Optimize and reduce latency when using Hololight Stream

Objectives

  • Be able to create a network that provides the best streaming experience when using Hololight Stream.

Prerequisites

  • Windows computer with the following:

    • Hololight Stream installed

    • Hololight Stream-compatible application installed

  • Supported XR device with Hololight Stream installed

  • Router with Wi-Fi 6 or later

Optimize and reduce latency

With Wi-Fi 6, it is possible to set up a network with a low-latency connection between an XR device and Hololight Stream, creating a much more satisfying streaming experience.

There are many ways to set up an optimized network. The following configuration is one that Hololight tested.

Resource list for a low-latency Hololight Stream network
Resource type Requirements

Access point

Router with Wi-Fi 6 or later

Server computer

Windows computer running a Hololight Stream-compatible application

Client device

A Hololight Stream-supported XR device

Set up an access point

You will need to set up an access point. The access point will route the connection between the server computer running the Hololight Stream-compatible application and the XR device.

Choose a compatible router to use as the access point

New routers are released all the time, so instead of a list of routers, included here is a list of features a router in this setup should have. The router you choose as the access point should have the following features:

  • Wi-Fi 6 or later

  • Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM) capable

  • Multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output (MU-MIMO) capable

  • Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) capable

  • BSS Coloring capable

Configure the router to support the best Hololight Stream connection possible

Once you have a router with the right feature set, there are still some settings that you should think about.

  • Set up the network with a dedicated SSID if possible.

  • Disable automatic channel selection and set 5 GHz to use an 80 MHz channel. The channel that is 80 MHz can vary depending on the device and region.

  • Enable WMM.

  • Enable MU-MIMO.

  • Enable OFDMA.

  • If you know the network will be in an environment with multiple RF signals, enable BSS Coloring to reduce interference.

  • Leave Target Wake Time (TWT) enabled.

    Most of the time, TWT will not negatively impact the connection and may in fact improve it. However, if you notice the streaming performance isn’t what it should be, disable TWT.
Other considerations for router configuration

Beyond what settings need to be enabled, there are other settings you should avoid enabling.

  • Avoid using a wireless mesh network.

  • Avoid using what are often referred to as "smart" Wi-Fi features. These are features that move clients between different access points. When not precisely configured, they can all cause unnecessary latency. These features include:

    • Band steering

    • Roaming

    • Client load balancing

    • Airtime Fairness

Set up a server computer

You will need to set up a computer running Windows with a Hololight Stream-compatible application.

Connect the server computer to the network

What this setup looks like depends on whether you connect your computer to the network with a cable or wirelessly.

Connect the server computer to the network with a cable

The best connection to have between the computer and the router is a Cat 6 Ethernet cable. This will also save you from having to configure the computer to take advantage of all the Wi-Fi features.

Connect the server computer to the network wirelessly

If using an Ethernet cable is not an option, you can connect the server computer to the Wi-Fi network wirelessly. However, this may introduce a significant amount of unavoidable latency and image instability.

Configure a Quality of Service on the server computer

To better manage wireless network traffic, configure a Quality of Service (QoS) policy specifically for Hololigth Stream.

With Hololight Stream 2026.1 and later, you have the option to add this QoS policy automatically when installing Hololight Stream with the setup wizard.

  1. On your Windows computer, search for "Edit group policy" in the Start Menu and select it.

  2. Select Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Policy-based QoS.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos

  3. Right-click Policy-based QoS and select Create a new policy …​.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos select create new policy

  4. Enter a Policy name. Enable Specify DSCP Value and below it enter "46". Select Next.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos create a qos policy values

  5. Select Only applications with this executable name and enter "hololight_runtime_service.exe". Select Next.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos qos policy applies to values

    This step works for Hololight Stream 2026.1 and later. Earlier versions of Hololight Stream require you to instead enter the name of the application that uses Hololight Stream.

  6. Select Next.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos specify the source and destination

  7. Under Select the protocol this QoS applies to, select UDP. Select From any source port and To any destination port. Select Finish.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos specify the protocol and port values

  8. The new QoS policy will now be in the Policy-based QoS list.
    hololight stream windows policy based qos with new entry

Set up an XR device

Connect your Hololight Stream-supported XR device to your newly set up network. Make sure this is the only network in the device’s network list.

Maintain an efficient network setup

Even with a properly configured network, other devices on the network will always add congestion to network traffic. This adversely impacts streaming. If you decide to use software to analyze your network due to poor streaming performance, make sure to take a look at the following:

  • The number of devices on the network

  • The number of devices and networks using the same channel or adjacent channels

  • Jitter

To improve these metrics, make sure only necessary devices are connected to the network and make sure the XR device is near the access point.