For most of us, Zoom has become an essential tool in our work-from-home arsenal, one that we have learned to wield and manipulate as effectively as we can to appear productive while just about managing our life. Many working professionals are choosing the work-from-home lifestyle even as lockdown is lifting rapidly across the country. The lack of commuting time and the comfort of working from home made it a very easy choice to avoid going back to the office.

Video-calling apps like Zoom have contributed heavily to this process, making it important for any user to be familiar with the basics of Zoom, including knowledge regarding whether you need Wi-Fi for Zoom or not. Here’s everything you need to know. 

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Do you need Wi-Fi for Zoom?

The answer to this question depends on why you need to know. Zoom works on both Wi-Fi and mobile data for video and voice calls.  It will also work on only Wi-Fi, so there is no need for additional cellular internet data to operate Zoom. Alternatively, Zoom can also work on only cellular data if necessary, without the support of a Wi-Fi connection. As long as a minimum of 1.5 Mbps speed is available, Zoom will function just fine and you will be able to use if for both video and voice calls.    

Do you need Wi-Fi for Zoom on your phone?

If you have a stable Wi-Fi connection on your phone then Zoom will work just fine. You can also rely on cellular data if and when Wi-Fi is unavailable. While you don’t necessarily need Wi-Fi if you have stable cellular data, it is an undoubtedly smoother and more reliable experience to use Wi-Fi for Zoom.

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Do you need Wi-Fi for Zoom on your computer?

Once again, a good internet connection is all you need. If you can want to connect your computer to a good mobile hotspot connection, then you can surely do that and Zoom meetings will be fine. But, having a Wi-Fi or LAN connection is a better choice as usually, it’s more stable and high-speed than mobile data. So, yes, you definitely get Wi-Fi or LAN for Zoom on your computer if you can, whether you’re using the desktop application or the website for calls and communication.

On a fundamental level, Zoom requires a good active internet connection and since computers/laptops source the internet from Wi-Fi and a direct LAN connection, it’s good to prefer these instead of mobile data.

Is internet required for Zoom?

It is possible to join a call using just one’s phone number provided the country you dialing in is present as an approved country on this list. If your country and the number that you’re dialing are compatible, then you will be able to call without an internet connection both cellular and Wi-Fi.

However, this is the most rudimentary and last resort option as most of the features will be disabled in this method including information access, download and discussion. Video calling is certainly out of the question when you dial a cellular number from Zoom. So while the internet is not required, it is ideal to use Zoom via a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection to take full advantage of the application. 

Does Zoom use cellular data?

Yes, Zoom uses cellular data when there is no Wi-Fi connection. It is fairly easy to meet Zoom’s basic bandwidth requirements at 5 Mbps if you have a 4G connection. Of course, Wi-Fi is still the most ideal option since it comes with a minimum provision of 100 Mbps speeds, especially since Zooms calls do have a heavy exchange of visual data. But for a simple video call, your cellular data will suffice. 

That’s everything there is to know about whether you need Wi-Fi for Zoom. We hope you found this article helpful. Take care and stay safe! 

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