How common are connection issues on the FLEX?

maxbfriend

I had connection issues last weekend, and I need to decide whether or not I am going to opt into the retest that they offered me.

Do we know how common connection issues actually are for the FLEX?

(The issues I experienced were clearly related to ProctorU/LSAC servers, not my personal setup)

Thanks!

canihazJD

I doubt we'll ever know the full extent of these types of issues, but they're common enough to prepare yourself for. I'd take the retest. If you opt to cancel and reschedule instead it will burn one of your takes anyway, so you may as well take a shot at it.

Krithin S.

I was plugged in via Ethernet and still had a connection issue even though my internet was working. It is sometimes on their server side or something, but we cant really know.

maxbfriend

@"Krithin S." said:
I was plugged in via Ethernet and still had a connection issue even though my internet was working. It is sometimes on their server side or something, but we cant really know.

Yes I'm sure it was on their side. The proctor's monitoring connection never stopped, only the test software. They were able to control my screen and mouse through the entire situation.

Learned Astronomer

@"Krithin S." What specific sort of connectivity issue did you experience? Were you kicked out of the testing page onto a different tab? And do you think it's worth getting ethernet for the test vs. WiFi?

Saaamuel

I've taken the test 3 times - twice in South Korea and once in the US. I've never had any connection problems or any problems with ProctorU.
I've always used WiFi and my 2018 Macbook Air.

Krithin S.

@"Learned Astronomer" I got kicked out of the test. I don't think you need to go out of your way to setup Ethernet, I think if your laptop or desktop hasn't had any huge disconnections the past week or month, your chances of something really affecting your score cause of time+wifi are really low. I say this because I think when you get disconnected the time might be frozen and starts when you are back in, you do miss maybe like a minute, but usually the proctor stops the time. If it gives your mind some peace, having ethernet connection would be the ideal condition to take the test.

Learned Astronomer

@"Krithin S." Thanks! You got kicked out of the test entirely and could not access the testing platform? I may have had a different sort of connectivity issue then. Did you have to ask your proctor before the test started to stop the time in case of any issues, or did he or she already know to do that? And would I just be able to take the test in completely the same way with ethernet?

Learned Astronomer

@maxbfriend said:

@"Krithin S." said:
I was plugged in via Ethernet and still had a connection issue even though my internet was working. It is sometimes on their server side or something, but we cant really know.

Yes I'm sure it was on their side. The proctor's monitoring connection never stopped, only the test software. They were able to control my screen and mouse through the entire situation.

That's what I think happened when I took the test, too. Do you know of any way around that given the connectivity issue seems to be on their side?