Two separate bandwidth questions
Remote recording uses your upload connection for two jobs. The first is the live call: your camera and microphone are sent to the other participants in real time. The second, in local-recording tools, is sending the high-quality file recorded on your own device to the cloud.
Tools that record the live call, like a standard meeting recording, are limited by the first job: what the call delivers is what you keep. Riverside's FAQ says each participant's audio and video are recorded on their own device and uploaded to the cloud in the background in real time, which it describes as protecting quality even if the connection lags or drops [3].
This guide is based on official pages checked on 30 October 2026. Riverside's FAQ and remote recording guide do not publish a minimum upload speed, so we do not quote one.
Official live-call bandwidth figures
Sources: Zoom [1], Google Meet [2]. Google notes that participant count, layout and screen sharing also affect bandwidth [2]. Treat these as the floor for the live call, not the total you need when a background upload runs at the same time.
| Service and scenario | Upload | Download |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom 1:1, 720p HD video | 1.2 Mbps | 1.2 Mbps |
| Zoom 1:1, 1080p HD video | 3.8 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps |
| Zoom group, 720p HD video | 2.6 Mbps | 1.8 Mbps |
| Zoom group, 1080p HD video | 3.8 Mbps | 3.0 Mbps |
| Zoom audio VoIP | 60 to 80 kbps | 60 to 80 kbps |
| Google Meet, 720p HD video (individuals and small organisations) | Up to 1.7 Mbps | Up to 1.7 Mbps |
| Google Meet, 1080p HD video | Up to 3.6 Mbps | Up to 3.6 Mbps |
| Google Meet, group meeting | 250 kbps and up | Up to 4.0 Mbps |
| Google Meet, audio only | 100 kbps | 100 kbps |
Why local recording changes the question
Riverside says it records up to 4K video and uncompressed 48 kHz WAV audio when the equipment supports it, and that recordings can withstand browser crashes because they are made locally and uploaded to the cloud [3]. Its remote recording guide says local recording means internet speed will not limit the quality of the final files, and recommends an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi for speed and stability during calls [4].
The trade-off is that a large file still has to leave the guest's computer. Because Riverside uploads during the session, the live call and the file upload share the same upload connection. On a slow line, expect the upload to continue after the call ends, and ask guests not to close the session until it finishes.
With a double-ender, where each person records separately and sends files afterwards, Riverside's guide advises asking guests to send their files right away when the episode ends [4]. The upload math below applies there too.
Upload-time math for post-session file sync
Formula: upload seconds = file size in GB x 8,000 / upload speed in Mbps. This uses decimal gigabytes (1 GB = 8,000 megabits) and assumes the full speed is available, which is rarely true; real throughput on Wi-Fi or a shared line is usually lower, so treat the result as a best case.
File sizes depend on resolution, codec and length. Check the size of a real test recording from your own setup and plug it in rather than guessing.
| File size | At 5 Mbps upload | At 10 Mbps upload | At 25 Mbps upload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 GB | 53 min | 27 min | 11 min |
| 5 GB | 133 min | 67 min | 27 min |
| 10 GB | 267 min | 133 min | 53 min |
Guest pre-flight checklist
- Run a speed test on the same network and device the guest will use, and note the upload figure, not just download.
- Compare upload with the live-call figure for the resolution you plan (for example 3.8 Mbps for Zoom 1080p) and leave headroom for the background upload.
- Use an ethernet cable if possible; Riverside's guide recommends it over Wi-Fi.
- Close cloud backup, file sync and large downloads on the guest's network during the session.
- Check free disk space on the guest's computer for the local recording.
- Record a two-minute test, then check how long it takes to finish uploading.
- Tell the guest to keep the session open after you stop recording until upload reaches 100%.
- Agree a fallback: if upload stalls, how the file will be recovered or sent.
Worked example: a guest on a 6 Mbps upload line
In this invented case, a guest's speed test shows 6 Mbps upload over Wi-Fi. A 1080p Zoom-style call would use up to 3.8 Mbps of that [1], leaving little for a background upload during the call. If the guest's local recording is 5 GB, the upload at the full 6 Mbps would take about 111 minutes after the call; at a more realistic 4 Mbps of spare throughput, about 167 minutes.
The host asks the guest to use ethernet, pause cloud backup, and keep the session open until upload completes. The figures are illustrative arithmetic, not measurements.
Questions before you decide
What upload speed do I need for a 1080p remote interview?
For the live call, Zoom lists 3.8 Mbps upload for 1080p video and Google Meet lists up to 3.6 Mbps. Local-recording tools also upload your file in the background, so more upload headroom shortens the wait after the session.
Does a slow connection lower Riverside recording quality?
Riverside says each participant is recorded locally on their own device and uploaded in the background, so recordings stay high quality even if the connection lags or drops. A slow connection still affects the live call and makes the upload take longer.
How long will a 5 GB recording take to upload?
At a sustained 10 Mbps upload, about 67 minutes (5 x 8,000 / 10 = 4,000 seconds). Real throughput is often lower than a speed test result, so allow extra time.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Zoom Support: system requirements for Windows, macOS and Linux (bandwidth) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Workspace: Prepare your network for Meet meetings and live streams Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Riverside blog: How to record a podcast remotely Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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