You may occasionally experience connectivity issues in environments with restrictive or unstable networks, such as mobile hotspots, public Wi-Fi, or secured organizational networks (for example, hospitals or clinics). This article outlines common causes for these issues and provides practical steps to improve connectivity and ensure the referral form works reliably.
Overview of the Issue
Caredove relies on secure network requests to move between pages and submit information. Certain network environments — including mobile hotspots, public Wi-Fi, or heavily secured organizational networks — can interrupt these requests, causing the form to buffer, stall, or fail to load the next page.
If the platform works as expected on a reliable home or office internet connection, the issue is likely related to the network or device environment rather than the Caredove platform itself.
Common Causes of Connectivity Issues
Restrictive networks
Some networks (such as hospital, clinic, or public Wi-Fi) may block or limit secure requests, embedded content, or real-time connections required for the referral form to function properly.
Unstable mobile hotspot connections
Using a phone hotspot with a weak or fluctuating cellular signal can interrupt connectivity, leading to timeouts or loading failures.
Device or software interference
Security software or network tools installed on a device — such as antivirus programs, firewalls, VPNs, or ad blockers — may block or modify network traffic in a way that prevents the form from loading or submitting correctly.
Troubleshooting Steps for Hotspot Users
If you are using a phone hotspot and experience issues, try the following steps to stabilize the connection:
Restart the hotspot on your phone.
Check hotspot compatibility or performance settings and enable any options designed to improve compatibility or stability.
Confirm your phone has a strong and consistent cellular signal.
Restart your phone to clear temporary network issues.
Reset network settings on your device if problems persist.
Ensure your device and carrier settings are fully up to date.
When you see an error like ERR_CONNECTION_RESET
If you encounter an error such as ERR_CONNECTION_RESET, this typically indicates that something on the device or network is interrupting the connection.
If the same issue occurs on multiple devices (for example, both a laptop and a desktop), it is unlikely to be a hardware problem. More commonly, this points to shared software or network controls, such as:
Antivirus or endpoint protection software
Firewalls or network security filters
VPNs or network proxies
Ad-blocking or traffic-filtering tools
In these cases, we recommend connecting with your IT team to review:
Network and firewall settings
Security tools or content filtering rules
Any software that may block, inspect, or modify internet traffic
Please let us know if there’s anything we can help clarify while you review this with your IT group.
Guidance for IT teams troubleshooting network-related issues
When issues appear to be network-related, IT teams may want to check for firewall rules, SSL inspection, proxies, or endpoint protection that could interfere with secure form traffic.
In particular, ensure that required Caredove domains, HTTPS traffic, and WebSocket connections are allowed without interruption or inspection. Connection errors such as timeouts, resets, or failed form submissions often indicate that traffic is being blocked or terminated before reaching Caredove’s servers.
Testing on an unrestricted network (such as a mobile hotspot or home Wi-Fi) can help confirm whether the issue is network-related.
Key Takeaways and Best Practices
Use a reliable home or office internet connection whenever possible.
Avoid restrictive or heavily filtered networks when submitting referral forms.
Ensure mobile hotspots have strong signal strength and stable settings.
In cases of repeated errors across devices, involve IT early to review network and security controls.
By understanding these common causes and following the steps above, you can significantly improve the reliability of your connection in more challenging network environments.