Free has no TURN relay. If the technician sits behind hard NAT, strict guest Wi-Fi, or a locked plant firewall, the direct peer-to-peer connection may fail. That is a network limit, not a reason to keep the expert waiting through endless retries.
Test from the real network
- Run a two-person call from the technician's exact work area and the expert's usual network before the maintenance window.
- Try a wired connection where available, then a phone hotspot or approved alternate network.
- Close heavy uploads and check that browser camera and microphone permissions are allowed.
- For repeated hard-NAT work, compare a customer-operated bring-your-own relay on Pro or Cinema rather than assuming Free will connect.
What a relay option changes
A customer-operated bring-your-own relay can provide a path when direct connectivity is blocked; 4K Chat does not operate a media relay. It does not guarantee 4K or remove the need to test both ends. Resolution still follows the camera, hardware, and network. Extra cameras still count toward seats: Free 4, Pro 12, Cinema 32.
Know when not to use the call
4K Chat is not for emergency, life-safety, or public-safety communications. If a failed connection would put someone at risk, use the site's approved safety process instead. For ordinary scheduled support, work through connection help and the field-service preflight.