Video streaming problems on Netflix?

[865]

Every once in awhile while watching Netflix, the quality of the video playing will just drop really low so everything looks pixelated. Usually all I have to do is refresh the page and it fixes itself. But recently I'll refresh the page many times and nothing gets fixed. Or I'll just watch the video in low definition and just randomly it will go back up to HD. Why does this happen and is there a way to fix it?

[Naomi]

Your internet connection is probably bad

[dan]

How fast is your Internet connection? http://speedtest.net

If you look at Netflix minimum speed recommendations, https://support.netflix.com/en/node/306 You'll see that you need at least 5 Mbps to stream a Netflix HD movie.

Your Internet bandwidth is shared among all of the users of your LAN. So any bandwidth others are using will be deducted from the total WAN (Internet) bandwidth that is available to you.

For example, If you pay for a 3 Mbps Internet connection, you will get 3 Mbps.

No router or connection settings will change your 3 Mbps Internet speed. This connection bandwidth is shared by your entire LAN via your router.

If you have a 3 Mbps Internet connection and one user is utilizing 2.5 Mbps of the bandwidth to stream a Netflix movie that only leaves a paltry 0.5 Mbps for all of the rest of the users on the LAN.

Many people would be likely be surprised at how many active connections their wireless router has. I have dozens. Cell phones, tablets, iPods, game consoles, laptops, desktops, ROKU boxes, Internet enabled devices such as TVs and audio receivers, and the list goes on.

I have a 50 Mbps cable Internet plan, Even with this speed, occasionally I have minor slowing when several family members are streaming at the same time.

The only real way to speed up your Internet connection is to get a faster ISP or a Internet connection that is shared by less users..

If your tested speed is slow or you have multiple users on your home network, I would check with your current ISP to see if they offer a faster plan.

Otherwise, you might want to look at your other broadband options.

Depending on your exact location, you can choose from several different types of broadband Internet access. They include DSL, cable, fiber, satellite, and wireless from a cellular provider.

DSL (ADSL) is generally the cheapest broadband option, however it is also usually the slowest. DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is a form of broadband Internet that is transmitted over standard twisted pair copper telephone lines. DSL speeds range from 256 Kbps to 12 Mbps depending on distance from the telephone company and plan that you purchase.

Cable - Cable Internet is a form of broadband Internet transmitted over coaxial television cables. Cable Internet speeds range from 1 Mbps to over 300 Mbps using newer DOCSIS 3.0 technology. The speed of the service depends on your exact area and service package that you order.

Fiber - Newer fiber optic services can be as fast as 1000 Mbps, usually transmitted on fiber optic cables and often combined with copper from the street to the house. Fiber connections can also provide on demand HD television and digital telephone service on the same line.

There are also 3G and 4G wireless mobile broadband services and satellite Internet, but these are normally only used where Cable or DSL are unavailable due to the higher cost, slower speeds and low monthly bandwidth limits.

To compare speed and prices of your local competitors, go to a ISP comparison site that lets you input your address, and compare the pricing and terms of the offers that are available in your area. In the US you can use this one http://isp1.us/find/ otherwise do a search for "ISP comparison" at your favorite search engine.

The physical address is needed because some services, particularly DSL, are very distance sensitive. For example you might be able to get a specific level of service while your next door neighbor can't.

You'll want to pick the fastest plan that fits your budget. In some areas this can be 300 Mbps+. But these high end broadband plans are expensive. You may find that something in the 10 to 50 Mbps range might satisfy your needs at a much lower cost.

Good Luck.