing uses more bandwidth than sharing a webcam. To broadcast, screen sharing takes about 1 Mbits/sec of upstream bandwidth. Therefore, for the current presenter -- such as when a viewer (student) is made presenter by a moderator -- we recommend the presenter have upstream bandwidth of at least 2 Mbits/sec.

We recommend moderators or presenters connect through a wired network (not wireless) if possible. If connecting from a wireless network that is not reliable, you may experience periodic disconnects or gaps in your audio.

We recommend Moderators and Presenters connect from a desktop or laptop device whenever possible to ensure all features and functions available in BigBlueButton are accessible to the user.

IMPORTANT: at this time, screen sharing is not supported on mobile devices. Presenters who wish to use the screen sharing function should use a laptop, desktop, or Chromebook device.

Desktop/Laptop Users

The following settings are recommended for all users connecting to BigBlueButton via desktop or laptop device:

For a computer, you need a laptop or desktop computer with (at least) 4G of memory and a 2+ GHz processor (any computer bought in the last three years should be fine), or any Chromebook with 4G of memory and a 1.5+ GHz processor.
For bandwidth, you must have at least 1.0 MB/second upstream and 2 MB/second downstream and a recommended average ping of 30ms (wired ethernet recommended). To check bandwidth use, https://speedtest.net/.

For browsers, we recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.
For audio, we strongly recommend using a headset. A headset will ensure that others can hear your voice clearly and you don’t cause echo or background noise for others. You do not need to buy an expensive one -- any basic headset with a built-in microphone will work.

A laptop with a built-in webcam and microphone will be sufficient as well if you’re in a quiet area.

Regarding Multiple Video Feeds

At this time, BigBlueButton (BBB) does not support multiple video feeds from a single user (e.g., using both a webcam and a document camera simultaneously).

To share documents or visual aids effectively during a session, we recommend scanning any paper materials using a mobile phone or scanner and uploading the files directly into BBB. This allows educators and students to annotate and interact with the material simultaneously. For instructions on uploading documents, please refer to the How to Upload Lesson Materials article.

By digitizing your materials and uploading them to BBB, you ensure a smoother experience for both yourself and your students. This approach allows for more dynamic interaction, such as simultaneous annotation, while avoiding potential technical issues.

For educators who prefer to use a document camera, you may attempt to log in to the session from two separate windows (e.g., using a second device or browser tab) and select the document camera as the input for one login and the webcam for the other. Note: This approach is not officially supported and may impact your connection stability, as you would be streaming multiple video feeds to the classroom.