Run Pre-Call Network Quality Tests for Stable Streams - ApsaraVideo Live

This topic describes how to test network quality before a call.

Feature introduction

The ARTC SDK supports testing local network quality before joining a channel to identify potential network problems and resolve them in advance. This helps prevent issues, such as stuttering, frame drops, and audio interruptions, ensuring stability and smoothness of real-time voice and video calls.

Sample code

Android: Android/ARTCExample/AdvancedUsage/src/main/java/com/aliyun/artc/api/advancedusage/PreJoinChannelTest/PreJoinChannelTestActivity.java

iOS: iOS/ARTCExample/AdvancedUsage/PreJoinChannelTest/PreJoinChannelTestVC.swift

HarmonyOS：Harmony/ARTCExample/entry/src/main/ets/pages/advancedusage/PreJoinChannelTestPage.ets

How it works

Taking the iOS platform as an example, the ARTC SDK provides the startLastmileDetect method to detect local network quality before joining a channel, and returns network quality scores and statistics. The procedure is as follows:

Before joining a channel, call startLastmileDetect to initiate a network quality test. Configure the testing parameters in AliRtcNetworkQualityProbeConfig, including the target for testing and the expected maximum bitrate.
The SDK triggers the following callbacks:
- onLastmileDetectResultWithQuality: Triggered 2 seconds after startLastmileDetect is called. It returns scores of the upstream and downstream network, reflecting a subjective assessment.
- onLastmileDetectResultWithBandWidth: Triggered 30 seconds after startLastmileDetect is called. It returns real-time data on network conditions, including packet loss rate, network jitter, and available bandwidth, reflecting an objective assessment.
After you obtain the network quality statistics, call stopLastmileDetect to stop the local network quality test.

Code examples

Initiate a network quality test

Android

Call the startNetworkQualityProbeTest operation:

public abstract int startNetworkQualityProbeTest(AlirtcNetworkQualityProbeConfig config);

iOS

Call the startLastmileDetect operation:

- (int)startLastmileDetect:(AliRtcNetworkQualityProbeConfig *_Nonnull)config;

Windows

AliRtcNetworkProbeConfig config;
config.probeUplink = true;    // Test the upstream network
config.probeDownlink = true;  // Test the downstream network

rtcEngine.startLastmileDetect(config);

Receive callback messages

Android

onNetworkQualityProbeTest: triggered about 3 seconds after the test starts, providing initial insights into the network quality.

onNetworkQualityProbeTestResult: triggered about 30 seconds after the test starts, providing details of the network quality.

public void onNetworkQualityProbeTest(AliRtcNetworkQuality quality){}

public void onNetworkQualityProbeTestResult(int code, AliRtcEngine.AlirtcNetworkQualityProbeResult result){}

iOS

onLastmileDetectResultWithQuality: triggered about 2 seconds after the test starts, providing initial insights into the network quality.

onLastmileDetectResultWithBandWidth: triggered about 30 seconds after the test starts, providing details of the network quality.

- (void)onLastmileDetectResultWithQuality:(AliRtcNetworkQuality)networkQuality;

- (void)onLastmileDetectResultWithBandWidth:(int)code result:(AliRtcNetworkQualityProbeResult* _Nonnull)result;

Windows

// Handle network quality testing callback (replace onNetworkQualityChanged)
void OnLastmileDetectResultWithQuality(AliEngineNetworkQuality networkQuality) override {
    std::string message = getNetworkQualityString(networkQuality);
    networkTestResultText += "Network testing quality: " + message + "\n";
    std::cout << "=== Network quality testing callback ===" << std::endl;
    std::cout << networkTestResultText << std::endl;
}


// Handle lastmile network detection result callback
void onLastmileDetectResultWithBandWidth(int code,
                                       const AliRtcNetworkProbeResult& result) override {
    std::string message = buildNetworkTestResultMessage(code, result);
    networkTestResultText += message + "\n";
    std::cout << "=== Lastmile detection result callback ===" << std::endl;
    std::cout << networkTestResultText << std::endl;
}

Stop network quality detection

Android

Call the stopNetworkQualityProbeTest operation:

public abstract int stopNetworkQualityProbeTest();

iOS

Call the stopLastmileDetect operation:

- (int)stopLastmileDetect;

Windows

rtcEngine.stopLastmileDetect();