Troubleshooting the Remote Guest Feature

This article covers issues and troubleshooting steps regarding the Remote Guest feature. For more information on the Remote Guest feature, please visit Remote Guest Overview.

In this article:

Troubleshooting Issues as the Remote Guest Host

Error Code 20104: Access Token expired or expiration date invalid

This error usually means you have reached the four-hour limit of using the Remote Guest feature. This limit is imposed by the provider Switcher Studio uses for this feature, and it applies to each host and guest. To resolve the issue:

  • Leave the Remote Guest room.

  • Rejoin the room.

Issue: My guest(s) cannot see my video.

  • Make sure you've tapped Join Room in the video chat tab in Switcher

  • Have the guest disconnect and reconnect to the video chat room. Some devices will take around 10 seconds for the video to show up.

  • Make sure your guest allows Remote Guest access to the device’s camera and microphone when they open the video chat link. Check the browser’s security settings and enable access from there if it is disabled.

  • When connecting to the Remote Guest room, disable “remote camera mode.”

  • Try disconnecting and reconnecting to the Remote Guest room from the main device running Switcher.

Issue: I hear an echo in my audio.

  • Try enabling Voice Mode in the audio tab

  • If you have an audio mixer connected to Switcher Studio you may need to set up a mix-minus.

  • If you are hosting the Remote Guest room from the Switcher Studio Dashboard, the audio is coming through twice for you. Once from the Remote Guest room, and once through Switcher Studio. Mute either the main Switcher audio or your channel in the video chat tab. Your guest(s) and audience will still hear you.

Issue: My guest’s video shows up as a black screen in Switcher Studio.

  • Make sure they are not using a Huawei phone to connect to the Remote Guest room. An issue with these devices makes the video not show up in the Remote Guest room.

  • Make sure they are using the Remote Guest feature on a browser and didn't click the link in Facebook Messenger or Slack.

  • Have your guest disconnect and reconnect the room.

  • Disconnect and reconnect to the video chat from the main device running Switcher.

Issue: The Remote Guest recording is black in Switcher Studio.

This issue is usually due to the recording being made while in Director Mode, which is not supported. Director Mode creates a recording of all cameras/sources, but Switcher Studio cannot record and transfer files from a remote guest's device.

Troubleshooting Issues as a Remote Guest

Issue: Nothing happens when I click Join Room.

  • Make sure you copied/pasted the link into a browser. If you received the link in an app, such as Facebook Messenger or Slack, you cannot click the link in the message.

  • Make sure the host is ready for you to join. There are limits on the number of simultaneous remote guests, so it's possible that someone has to leave before you can join.

  • Close the browser and rejoin.

Issue: My camera is enabled, but the host only sees a black screen.

  • Some devices can take up to 10 seconds for the video to appear. If it's been more than 10 seconds, leave the Remote Guest room, close your browser tab, and re-join.

  • Double check that you allowed access to the device’s camera and microphone. You can check the browser’s security settings and enable access from there if it is disabled.

  • When connecting to the Remote Guest room, disable “remote camera mode.”

  • Try connecting with a different device.

Issue: The video is laggy or jumpy

  • Run a speed test on your internet to ensure you have good speeds to send and receive live video. We recommend running a speed test here: https://speedof.me/

  • If the speed test shows low or inconsistent speeds, try connecting with a different internet connection.

Keyword(s): remote, guest, video, chat