{"id":234825,"date":"2025-10-18T21:28:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T21:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/234825\/"},"modified":"2025-10-18T21:28:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T21:28:15","slug":"dont-suffer-the-buffer-ditch-those-annoying-streaming-lags-with-my-easy-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/234825\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t Suffer the Buffer: Ditch Those Annoying Streaming Lags With My Easy Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now that the summer is over, it’s time to snuggle up with a warm drink and enjoy some entertainment from the comfort of your own home. Whether that’s streaming NFL games<\/a> or watching the latest blockbuster movie on your favorite streaming service<\/a>, you’ll need your internet to be on point. No one wants to lag and miss a late-game winning point to the tune of your neighbors cheering upstairs.<\/p>\n

A recent CNET survey found that<\/a> 60% of respondents pay for some kind of streaming video service. But the unfortunate truth is that streaming sports and other high-profile events at the same time as everyone else can often be tricky. Lags and delays are commonplace. It’s just a consequence of how our internet connections work. But if your neighbors upstairs consistently seem several seconds ahead of you, odds are that your home network might be slowing you down.\u00a0Based on a recent Reddit thread<\/a>, people often find their streams buffer, seemingly for no reason, even with a (theoretically) fast broadband connection.<\/p>\n

The good news? You can optimize your internet in a few quick steps and I’m going to walk you through them all right here. If you still struggle with slow streaming speeds<\/a>, you may have to make long-term changes, like upgrading your Wi-Fi router<\/a>. But for now, let’s focus on easy, quick improvements you can tackle in just a few days.<\/p>\n

Run a speed test<\/p>\n

The first step to getting a faster internet connection<\/a> is to figure out what internet speed you’re actually getting. I have a sneaking suspicion that many of you aren’t sure what speed you should be getting. If you’re not certain, check your account online and verify what speed you’re paying for.<\/p>\n

Next, run a simple internet speed test<\/a> to determine whether you’re getting sufficient download and upload speeds<\/a> in the room where your TV is located. The best, most thorough approach is to run multiple tests at different times of day to get a complete picture of your connection’s speed. Why? Average download and upload speeds vary depending on how congested the network is, so make sure you’re aware of factors like that when testing. <\/p>\n

There are plenty of free\u00a0internet speed tests<\/a>, but I most frequently use the Ookla speed test<\/a>. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) I’ve got the app on my Apple TV<\/a> and can see the results on my LG TV, but you can also run it in your browser or by using a free speed test app on your Android<\/a> or iOS<\/a> device.<\/p>\n

\"Image <\/p>\n

Get your speed test results right on the big screen.<\/p>\n

Trey Paul\/CNET<\/p>\n

In our CNET guide to\u00a0how much internet speed you really need<\/a>, we recommend a minimum of 25Mbps for streaming 4K video per FCC guidelines<\/a>, so that’s your starting point. Overall, most households should aim for minimum download speeds of at least 100Mbps, if speeds like those are available and affordable at your address, especially considering the number of smart devices connected in our homes (which we’ll touch on just below).\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now that you’ve tested your speeds, compare them to the speeds you’re paying for. If the numbers are far off, it might make sense to contact your internet service provider and find out if something is awry on that end<\/a>, or if possible, you could even try to negotiate a faster plan for less money<\/a> than you’re paying now. If you’ve been with your ISP for a while, you may be surprised to discover that better, cheaper plans are now available.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Check your layout<\/p>\n

Wi-Fi is incredibly convenient, but it could slow you down if your equipment isn’t centrally located. Put simply, the farther away from the modem and router<\/a> your streaming device is, the lower its wireless speeds will be. If speeds are low enough, you’ll start to see buffering as the streaming device struggles to pull the video content over the air fast enough to show it to you in real time.\u00a0For context, my colleague at CNET pays for gigabit speeds but wasn’t getting those speeds until she optimized her Wi-Fi setup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read More: Best Mesh Wi-Fi Routers<\/a><\/p>\n

I mentioned earlier that I ran my Ookla speed test from my Apple TV<\/a>. My wife and I decided to connect our Apple TV directly to our router via an Ethernet cable instead of using a Wi-Fi connection. We wanted our streaming services —\u00a0Netflix<\/a>, Amazon Prime Video<\/a>, Apple TV Plus<\/a>, etc. — to access the fastest speeds in our house, which isn’t possible via Wi-Fi. If you can manage to configure it that way, a wired Ethernet connection<\/a> will boost the speeds of any device you connect to, like your TV.<\/p>\n

