Ten Ways To Possibly Increase Video Streaming Speed
If you are streaming video on one or more of the video streaming services or devices, you may have experienced buffering, lost connections or other frustrations. Let’s take a look at a few things that will definitely be worth trying…
(1) Test your internet speed by going to speedtest.net for the download and then the upload speeds for your connection(s). This can be done for wired (Ethernet) and/or wireless connections. The upload speed does not matter but that download speed should be in excess of 10 Mbps (megabytes per second)… 15+ Mbps is ideal.
(2) How many applications are being used that are zapping the speeds? If you are connected to Skype, a cell phone and other people in the household sharing the Internet while you are trying to stream something you may experience the lag as the connection is being shared. You might want to turn off the cell phone, disable other connections, etc.
(3) The time of day or night may also interfere with streaming speeds within your area as there are certain peak times for Internet usage. While the awareness to this won’t help to increase your speed, it may help to understand the reasons for the lagging. You may have better experiences from streaming before or after those peak times.
(4) Reset your router/modem. Resetting the router itself restores the network to its original settings. It also removes any connected phones, tablets, computers, and other items from the network.
(5) Look for device updates. Whether you are streaming with a computer, phone, Fire Stick or tablet, there may be updates that have been waiting that automatic updates may not have activated. It won’t hurt to look from time to time.
(6) If you are on a wireless connection, make sure to clear the path for the signal. If your hardware surrounded by books, electronic items or other objects?
(7) Raise the router/modem to the highest possible location that the cords and cables will allow, if possible.
(8) If your streaming medium (ie computer) is able to use a wireless or wired (Ethernet) connection, opt for the Ethernet connection, which will be a faster speed.
(9) If you have a “dual band” model of router/modem, opt for the 5 GHz channel. Please note that twith the 5 GHz channel, you will want to get the streaming device closer to the equipment for the best connection.
(10) You might want to consider lowering the picture quality when you have streaming issues. In some cases, you will be able to adjust from “HD” (or anything including “720p” and up) to “SD” (or “480p” and down).
If none of these things resolve the majority of issues, consider asking if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) offers a faster streaming speed and if they will bump you to it for free so as not to lose your business by shopping around. If not, take a look at www.broadbandnow.com to see if you can lower your costs and/or increase your speeds.
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