Internet channels buffering very badly

[capers62]

Hi all,

I have a problem with buffering when watching tv on the internet (I have a current tv licence).

This results in very jerky pictures and sound. For example, snooker via the BBC website or football via Quest tv, a Discovery Plus channel.

My one and only device is a desktop computer using a wired ethernet connection and TalkTalk router (about two years old). There are no other applications or devices being used at home. I have always used Firefox as my internet browser.

Broadband speed tests using www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk produced the following results:

Test 1 Download: 21.70 Mb/s Upload: 3.79 Mb/s

Test 2 Download: 8.23 Mb/s Upload: 1.93 Mb/s

I don't believe the much faster broadband download speed (40 Mb/s) provided by Talk Talk when navigating my account is accurate.

An indication of the problem is the slowness in uploading the actual TalkTalk speed test!

I am on the TalkTalk Fibre 35 package.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Andy

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

Can I just confirm, is this only happening at specific times or at random?

Thanks

[capers62]

Hi Michelle,

Replacing the router is a possibility, thanks for the offer. As it's only about two years old, I'm not sure it would make any difference though.

I am still wondering if you can offer any more advice to pinpoint the source of the problem?

I am still getting variable broadband speeds sometimes well below 30 Mb/s. Is this due to the speed being reduced at busy times?

Please can you check and analyse the speeds I am getting on Fibre 35, my current package.    

Kind regards,

Andy

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Morning,

I'm sorry to hear this. Would you like us to send a replacement router for testing purposes to rule this out? We would also send a router returns bag so that one of the routers can be returned.

Thanks

[capers62]

Hi Chris,

I am watching my desktop monitor connected to my router via a yellow ethernet cable (not WiFi). This was mentioned in my original message at the start of the thread.

Things have improved recently but then very slow again tonight. It really shouldn't be like this when streaming as mine is the only device being used and only one video (on the BBC website). Sound okay, just picture freezes repeatedly.

Kind regards,

Andy

[Chris-TalkTalk]

Hi Andy,

Is the PC that you are watching on connected to your router by Ethernet cable or wifi?

Chris

[capers62]

Hi Debbie,

I am watching television via a broadband desktop computer connection rather than a TV box.

This is due to satellite dish/aerial problems affecting reception for my main tv set.

The sync speed figure you have quoted will be higher than the actual throughput figure in most cases, as one of the other adviser replies pointed out within this thread.

Incidentally, I have taken the opportunity to check and update any out of date drivers on my computer.

Kind regards,

Andy   

[Debbie-TalkTalk]

Hi Andy

Apologies for this.

Are you watching the channels on a TV box or a different device?

The sync speed looks good, the line is in sync at 40mb.

[capers62]

Hi Michelle,

I've just tried powering down my router for a period of more than thirty minutes and then restarting to see if it made any difference.

Unfortunately, this has not improved the situation and I am still getting significant buffering issues when trying to view videos online, most recently on the BBC website.

The pictures are affected in terms of a lag accompanied by being of lower quality (resolution) than usual. In contrast, the sound which can be heard without any interruptions.

Latest: now received error message saying content cannot be played due to insufficient bandwidth*

The results of a recent broadband speed check on uswitch.com are as follows:

19.2 Mb/s download speed

4.8 Mb/s upload speed

Distance from exchange: 1 mile

Certainly, room for improvement.

Any further help and advice would be appreciated.

Kind regards,

Andy

*PS If your internet connection isn't fast enough, the programme may buffer, or you'll see a message saying you have 'insufficient bandwidth' (bandwidth is the amount of data your connection can transfer)

[Michelle-TalkTalk]

Hello,

How are you getting on? Did you have a chance to try powering down the router for a full 30 minutes?

Thanks

[Skynet_TX]

ah, I see you have just updated your post with your sync speeds, would be worth trying a +30 minute shutdown for your router, that can often get the throughput speeds back up to something much closer to the sync speed.

With a 40mbps sync speed you should be getting wired speed test results of +36mbps

[Skynet_TX]

Info on how to check sync speed is here :https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Check-your-sync-speed/ta-p/2205409

The sync speed is the speed that your router has actually connected to the street cabinet, so if you have a computer connected to your router via ethernet then your actual speed test results should be fairly close to the sync speed.

For example my router syncs at 40mbps, if I run a speed test from the TalkTalk speed test site I get wired results of around 37.5mbps

If your wired speed test results are significantly lower than your sync speed then it would be worth switching off the router for over 30 minutes, this will then cause you to get a new session in the street cabinet when you switch it back on.

[capers62]

Hi Skynet_TX,

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate speeds for individual customers can vary dependent (as you say) on the length and quality of the phone line between their home and the street cabinet.

The estimated speed is between 35 and 37 Mb/s, actual figure quoted as 40 Mb/s by Talk Talk. No line fault or connection issues have been detected.

The speed tests I carried out were separated by a gap of about ten minutes with response/ping time (latency) about 15 ms.

I  have updated my community profile with the information you suggested.

I have checked the sync (line) speed and the download and upload figures are shown as 40 Mb/s and 8.8 Mb/s respectively. As  mentioned by TalkTalk, these will always be higher than your actual (throughput) broadband speed.

Many thanks for your help.

Andy

[Skynet_TX]

Hi @capers62,

40mbps is the maximum possible speed you can get on the Fibre 35 service, but the speed any individual customer can get is totally dependent on the length and quality of the phone line between their home and the street cabinet.

If you go to the Service Centre what does it show for your estimated speed range. If you log into your router to check your sync speed does this show speeds below that estimated range.

Did you leave a few minutes between those two speed tests, as sometimes running speeds tests very close together can cause the second one to report slower speeds.

For one of the TalkTalk staff on this community to be able to look into this you will need to update your community profile to include your name, landline telephone number that your TalkTalk service is provided on & an alternative contact number. This will allow them to identify you, and they will then be able to help.

Don't post any personal details in this thread, just add them to your community profile.

The staff here won't be around now until Monday, but they should be able to respond to this post early next week to help.

Can you try some speed tests from https://www.talktalk.co.uk/speedcheck/