Quick answer
You need a stable internet connection of at least 5 Mbps download speed to watch the course videos smoothly. The rest of the course — signing in, reading lessons, taking the knowledge check — works well at slower speeds, but a steady connection makes everything easier.
Tip: Whenever possible, use home Wi-Fi rather than public Wi-Fi for the knowledge check.
In this article
- How much speed you need
- Wi-Fi, cellular data, and other connection types
- How to test your internet speed
- What happens if your connection drops
- Public Wi-Fi cautions
- Common connection issues
How much speed you need
The course adjusts video quality to your connection automatically, so most learners on standard home internet will not notice any issues. The table below gives you a rough idea of what each part of the course needs.
| What you’re doing | Minimum download speed | Why this matters |
|---|---|---|
| Signing in with Secure Access Washington | 1 Mbps | Just enough to load the WA.gov pages and verify your identity through DRIVES. |
| Reading lesson text and navigating the course | 1 Mbps | Text-only screens are lightweight. |
| Watching course videos (minimum) | 5 Mbps | Sustained 5 Mbps keeps standard-quality video playing without buffering. |
| Watching course videos (recommended) | 10 Mbps or higher | Smoothest experience, especially on a tablet or larger screen. |
| Taking the knowledge check | 5 Mbps | The platform monitors session continuity. A stable connection prevents accidental session ends. |
What is Mbps?
Mbps stands for megabits per second — the rate at which data travels from the internet to your device. The higher the number, the faster the connection. A typical home Wi-Fi plan in Washington offers 100 Mbps or more, which is well above the course minimum.
Wi-Fi, cellular data, and other connection types
Most connection types work, but some are more reliable than others. Use this table as a quick reference:
| Connection type | Generally good? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home Wi-Fi (cable, fiber, or DSL) | Yes | Best option. Most home plans easily clear 5 Mbps. |
| Mobile hotspot or 5G home internet | Usually | Fine in areas with strong signal. Battery use goes up on phone hotspots. |
| Cellular data (4G LTE or 5G) | Yes | Works well. Use Wi-Fi if you’re on a limited plan. |
| Public Wi-Fi (cafés, libraries, airports) | Often, with limits | Speeds vary, and some networks block the video player. See “Public Wi-Fi” below. |
| Hotel or guest Wi-Fi | Mixed | Usually fine for lessons; the knowledge check may be unreliable. |
| Satellite internet (older systems) | Not recommended | Latency can interrupt the SSO sign-in flow and cause video stalls. |
How to test your internet speed
Before starting the course — especially before the knowledge check — it’s worth a quick speed test. You don’t need any special software:
- Open a new tab in your browser.
- Go to fast.com (made by Netflix) or speedtest.net (made by Ookla). Both are free and don’t require an account.
- Wait 10–15 seconds for the page to measure your speed.
- Look at the “Download” number. If it’s 5 Mbps or higher, you’re good to go.
What happens if your connection drops
During a lesson
Lesson progress is saved automatically at each module boundary. If your internet drops in the middle of a video:
- You’ll see a “connection lost” message in the course player.
- Your progress up to the previous module is already saved.
- When you reconnect, refresh the page and click Resume from My Courses. You’ll pick up at the start of the module you were watching.
During the knowledge check
The end-of-course knowledge check runs in Secure Browser Mode, which monitors session continuity. If your connection drops while the knowledge check is in progress:
- The session may end, and you’ll need to restart the knowledge check from the beginning.
- Any questions you’d already answered will not be re-asked — the platform remembers which lessons you’ve mastered, only the assessment session resets.
- To avoid this, take the knowledge check on a stable home or work network rather than on the move.
Before you start the knowledge check
- Plug your device in or make sure the battery is above 30%.
- Close other apps that use a lot of data (streaming, large downloads, video calls).
- If you’re on a phone, switch off mobile hotspot to free up bandwidth.
Public Wi-Fi cautions
Public Wi-Fi at coffee shops, libraries, hotels, and airports can work — but there are a few things that commonly trip people up:
- Captive portals: many public networks require you to accept terms in a pop-up before you can use them. Open any web page first to make sure you’re fully connected before launching the course.
- Blocked content: some networks block video streaming or sign-in pop-ups. If pages won’t load, the network may be filtering them.
- Time limits: hotels and some libraries cut you off after a set time. Plan to finish a module before the cut-off.
- Slow speeds at peak times: shared networks slow down when many people use them at once.
⚠ Public Wi-Fi and the knowledge check
We strongly recommend not taking the knowledge check on public Wi-Fi. A dropped connection or captive portal pop-up will end the secure session.
Common connection issues
If video stalls, the course won’t load, or the player keeps reloading, try these in order:
- Refresh the page. Most short hiccups clear up after a refresh.
- Run a speed test (see steps above). If you’re below 5 Mbps, switch networks or move closer to your router.
- Pause other devices on your network — streaming, downloads, and video calls can eat your bandwidth.
- Switch from cellular data to Wi-Fi, or vice versa, to see if the other connection performs better.
- Restart your router (unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in).
- Restart your device and try again.