\"Man Getty Images<\/p>\n

If you cannot connect via Ethernet cable, the next best option is to watch the show on a device or TV in the same room as your modem and router. The less distance between your router and your Wi-Fi streaming device, the better your chances for uninterrupted performance.<\/p>\n

Use your router to check your household bandwidth usage<\/p>\n

If you’re still encountering problems even though your download speeds seem to be up to snuff, you may be having trouble with your router. The first thing to try is the oldest trick of turning it off and back on again. I know that can be frustrating to hear, especially if you’ve ever asked for help from anyone in tech services and the first response is, “Have you unplugged it and plugged it back in?” <\/p>\n

The truth is, sometimes it can be that easy — restarting your router helps it reset and function better.<\/p>\n

Something else worth considering is the number of people and devices using your network. We mentioned earlier that the ideal download speed for streaming 4K video is 25Mbps, but each device on your network uses bandwidth<\/a>, making it harder for your TV to consistently get the needed 25Mbps.<\/p>\n

Our homes are now filled with a myriad of connected devices, including mobile phones<\/a>, laptops<\/a> and smart TVs<\/a>. There are also gaming consoles<\/a>, security cameras<\/a>, voice assistants<\/a>, connected speakers\/sound systems<\/a>, smart thermostats<\/a>, smartwatches<\/a> and countless other smart home gadgets<\/a>. These are all vying for bandwidth.<\/p>\n

Take an inventory of the smart devices in your household and, with your partner, roommate, kids or whoever else is at your abode, agree on what can be temporarily removed from your network to allow a less congested network as you try to stream your favorite programming.<\/p>\n

On that note, if you have people in the home who want to watch something different than the live event you want to stream — consult with them beforehand and see if you can come up with a list of shows or movies that can be downloaded before your event. Maybe download some episodes of Bluey<\/a> for the kids. Or perhaps your roommates would enjoy binge-watching some episodes of Severance<\/a> or classic episodes of The Office<\/a>. Whatever it may be, take the time to get your household on board and those alternatives downloaded early, and you can avoid strife, arguments and backed-up bandwidth during your live event.<\/p>\n

Run a final checklist<\/p>\n

OK, you’ve done several practice runs. Now it’s Go Time. Just before your live event is about to start, it’s time to run through the steps one last time to ensure your internet is ready. <\/p>\n

Rerun that speed test<\/p>\n

The fantastic download speeds you registered several days prior won’t do you any good if they’re lacking on the day you need them most. It’s always wise to check your download speed before marking off any other items on your list. <\/p>\n

Return to your router and double-check the bandwidth status<\/p>\n

If your speeds are slow, run back through that checklist: Can you remove any smart devices from your network? Do you need to remind other family members to stick to the game plan and hop off the streaming services or gaming sites? Ensuring everything is in order before the event starts will help minimize any lag and frustrations during the event.<\/p>\n

Now you’re set to get the best experience possible for your home’s current setup. You’ve done all you can. So, sit back, grab your ice-cold beverage and a bowl of your favorite snacks and enjoy!<\/p>\n

Don’t suffer the buffer FAQs <\/p>\n

Is it a bad idea to stream a live event? <\/p>\n

While many people still watch live events on over-the-air networks, more are watching via streaming platforms. So, as long as you’re prepared and have the proper setup, there should be no issues if you choose to stream live events.<\/p>\n

Should I upgrade my router to get a better connection? <\/p>\n

While your router might be holding you back from a perfect stream, you should try the other steps listed in this article before buying an entirely new piece of hardware. It’s also important to note that your connection speed is still limited by what you’re paying your provider for — that will always be the speed at which you’re capped.<\/p>\n

What is the easiest way to improve my connection speed? <\/p>\n

Removing other devices that are eating up your bandwidth is one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve your connection speed while watching live events. If you can set up an Ethernet cable and run it to your TV, that will also give you a massive boost in stream quality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Now that the summer is over, it’s time to snuggle up with a warm drink and enjoy some…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":234826,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[174,74],"class_list":{"0":"post-234825","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-internet","8":"tag-internet","9":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=234825"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/234825\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=234825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=234825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=234825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}