PET-Xi VLE – Technical Information

In order for us to deliver training to learners, they need to be able to access our VLE and to upload and download files. If this has been blocked for any reason, you will need to amend the firewall or post setting to allow this.  You may need to whitelist the following sites:

  • skills.pet-xi-live.co.uk
  • pet-xi-live.co.uk
  • classroom.pet-xi-live.co.uk

We recommend using Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla FireFox as your browser.  Please note our VLE does not support Microsoft Explorer or legacy Edge. You may therefore need to upgrade your version of Edge.

BigBlueButton

The BigBlueButton is a platform that we use within our VLE that acts as the live classroom (instead of a separate Teams or Zoom meeting).

Minimum requirements may vary depending on the device and browser being used.

We recommend all users ensure they are meeting the minimum requirements for BigBlueButton HTML5 prior to their first live session.

If you would like to test your connection prior to joining, please feel free to do so at: https://test.bigbluebutton.org/

Recommended Browsers

The recommended browsers are:

  • Desktop/Laptop: Chrome, Firefox or Edge (latest versions)
  • Mobile iOS (12.2+): Safari Mobile
  • Mobile Android (6.0+): Chrome Mobile

Note: IE and legacy EDGE browsers are not supported. 

 Network connectivity

Each user should be able to make the following TCP/IP and UDP network connections.

 Protocol Port(s) Description
TCP/IP 80 HTTP
TCP/IP 443 HTTPS
UDP 16384-32768 Encrypted WebRTC audio, video, and screen share media stream (DTLS-SRTP)

Note: If a firewall that blocks the UDP connections for the user, it would cause the media connections to "tunnel" through port 443, which, if is also behind a firewall, the user may experience performance issues with sharing and viewing audio/video.

 Mobile Device Users 

The following settings are recommended for all users connecting to BigBlueButton from a mobile device:

  1. For data network, we recommended 4G LTI for best results or minimum 3G Network to use audio, view presentation content, and receive screen sharing.
  2. For connection via wireless, we recommend private versus public networks.
  3. For device settings, we recommend reducing device usage while connecting to BigBlueButton; close applications that may run in the background and reduce browsing activities.

 Desktop/Laptop Users

The following settings are recommended for all users connecting to BigBlueButton via desktop or laptop device:

  1. For computer, you need a laptop or desktop computer with (at least) 4G of memory and a 2+ Ghz processor (any computer bought in the last three years should be fine), or any Chromebook with 4G of memory and a 1.5+ Ghz processor.
  2. For bandwidth, you must have at least 1.0 Mbits/second upstream and 2 Mbits/second downstream.  To check bandwidth use, https://speedtest.net/
  3. For browsers, we recommend Google Chrome, Mozilla FireFox or Microsoft Edge.
  4. For audio, we strongly recommend using a headset.  A headset will ensure that others can hear your voice clearly and you don’t cause echo or background noise for others.  You do not need to buy an expensive one -- any basic headset with a built-in microphone will work.

A laptop with a built-in webcam and microphone will be sufficient as well if you’re in a quiet area.

IP Addresses

Please note that learners should be accessing the site with individual IP addresses. If all learners from a school are on the same IP address, it may be viewed as an attack by the system, causing it to restrict access and return a 403 Error.

Please get in touch with Operations@pet-xi.co.uk if you foresee any issues based on this information provided.

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