Online exams in a hired hall: how to plan WiFi, wired backup and secure test devices

Why are online exams harder on a network than a conference?

A conference with 200 people and an online exam with 200 candidates look similar on paper. In practice the exam is far less forgiving:

• Everyone starts at the same minute. Candidates join the network, authenticate and open the exam within a few minutes of each other. The surge in connections is harder on access points and address allocation than steady browsing.
• A drop is an incident. At a conference, a slow page is an annoyance. In an exam, a candidate who loses connection may lose time, need a supervisor or have their attempt flagged.
• Devices are locked down. Many exams use a secure or locked-down browser that blocks other websites and apps. These browsers often cannot complete a captive portal login page, so a sign-in splash screen that works for guests can stop an exam from starting.
• Halls are dense and quiet. Candidates sit close together in rows, often in a room with a high ceiling and no existing access points where the desks are.
• Hired venues are unknown. The venue's own WiFi may be shared with other functions, limited per device or run through a portal you cannot change.

Our guide to why venue WiFi fails at events covers the general problems. This article focuses on what is different for exams and assessments.

How much bandwidth does an online exam need?

The answer depends heavily on whether candidates are also streaming video. The exam platform itself is usually light. As an example, an earlier NAPLAN Online technical requirements document from the national assessment program set a minimum of 100 kbps download and 5 kbps upload for each device testing at the same time. Webcam invigilation is a different scale: plan for about the same as a video call, around 1.5 Mbps in each direction per candidate.

Treat platform minimums as a floor, not a plan. Add headroom of about 1.5 to 2 times for downloads of exam content at the start, updates on devices that were not prepared and staff using the same connection. Upload matters most when webcams are involved, so check upload speed rather than only download. The bandwidth calculator can help with mixed setups.

How many access points does an exam hall need?

Capacity, not coverage, usually decides the number. An open hall of a few hundred square metres can be covered by one access point, but one access point cannot comfortably serve 200 laptops starting an exam at once. Plan around 50 devices per access point, as in the table above, and our guide to how many access points you need explains the method.

• Count devices, not people. Candidates' phones are usually stored away, so each candidate is often one device. Invigilators and staff typically carry 1.5 to 2 devices each.
• Spread access points across the seating. Mount them above head height over the rows rather than in one corner, so no group of candidates is far from an access point.
• Use the 5 GHz and, where devices support it, 6 GHz bands for candidates, which have more channels than 2.4 GHz.
• Size the address pool. Make sure the network can hand out addresses to every device at once, with spare for replacements and staff, and set address lease times to suit a session that may run for several hours.
• Cable the access points. Wired backhaul to each access point is more predictable than wireless mesh in a dense room. See wireless access point hire.

How should the exam network be set up and secured?

A simple, separate design avoids most exam-day problems:

1. A candidate network with no captive portal. Use a secured network name and password, or the exam provider's preferred method, so lockdown browsers can connect without a sign-in page.
2. A separate staff network. Invigilator laptops, check-in and printing should not share a network with candidates. Our guide to separate networks for events explains why.
3. Wired connections where they matter. The invigilator desk, check-in station and any supervisor laptop that monitors the session are better on cable.
4. Allow the exam platform. If the network filters traffic, confirm the platform's domains and any identity verification service are permitted.
5. Basic security. Change default passwords, update equipment firmware and use current WiFi security, in line with ACSC advice on securing WiFi and routers.
6. Protect personal information. Candidate lists, identity checks and results are personal information. The OAIC's guidance on APP 11 expects reasonable steps to protect it, so keep check-in devices off guest networks and avoid shared logins.

What backup should an exam venue have?

Exams are time-bound, so a fallback has to be ready before the session starts, not arranged during it:

• A second internet path. A backup internet connection on a different network can take over if the main link fails. Mobile backup is often enough for a platform-only exam but may not carry webcam invigilation for a large room.
• Battery backup for core equipment. A short power interruption should not reboot the router and switch while candidates are mid-exam.
• Spare devices and chargers. Keep prepared spare laptops, with the lockdown browser already installed, at the supervisor desk.
• A written incident process. Agree with the exam provider what happens if a candidate disconnects: how to resume, how time is recorded and who records the incident.

How should you rehearse before exam day?

A rehearsal in the actual room is the single most useful step. The national assessment program notes that its locked-down browser must be installed on each device before testing, and that public demonstration tests may not work as intended on devices that do not meet minimum requirements. The same logic applies to most exam platforms.

1. Install the lockdown browser and any updates on all devices before the rehearsal.
2. Run a practice or demonstration test on a realistic number of devices at the same time of day as the exam.
3. Have everyone log in at once to test the surge, then check for slow joins or failed connections.
4. Walk the room with a laptop to check signal at the back rows and corners.
5. Unplug the main internet link once to confirm the backup takes over.
6. Record what you changed and keep the settings for the real day.

If you are running online exams or assessments in a hired hall in Sydney, you can send the floor plan, candidate numbers and exam platform details and we will suggest a network plan. Related: school and university event WiFi and training and workshop WiFi.

Sources

1. National Assessment Program: Technical requirements for online assessment
2. National Assessment Program: NAPLAN Online technical requirements (earlier edition, PDF)
3. Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: Chapter 11, APP 11 Security of personal information
4. Australian Cyber Security Centre: Secure your Wi-Fi and router

Event dates, prices and product details can change. Check the organiser or manufacturer before you plan around them. Planning figures are starting points; every network is confirmed against the actual site.