High latency possibly stopping TV box streaming

[hawaye]

Since renewing with TalkTalk in March 2025, I seem to have been plagued with problems running the TV box. It's a BT-badged Humax DTR-T4000. Most times I want to use a TV player (iPlayer, ITVX, etc.) the player shows the buffering wheel, then stops and shows a message saying there's a problem with the Internet. A typical OOKLA speed test shows download speed is 45-55 Mbps but there is a hefty latency when loaded. I've seen up to 1800ms when loaded and never less than 900ms. The Humax connects through a Powerline Ethernet connection. I also have a long Ethernet cable to check the Powerline plugs are OK. No change in behaviour. The Internet tells me that loaded latency shouldn't be more than 200ms. Perhaps someone could comment on this?

I complained about this and was sent a Vantiva box to replace the Humax. It behaves exactly the same as the Humax box. It also has an Ethernet connection. When it stops I check the speed and the latency and the speed is 45-55 but the latency under load is always over 1300ms. So I'm back using the Humax.

On Monday 28/07/25 there was no Internet connection at all and I phoned for help and went through the router reboot, then reset to factory procedure. About an hour after starting the call, the router showed it was connected but there was still no Internet. Eventually things started working again. 

This morning my phone showed being connected, but no Internet. Restarted the router and I have Internet again. I wanted to run a TalkTalk speed test but it shows Monday's case still open so no speed test. I complained on chat to an agent about the no Internet issue and still a large latency reading from OOKLA speed test this morning, but they  were fixed on it being a WiFi problem, despite being told the TV box ran on Ethernet. The agent also told me the case had been removed, but it hasn't yet.

As a last resort, I turn to the Community. Firstly, I need the outstanding case removed so I can run a TalkTalk speed test if necessary, and secondly I need to be able to get a TV box running reliably again. The Humax box has worked well in the past few years with TalkTalk TV. Speed has rarely been a problem, but I believe that the loaded latency figure is way too high. 

Sorry about the long post.

[hawaye]

Just the same last night, but a random show from ch5 is running this morning. 2 x 30 min episodes without problems. Ookla speed test shows loaded latency of 1297ms.

[KeithFrench]

So is it any better on the replacement 5364?

[hawaye]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes. I have an access point in the garage to give a bit of WiFi in the garden which I swapped to the TV box port unintentionally. Also, since Monday's no Internet event, I changed the router to a spare 5364 unit.

[KeithFrench]

Have you tried another Ethernet-connected device in the same Ethernet port of the router?