Live support panel: connection issues and real-time messaging

This guide explains how conversations appear in the Jetlink live support panel, what connection notifications mean, and what to check when new conversations or messages do not appear in real time.

This guide is for customer support representatives, team managers, and IT teams using the Jetlink panel's Conversations → Inbox section. It covers conversations on Web Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, and other channels that support handover to a live representative.

Check the connection notification first. If the red connection warning is visible, the real-time messaging connection has been lost. Until the connection is restored, real-time chat messages cannot be received or sent through the panel.

1. How does the live support panel work?

A customer is transferred to a representative and the conversation appears on the representative's screen through the following steps:

1. The customer gets in touch through a channel. A conversation begins on Web Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, or another configured channel.
   
2. The need for a handover is identified. Jetlink's AI agent—the assistant that handles customer messages—evaluates the message content and the configured scenario, then initiates the handover to a representative.
   
3. The configured handover rules are applied. The conversation is routed according to the handover type and representative availability. Who receives the conversation, and under what conditions, depends on your organization's configuration.
   
4. The transferred conversation appears in the Inbox. The assigned representative's Conversations screen updates in real time. During normal operation, there is no need to refresh the page to see new conversations or messages.
   

How are real-time updates delivered?

The Jetlink panel uses the WebSocket service at wss://ws-api.jetlink.io for real-time communication. A WebSocket is a connection kept open between the browser and the server, allowing data to flow in both directions. wss indicates that the connection is encrypted.

This connection allows the screen to update when a new conversation or message arrives, without reloading the page.

An open panel does not necessarily mean the real-time connection is working. The page and previously loaded conversations may remain visible even if the WebSocket connection has been lost. Being able to open other websites does not, by itself, confirm that the Jetlink chat connection is healthy.

2. What do the connection notifications mean?

Red warning: Chat connection lost

Chat connection lost. Attempting to reconnect...

This warning indicates that the connection between the panel and Jetlink's real-time communication service has been lost. The message alone does not identify the cause. The internet connection, corporate network, VPN, browser, or a service-side issue may need to be investigated.

When this happens, Jetlink attempts to reconnect every second. Once internet connectivity or WebSocket access is restored, the connection can be re-established automatically.

While the red warning remains visible:

• New conversations and messages do not appear on the screen in real time.
  
• Real-time chat messages cannot be received or sent through the panel, so reliable customer communication cannot continue.
  
• Do not assume that the conversations and most recent messages shown on the screen are up to date.
  

Green notification: Chat connection restored

Chat connection restored.

When the connection is re-established, the red warning disappears automatically and this green notification appears. If the connection remains healthy, the green notification also disappears after a short time and the screen continues to operate normally.

This notification confirms that the connection has been restored. It does not, by itself, confirm that all conversation and message operations during the interruption have been completed. Before resuming work, check the Inbox and the latest messages in active conversations.

3. Quick checks: what should you do?

4. Step-by-step checks for customer support representatives

Step 1 — Record the warning and the time

Check the top of the Conversations screen for a red warning. Take a screenshot of the warning and note when the issue started. A warning that remains visible continuously may require a different investigation from one that appears intermittently.

Step 2 — Check your internet connection

Make sure your Wi-Fi or wired connection is active. Check whether another website opens. If your computer has just resumed from sleep or your network connection has changed, monitor the connection as it re-establishes and check the Jetlink notifications.

If other websites open but the red warning remains, the issue may be specifically related to WebSocket access.

Step 3 — Have your VPN and corporate network checked

If you use a corporate VPN, check that it is connected and stable. Ask your IT team to confirm that secure WebSocket access to ws-api.jetlink.io is available. Let them know if the issue started after connecting to the VPN or switching networks.

Perform comparative network or VPN tests with your IT team in accordance with your organization's access policies.

Step 4 — Make sure the browser is responsive

If the browser freezes or becomes noticeably slow, close unnecessary tabs and resource-intensive applications. Return to the Jetlink tab and check the connection notifications again.

If the issue persists, compare the same account in another up-to-date browser approved by your organization to determine whether the issue is browser-specific. Work with your IT team when investigating browser extensions.

Step 5 — Refresh the page once, if needed

If the connection has recovered but the screen is still not updating, save any unsent message drafts before refreshing the page once. If you are redirected to the sign-in screen, sign in again and check the Conversations screen.

Refreshing reloads the screen; it does not resolve an ongoing internet, VPN, or WebSocket access issue. If the red warning returns, the underlying connection issue needs to be investigated.

Step 6 — Determine the scope of the issue

Check whether other representatives on your team are experiencing the same problem. Whether it affects just one user, multiple users on the same network, or users on different networks helps guide the investigation. These observations alone do not establish the exact cause.

