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Network performance guide

  • Updated

Screen sharing performance depends on multiple network factors. This guide helps you diagnose and resolve network-related issues affecting your Airtame streaming experience.

Performance Symptoms to Watch For

  • Choppy streaming with frequent stops and starts
  • Over 1 second delay between the personal device and the Airtame screen
  • Frequent disconnections during streaming
  • Stream sessions take over 3 seconds to initiate

Initial Troubleshooting Steps

Network Infrastructure

  1. Power and Positioning
    • Ensure the Airtame device is properly powered (PoE+, DC adapter, or USB)
    • Position Airtame on the edge or side of the display to avoid WiFi dead zones
    • Keep the device within 15m/50ft of an access point
  2. Access Point Configuration
    • Reboot access point
    • Disable power-saving settings
    • Update access point firmware
    • Check access point load and connected devices

Network checking

To make network testing as easy as possible, we recommend using our Airtame network check.exe. The script will produce a complete status report on any missing network settings to utilize Airtame correctly.

The script will complete a series of different checks:

  1. Tests all hostnames required for standard Airtame operation, including digital signage
  2. If video conferencing is enabled on the tested Airtame device: tests hostnames for each supported video conferencing service
  3. Tests network ports across UDP and TCP for general use and native protocols
  4. Tests the ping speed between the laptop and the Airtame screen

How to run the network script

As the script runs, it will report the results in the command prompt

The completed test results of the Airtame network check

Manual Ping test

In case you don't want to use the script, follow this guide to manually perform the test.

  • Locate the IP address of an Airtame device in Airtame Cloud
  • Run the Ping test
    • Windows: Open CMD, run ping [Airtame IP] -n 20
    • Mac: Open Terminal, run ping [Airtame IP]
  • Calculate the median "time" of all 20 pings
  • Compare the median to the following values:
    • <10 ms: Excellent - Low latency, clear picture
    • 10-50 ms: Good - Moderate latency, stable picture
    • 50-200 ms: Poor - High latency, degraded picture
    • >200 ms: Very Poor - High likelihood of dropouts, poor quality
  • Verify no packages were dropped
    • As long as less than 1% of packets are dropped, the connection is considered healthy.

A manual ping test of an Airtame device. The average value is 113ms, which indicates a poor network speed.

Measure screen sharing latency

  1. Open an online stopwatch
  2. Start stopwatch
  3. Initiate Airtame stream
  4. Photograph both screens
  5. Calculate time difference

Expected Delay:

  • Without audio: 10-400 milliseconds
  • With audio: 1-2 seconds (intentional sync mechanism)

WiFi-Specific Diagnostics

Interference and Signal Strength

  • Use WiFi scanning apps to assess:
    • Channel interference
    • Signal strength (aim for minimum -50 dBm)
    • Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)

Common WiFi Performance Issues

  1. Physical signal blockers (walls, furniture, appliances)
  2. Interference from:
    • Other access points
    • Radio wave devices (2.4 GHz band)
    • Bluetooth devices
    • Cordless phones
    • Microwaves

WiFi Optimization Strategies

  1. Use 5 GHz band when possible (less interference)
  2. Choose less saturated WiFi channels
  3. Minimize physical obstacles between the device and the access point
  4. Consider wall-mounting Airtame for a better signal

Network Configuration Improvements

  1. Quality of Service (QoS)
    • Prioritize streaming traffic
    • Allocate sufficient bandwidth for screen sharing
  2. Alternative Connection Methods
    • Use Ethernet adapter
    • Deploy PoE adapter
    • Add additional access points to distribute network load

Network Integration Considerations

When deploying Airtame, ensure:

Recommended Tools

  • WiFi scanning apps
  • Network monitoring software
  • Ethernet/PoE adapters

When to Seek Further Support

  • Consistent performance below acceptable thresholds
  • Inability to resolve issues with the provided troubleshooting steps

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