Connection Problems

troubleshootingconnectionWebRTCfirewallVPNdisconnection

How Rippily Connects

Rippily uses WebRTC (via LiveKit) for real-time audio, video, and data. This means your browser establishes direct media connections to Rippily's servers. Some network configurations can interfere with this.

Common Causes

1. Firewall Blocking WebRTC

Corporate firewalls and some home routers block the ports or protocols that WebRTC needs.

What to check:

  • WebRTC typically uses UDP ports in the range 50000–65535
  • It also needs access to TURN servers on ports 443 and 3478
  • If your IT department manages your network, ask them to allow WebRTC traffic

Quick test: Try connecting from a different network (e.g., mobile hotspot). If it works, your network is likely blocking the connection.

2. VPN Interference

Many VPNs interfere with WebRTC connections by routing traffic through servers that add latency or block UDP.

What to try:

  1. Disconnect your VPN temporarily and try again
  2. If you must use a VPN, check if it has a "split tunnel" option that lets you exclude Rippily
  3. Some VPN providers have WebRTC-friendly modes — check your VPN settings

3. Browser Extensions Blocking WebRTC

Some privacy extensions (like WebRTC leak preventers) deliberately block WebRTC connections.

What to check:

  • Disable browser extensions one by one to identify the culprit
  • Common offenders: WebRTC leak prevention extensions, aggressive ad blockers, privacy-focused extensions
  • Add Rippily to any extension's whitelist if available

4. Unstable Network Connection

If your internet connection is intermittent, you may connect and then disconnect repeatedly.

What to check:

  • Run a speed test to check your connection stability
  • Try moving closer to your Wi-Fi router
  • Switch to a wired ethernet connection if possible
  • Close bandwidth-heavy applications (large downloads, streaming)

Reconnection Behaviour

If your connection drops briefly, Rippily will automatically attempt to reconnect. You may see a reconnection indicator while this happens. In most cases, you'll be back in the Ripple within a few seconds without needing to do anything.

If automatic reconnection fails after several attempts, you'll be returned to the join screen. Simply click "Join" to reconnect.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

  1. Refresh the page — this forces a fresh connection attempt
  2. Try a different browser — rules out browser-specific issues
  3. Disable VPN and extensions — test without them
  4. Switch networks — try mobile data or a different Wi-Fi network
  5. Check your internet speed — you need at least 1 Mbps up and down for a stable experience
  6. Restart your router — if other devices on the same network are also having issues

Still Not Working?

If none of the above helps, the issue may be with your network's deep packet inspection or strict firewall rules. Contact your network administrator and let them know you need WebRTC access (UDP traffic to Rippily's servers).