5. No warning is visible, but new conversations are not arriving

A missing conversation is not always caused by a connection interruption. You should also check that the handover took place and that the conversation was routed to the intended user.

• Correct account: Make sure you are using the account for the relevant organization and representative.
  
• Representative availability: Check that the representative is eligible to receive conversations under the configured handover rules.
  
• Handover scenario: Check whether the customer's message actually triggered the handover scenario.
  
• Routing outcome: Check whether the conversation was routed to another representative or a different destination.
  
• Scope of the issue: Determine whether the problem affects one channel, a single conversation, or all channels.
  

If you do not have permission to perform these checks, ask your team manager for assistance. If messages are delayed even though no warning is visible, a technical investigation of the real-time connection and the application may also be necessary.

6. Technical checks for IT teams

This section is for teams responsible for corporate network and browser access.

This information is intended for investigating the real-time communication connection. It is not a complete network allowlist for all Jetlink functionality.

• DNS resolution: Verify that ws-api.jetlink.io resolves correctly on the affected computer.
  
• Outbound connectivity: Check access from the client to the destination on TCP port 443. An accessible port alone does not confirm that a WebSocket session has been successfully established.
  
• Firewall and proxy: Check that secure WebSocket traffic is not blocked or interrupted while the connection is being established or kept open.
  
• TLS and certificate inspection: Check for certificate validation errors and, where applicable, whether corporate encrypted-traffic inspection is affecting the connection.
  
• VPN and timeouts: Review VPN routing and network rules that terminate long-lived connections. Compare the timing of interruptions that occur at regular intervals.
  
• Browser logs: Inspect the WebSocket request in the developer tools' Network tab and related errors in the Console tab. If needed, reproduce the issue while recording is enabled.
  

When a WebSocket connection is established over HTTP/1.1, a 101 Switching Protocols response indicates that the protocol switch has taken place. However, a successful initial connection does not, by itself, prove that the connection remained open or that application messages were delivered successfully. Also assess connection stability and the data sent and received during testing.

Test the actual connection: Entering wss://ws-api.jetlink.io in the browser's address bar or simply pinging the hostname is not sufficient to verify a working chat connection. Investigate the actual WebSocket request created by the Jetlink panel.

7. Checks to perform after the connection is restored

1. Confirm that the red warning has disappeared and that the connection is not repeatedly dropping.
   
2. Review the Inbox and the latest messages in conversations that were open during the interruption.
   
3. In a controlled test conversation, confirm that the handover to a representative takes place and that the conversation appears without refreshing the page.
   
4. Send a new message from the test user's side and check that it appears on the representative's screen in real time.
   
5. Send a reply from the representative's panel and confirm that the test user receives it.
   

If you are unsure about the status of a message you tried to send during the interruption, check the conversation history and whether the recipient received it before sending it again. Repeatedly sending the same message may result in duplicate communication.

If you still suspect missing conversations or messages after the connection has been restored, share the relevant examples with Jetlink support. The connection warning alone does not establish whether messages were lost or whether all of them were processed later.

8. What information should you provide to support if the issue persists?

If the issue continues after these checks, or if multiple representatives cannot maintain customer communication, notify your organization's IT team and Jetlink support. Include the following information to help speed up the investigation:

• Your organization/application details and the affected representative account.
  
• The date, time, and time zone of the issue, and whether it is continuous or intermittent.
  
• The exact warning text and a screenshot.
  
• The affected channel: Web Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, or another channel.
  
• An example conversation ID, if available, and the time of the affected message.
  
• Whether the issue affects new conversations, messages in existing conversations, or sending messages.
  
• The number of affected users and whether they are on the same network.
  
• The browser and version, operating system, and whether a VPN is in use.
  
• The results of refreshing the page or testing with another permitted browser or network.
  
• Relevant connection errors identified by your IT team, including error codes where available.
  

When sharing screenshots and technical logs, mask any customer data that is not needed for the investigation. Do not share passwords, session cookies, or access keys. Share detailed browser logs as directed by the support team.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to keep refreshing the page to see new conversations?

No. With a healthy connection, conversations and messages appear in real time. If you need to refresh repeatedly, the real-time update issue should be investigated.

My internet is working. Why am I seeing a connection warning?

General internet access may work while the WebSocket connection is blocked or interrupted by a VPN, proxy, or firewall. The browser and service side should also be investigated.

Will closing the warning fix the connection?

No. Dismissing the notification does not resolve the connection issue. You should confirm that the connection has been restored and that messages can be exchanged successfully.

What should I do if the red warning returns after the green notification?

The connection has been lost again. Record the times of repeated interruptions and share them with your IT team. If the issue persists, contact Jetlink support.

Technical references: IETF — WebSocket protocol, secure connections, and default port; MDN — HTTP 101 Switching Protocols. These sources explain general protocol behavior.