Dos and don’ts when Ans is not responding

This article will provide you with information on what steps to take when you experience a loss of connection to the Ans platform. A loss of connection may occur if there is a disruption in your internet connection or when the Ans servers are not responding in a correct and timely manner.

By following the dos and don'ts below, you increase your chance of resolving the issue promptly and go back to using Ans smoothly.

What to do when Ans is not responding:

• Verify your internet connection: Ensure that your internet connection is working properly. You can try opening other websites or applications to confirm if the issue is specific to Ans or a general connectivity problem.
• Check the Ans status page: Visit our status page at https://status.ans.app/ to check if Ans is experiencing any technical difficulties or downtime. Make sure to refresh the page every couple of minutes, as it may take some time for the status page to register an outage.
• Save your work: If you’re working on an assignment and you notice Ans is not responding, please make sure to copy your work to a notepad or any other text editing software. This will help you preserve your work if you need to close or refresh your browser.
• Clear cache and cookies: Sometimes, temporary data stored in your browser's cache or cookies can interfere with your connection to Ans. Clearing these can help resolve any issues.
• Try an alternative device or network: If possible, please try accessing Ans from a different device or network to determine if the issue is specific to one device or network connection.
• Inform your instructor: If the above options fail, please inform your instructor or an invigilator.
• Check your integration: The error could be caused by external software that is integrated with Ans, such as Proctorio or Safe Exam Browser. In that case, we recommend to reach out to your instructor. 

What not to do when Ans is not responding:

• Do not panic: If Ans is not responding, the issue will normally resolves itself after a few minutes.
• Avoid reloading the page: If you are taking a test in Ans, refrain from immediately reloading the page when you receive a ‘Connection lost’ warning. Reloading the page may result in the loss of any unsaved progress. Ans will try to re-establish the connection automatically so that you may continue your work.
• Leave the page: Similarly, while waiting for Ans to respond, please avoid navigating away from the page. Switching tabs or closing your browser may interrupt the connection process and can further delay a resolution.