Even the best-maintained BigBlueButton deployments encounter issues. Here's how to quickly diagnose and fix the most common problems.
Audio Problems
Issue: Users can't hear or be heard
Common causes:
- FreeSWITCH service not running
- Firewall blocking UDP ports
- Browser microphone permissions
Quick fix: Run sudo bbb-conf --check to identify FreeSWITCH issues. Ensure UDP ports 16384-32768 are open.
Issue: Echo or feedback
Common causes:
- User not using headphones
- Multiple browser tabs open
- Echo cancellation not working
Quick fix: Have affected users use headphones or mute when not speaking.
Video Problems
Issue: Video not connecting
Common causes:
- Kurento media server issues
- WebRTC connectivity problems
- High CPU usage on server
Quick fix: Check Kurento status with sudo systemctl status kurento-media-server. If CPU is high, consider limiting concurrent videos or adding capacity.
Issue: Poor video quality
Common causes:
- Bandwidth limitations
- Server overload
- Quality settings too high for available resources
Quick fix: Lower default video quality in BBB settings. Consider implementing bandwidth limits per user.
Scalelite-Specific Issues
Issue: Server showing offline in Scalelite
Common causes:
- BBB API not responding
- Network connectivity between Scalelite and BBB server
- SSL certificate issues
Quick fix: Test BBB API directly: curl https://your-bbb-server/bigbluebutton/api. Check SSL certificate validity.
Issue: Load not balancing evenly
Common causes:
- Load multiplier misconfigured
- One server has many long-running meetings
- Polling interval too long
Quick fix: Check and adjust load multipliers in Scalelite. Default polling interval is 60 seconds - new meetings are distributed based on load at poll time.
Recording Issues
Issue: Recordings stuck in processing
Common causes:
- Disk space full
- Recording scripts failing
- High CPU preventing processing
Quick fix: Check disk space with df -h. Review recording logs in /var/log/bigbluebutton/. Consider processing recordings during off-peak hours.
Issue: Recordings not appearing in Scalelite
Common causes:
- Recording sync not running
- Scalelite recording importer not running
- Shared storage misconfigured
Quick fix: Check if scalelite-recording-importer is running. Verify shared storage is mounted correctly on all servers.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
Most issues can be caught before they affect users with proper monitoring. Scalelite Manager Pro provides real-time alerts for:
- Server going offline
- High CPU or memory usage
- Disk space running low
- Recording backlog growing
- SSL certificate expiring soon
Start monitoring your cluster today with our free plan.