Find out how to fix video buffering issues

Nothing is more frustrating than sitting down to enjoy the latest instalment of your favourite TV series only to be hampered by constant buffering, so what, if anything, can you do to overcome video buffering issues?

What is buffering?

When you watch a video or listen to music online, applications and websites will download a bit of the media ahead of where you are to ensure that the media plays seamlessly without any interruptions. It is this pre-emptive downloading that is buffering; the data downloaded is stored temporarily on your device. Before on-demand streaming existed, users would need to download the entire video or song before playback could be achieved, so there was no buffering.

Is buffering a bad thing?

In short, no. Buffering itself is what makes on-demand streaming possible, but it has become common for people to label issues with streaming as ‘buffering’. In reality, the issue that users often face is an inability to buffer, so buffering is good but an inability to buffer is bad.

Why am I having issues with buffering?

In most cases, buffering issues will relate directly to the download speeds available to both your broadband connection and the device being used to stream. Your broadband connection will dictate the total amount of bandwidth available for your property but networking within your property and the total number of devices or active users will also impact the bandwidth available to your device for streaming.

How do I find the cause of my download speed issue?

Locating the cause of a download speed issue is relatively straightforward; typically, you start by testing your broadband connection. If you own a device with an ethernet port, simply connect your device directly to your broadband router and temporarily disable Wi-Fi on the router to ensure that all bandwidth is delivered to the device that is hardwired to your broadband router. If you do not have a device with an ethernet port for testing, it is recommended that you power off all but one device to ensure that all available bandwidth is delivered to the device being used for testing – you should also stand as close to your broadband router as possible to ensure that you have a strong Wi-Fi signal. Testing wirelessly is not as desirable as hardwired testing as you can never be 100% sure that all other devices are turned off and it is often the case that users will have more than one wireless router or access point in their property which can introduce variables to testing. Whether you are doing wireless or hardwired testing, you will want to ensure only your browser is running on your test device with all other applications closed. You should then browse to an online speed test, such as www.speedtest.net, and run a few speed tests to find out what speeds are being delivered by your broadband connection.

Assuming that your speed tests return good results, you may need to review your internal network for issues such as poor wiring or poorly positioned mesh access points. Testing should be conducted at each point of your network to highlight potential issues. If you find areas of your property suffer from poor Wi-Fi signal quality, you will need to review the positioning of access points or upgrade to a mesh Wi-Fi solution as poor Wi-Fi signal will definitely impact internet connectivity and will be a major cause of buffering issues.

Great broadband speeds and great networking, but still facing buffering issues? It is likely that the number of devices or active users are cumulatively diminishing the amount of available bandwidth for your streaming activities and causing your buffering issue. Finding the device(s) or user(s) is relatively straightforward – disconnect, or power off, all devices then slowly reintroduce one at a time until you start to experience issues again.

How can I stop buffering issues?

Once you determine the cause of your download speed issue, you can work to overcome the issue and stop videos or songs from buffering. If the cause of the issue is your broadband connection, you can discuss with your provider to see if there is an issue with your line or to find out if your broadband connection is simply working to its optimal level – the latter being a common issue for those using landline broadband and are located a great distance from their local exchange. Fear not, if your current broadband connection is not up to the task, you can look at implementing 4G LTE or satellite broadband. Both offer excellent coverage to remote and isolated locations throughout the UK. For those simply stretching their existing connection, you can either try to reduce the number of devices, limit simultaneous activities, or even lower the quality of video and audio streaming to try and better share available bandwidth. Alternatively, you could setup an additional broadband connection. Many may assume that a second broadband connection is cost-prohibitive but, depending on the technology implemented, it can be very affordable. The most expensive option would be a second landline which would typically be installed by BT. This can also take a long time as an engineer visit will be required with potentially extensive land works to install the additional line. Instead, you could opt for a 4G LTE or satellite broadband connection that can be dispatched and installed rapidly, adding extra bandwidth capacity to your property much like an additional landline. Using 4G LTE and satellite broadband also offers the benefit of broadband resilience in the event of a local telecoms outage, like the one recently experienced in the Shetland Islands.

What is the next step?

If you would like to add an additional broadband connection to your property, contact our Sales Department who will use your location to determine the best possible options. We offer fibre, 4G LTE, and satellite broadband so, no matter your location, we can upgrade your existing broadband connection or help you add an extra broadband connection for your property.