A bandwidth test measures your internet upload speed and packet loss before you go live with Wirecast. Run an internet speed test on the computer and network you will stream from. Then set your encoder so the combined bitrate to all destinations is no more than half the tested upload speed. That headroom keeps the stream stable.
How to run a bandwidth test before streaming
- Connect the streaming computer to the network you will use for the show.
- Run an internet speed test. Note the upload speed and packet loss.
- Check that packet loss is 0%. Any other number means you are losing packets.
- In Output > Output Settings, add up the bitrate of every destination you will stream to.
- Make sure that total is no more than half your tested upload speed. If it is higher, choose a lower-bitrate encoder preset.
How much upload speed does Wirecast need?
The User Guide rule is total bitrate needed x 2 = required upload bandwidth. A 5 Mbps stream needs about 10 Mbps of upload. Both your data rate and your ISP’s upload speed vary from moment to moment, so the extra room matters.
Rendezvous guests add to this. Allow about 4 Mbps more for two guests in Wirecast Studio, and 5 Mbps or more for seven guests in Wirecast Pro. To stream to several platforms without multiplying your upload, use Cloud Multistreaming.
Troubleshooting a slow connection
- A yellow stream indicator means packets are backing up. Red means the buffer is almost full and packets may be lost.
- Stream to a test server. If that stays green but your real destination does not, the problem is probably the destination server, so contact the host.
- If you see packet loss, ask your ISP to run tests to your connection.
- Keep CPU use under 60% while streaming. Above 80%, you may see problems including disconnection.
- On a corporate LAN, ask your network administrator what bandwidth limit to use.
- Streaming to Facebook Live? Click Optimize Connection in the destination settings to run a speed check.