This message indicates that LockDown Browser or Respondus Monitor was unable to establish a connection to the Respondus server infrastructure.
Reason 1: Time and/or Time Zone on Computer May Be Incorrect
If the computer’s date, time, or time zone is incorrect, this error can occur. The computer must be set to the correct local date, time, and time zone for its physical location.
If you are using an on-campus computer, contact your institution’s help desk to verify these settings.
To check whether the computer time is accurate, visit: https://time.is/
If the reported time is significantly ahead of or behind the correct time, the computer settings will need to be corrected.
Reason 2: Anti-virus or Firewall Might Prevent Access to Needed Servers
LockDown Browser must be able to access the following servers. If you are using antivirus, firewall, web filtering, or network security software, allow access to these domains:
server-profiles-respondus-com.s3-external-1.amazonaws.com
help-center-respondus-com.s3.amazonaws.com
smc-service-cloud.respondus2.com
static-public-downloads-cloud.respondus.com
www.respondus.com
d1hvyp8wapcgir.cloudfront.net
If you are unsure how to allow or whitelist domains, contact your institution’s IT department or the manufacturer of your security software for assistance. Respondus Support is unable to provide configuration assistance for third-party security products.
If allowing the domains does not resolve the issue, your antivirus, firewall, or other security software may be configured with unusually strict protection settings. Temporarily lowering the security level to a more standard setting may help.
Institutional IT departments may also need to allow outbound access to AWS-hosted Respondus services if network filtering policies are in place.
Reason 3: (Windows) TLS 1.2 Must Be Enabled
On Windows computers, ensure that the “Use TLS 1.2” setting is enabled in Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options > Advanced. While this setting is normally enabled by default on Windows 10 and Windows 11, some security or enterprise configurations may disable it.
Reason 4: VPN, Proxy, Tor, or Anonymous Network Connection
Some network services and security tools route internet traffic through anonymizing or proxy infrastructure. In certain cases, these services can prevent Respondus Monitor from connecting properly to the Respondus servers.
Examples include:
- VPN services
- Tor browser/network connections
- Anonymous proxy services
- Privacy-focused networking tools
- Some enterprise or institutional security gateways
If you are using any VPN, proxy, privacy, or anonymous networking service:
1. Disconnect from the VPN or proxy service.
2. Close and restart LockDown Browser.
3. Re-enter the exam and try again.
If you are on a school or corporate-managed network, you may need to:
- switch to a different network,
- temporarily disconnect from the managed VPN/security service,
- or contact your institution’s IT department for assistance.
Some university or corporate security systems route traffic through centralized security gateways that may appear similar to anonymous proxy services. If this applies to your institution, your IT department may need to allow access to Respondus services through their security configuration.