Having trouble completing a lab? This guide covers our built-in lab AI assistant, common tripping points, technical troubleshooting, and where to find help if you’re still stuck.
Use the Built-In Lab AI Assistant
Before technical troubleshooting, try using the AI assistant built directly into the interface. It can help you navigate a lab in real-time by providing the following support:
- Clarifying instructions: If a lab step feels ambiguous, ask the assistant to explain what it’s asking you to do.
- Troubleshooting steps: Stuck on a command or configuration? Describe what’s happening, and the assistant can help identify where you went wrong.
- Understanding concepts: If you need a refresher on the underlying technology or theory behind a lab activity, the assistant can provide quick explanations.
- Process review: Ask the assistant to review processes to ensure you’re on the right track.
- Answer checking: If you think you have the correct answer but the lab won't accept it, ask the assistant to verify your reasoning.
- Task Resets: When exiting a lab, your progress is saved differently depending on the task type. Any answers you manually type or select inside the task pane are saved and will remain when you return. However, any tasks that automatically detect completion based on your actions inside the virtual lab environment will reset. Labs are intended to be completed in one session.
Common Lab Tripping Points and Quick Tips
Sometimes labs require a certain platform action before you can progress. Here are some common scenarios:
- Missing credentials: If a lab requires a username, password, or API key, look for the Credentials tab located inside the lab interface.
- Checkboxes and “Got it” tasks: You must check off every single task in the activity panel to finish. This includes tasks where you’ve only had to read information – you’ll still need to click the “Got it” button for the task to register as complete. If you’ve missed any, you can’t complete the lab.
- Resetting a glitched lab: If a lab environment becomes unresponsive or breaks, you can reset it. Click Exit, then click End lab. This tears down the environment so you can start it again.
- Completed labs showing as “In progress”: If you click back into a lab you’ve already completed, the platform will automatically spin up a new instance, causing its status to temporarily show as “In progress” again. Don't worry, your previous completion and points remain safely saved in your profile history.
Advanced Technical Troubleshooting
If the lab environment isn't loading or functions incorrectly, the issue is often local or network-related.
System Requirements and Screen Resolution
- Screen resolution: Make sure your display scaling and resolution are set to the right levels. If your resolution is too low, critical lab buttons or console windows may be clipped out of view. Try zooming out your browser (Ctrl - or Cmd -) to see if hidden elements appear.
- For details on supported browsers, domains to allowlist, and required ports, see our full System Requirements Guide.
Maintenance Mode
We use third-party technology to create realistic environments. If these services experience downtime or updates, we may temporarily place a lab into Maintenance mode.
- You can’t start a lab while it’s in maintenance mode.
- If you previously completed a lab that is now in maintenance, your points and completion status remain safely awarded.
WebSockets
Labs require WebSockets for interactive, two-way communication between your browser and our servers. If they are blocked, you’ll be redirected out of the lab.
- Test your connection: Use the Immersive – WebSockets Test to verify your device can establish a connection.
Error message: "Your network may be blocking WebSocket requests"
If you see this error message, follow these steps:
- Check browser support: Make sure you’re using a browser verified in our System Requirements Guide.
- Disable browser extensions: Security, privacy, or ad-blocking extensions frequently block WebSockets. Try disabling them (in Chrome: ... > Extensions > Manage Extensions).
- Inspect corporate firewalls and proxies: If you’re on a corporate network, your IT department's firewall or proxy settings may be blocking WebSocket traffic. Reach out to your internal IT support team.
Error message: "Your WebSocket connection has disconnected"
If you see this error message, follow these steps:
- Check Internet Stability: Ensure your connection hasn't dropped or lagged.
- Hard Refresh: Force your browser to bypass its cache. Hold Shift while clicking your browser's Reload icon.
- Clear Cache and Cookies: Log completely out of the platform, clear your browser's cache and cookies, then log back in.
Still Stuck? Next Steps
Ask the Immersive Community
Before opening a support ticket, check the Immersive Community. There is a high probability that a peer has run into the exact same obstacle and discussed the solution. Search the community using the specific name of the lab.
Contact Immersive Customer Support
If you believe you have discovered a technical bug with the lab workspace, or if you have tried all the steps above and still cannot proceed, please contact our support team.
Tip: Providing screenshots or a brief screen recording of the error dramatically speeds up our team's ability to diagnose and fix the issue for you.