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Timmn
join:2000-04-23
Tinley Park, IL

Timmn

Member

[Rant] I find this a bit odd....

I've never had any trouble with Netflix on AT&T U-verse (I'm on the wrong side of town for their TV service) until this whole thing started between Netflix and Verizon.

Now, between 7:00 and 11:00 CDT I get buffering issues. I'm assuming that there is something wrong with my connection because AT&T says they wouldn't do anything like play around with Netflix streams, would they?

TestBoy
Premium Member
join:2009-10-13
Irmo, SC

TestBoy

Premium Member

No... there is no gremlin in the wire...
What you are seeing is the result of a peering dispute.

The technical reason is that some needed upgrades between AT&T and the networks Netflix uses are required... but AT&T refuses.

As far as who is at fault... well... AT&T and their peers are.
But.. they are not "playing around" with the stream itself, no.

trparky
Premium Member
join:2000-05-24
Cleveland, OH
·AT&T U-Verse

trparky

Premium Member

I've never had issues with NetFlix on uVerse Internet. Time Warner was a different story.

I have noticed that it seems to depend upon where people live. Some people get great NetFlix connectivity and others don't even though they have the same ISP.
Expand your moderator at work

HexMen
join:2014-06-12

HexMen to Timmn

Member

to Timmn

Re: [Rant] I find this a bit odd....

I don't know what AT&T has done in your area, but I would check a couple things.

1) DNS Server: What DNS servers are you connected with for IPv4?

If you are using the NVG589 as your Router and Gateway (RG), there isn't a lot you can do in that regard as that device, frustratingly, doesn't allow you to edit the DNS servers. But if you are using something which does, here are some you might ping and/or trace-route to see which ones give you the faster connection (I have openDNS at the top as it provides the fastest connection for me personally):

--DNS Servers IPV4--
208.67.222.222 - OpenDNS
208.67.220.220 - OpenDNS
8.8.8.8 - google
8.8.4.4 - google
68.94.156.1 - AT&T
68.94.157.1 - AT&T
205.152.37.23 - AT&T
205.152.37.24 - AT&T
-- DNS Servers for IPV6 --
2620:0:ccc::2 - OpenDNS
2620:0:ccd::2 - OpenDNS
2001:4860:4860::8888 - google
2001:4860:4860::8844 - google

2) Do a trace-route during off-peak hours (when you are not having a buffering issue) and then do one at a time when it is bad your looking for ping times that exceed 100ms, as those delays contribute greatly to content buffering. Often times, I am able to completely change the Internet Route by switching up my DNS server.

3) Here is an article about a little test you can do on Netflix. »bgr.com/2014/06/11/netfl ··· ed-test/

Excerpt:
Netflix isn’t done coming up with clever ways to name and shame ISPs that deliver slow streaming services. Wired has spotted a new tool on Netflix’s website that will let you know exactly how fast your ISP delivers Netflix video streaming traffic so you can see whether you’re actually getting the “high-speed” service you’re paying for.

The page contains a small video called “Example Short 23.976 that will play a series of seemingly random video clips that Netflix will use to calculate exactly how quickly — or slowly — your ISP is delivering you video. As you watch the video, Netflix will post its streaming bit rate and resolution in the upper left-hand corner so you know exactly how fast your video is streaming and at what quality.
...and here is the linked test »www.netflix.com/WiMovie/ ··· d=439131
Timmn
join:2000-04-23
Tinley Park, IL

Timmn to trparky

Member

to trparky
said by trparky:

I've never had issues with NetFlix on uVerse Internet.

Neither did I, until this fight between Netflix and Verizon started. That's what I find odd.
Ziemowit
join:2014-06-11

Ziemowit to Timmn

Member

to Timmn
»www.engadget.com/2014/03 ··· roblems/

Yes, nearly all major internet service providers are jumping on the bandwagon of refusing peering becuase:

1. Each provides their own video/cable service that many customers are leaving for Netflix.
2. It's an opportunity to turn Netflix and similar streaming content providers into a new source of income.
3. Most people don't have a choice when it comes to internet service providers and won't cancel service.

Yes it is ATT since I'm having the same issue. I don't find it funny because I pay them to get internet and they refuse to properly manage my internet connection so I can properly connect at the speed I'm paying for.

Don't use speedtest.net to test your internet connection. It's usually rigged. Comcast for example provided their own servers for speedtest.net so their customers always see the speed they want to see. It's good for testing maybe a link between you and your ISP, but beyond that, it won't tell you much what you're getting with Netflix.
Timmn
join:2000-04-23
Tinley Park, IL

Timmn to HexMen

Member

to HexMen
Here is something that I can't figure out, I have two blu-ray players, a Samsung and a Sony, I also have a Roku box. The blu-ray players are wired, the Roku box is wireless. They are all connected to the same NVG589 router, but they haven't been used all at the same time in over a year.

When the buffering problems get so bad on the Samsung or the Roku, I go upstairs and turn on the Sony, it might rebuffer once, at the beginning of whatever program I'm watching, but, after that, it's fine. The Sony is closer to the router, but since it's wired, the only difference between the Samsung is a shorter cable run.

HexMen
join:2014-06-12

HexMen

Member

Hmmm ... so are you saying that on one device (the Sony), you are able to watch during the same period with no buffering problems, but do have problems on the other two devices? (one wired and one wireless)

If so, then the problem may very well be "in house".

- Have you checked for firmware updates for each of your media players? (usually a selection somewhere in the menu)

- For the HWired Samsung, how is it connected?
Keep in mind that any network cable in your home, including patch cables, that are below the CAT5e standard, or are run exposed too close to a high EMF source (things that use a lot of amps or voltage to operate), or if the cables are run too far, can all impact your throughput.

- For the wireless, well.. address that after you have determined where the problem is. There are too many things that can impact streaming on wireless, as I'm sure you know.

- Before any conclusion can be drawn, you need to test all three, one right after another, or even at the same time if you have the bandwidth, to know if it's inside the house or not.
Timmn
join:2000-04-23
Tinley Park, IL

Timmn

Member

All three media players have the latest and greatest firmware, I did a manual "check for updates" on both blu-ray players, and the Roku box checked for updates itself yesterday.

Samsung (downstairs):
There is a plenum-rated cat5-e cable running through the wall from upstairs to downstairs, it is terminated at both ends with cat5-e rated RJ-11 jacks. The length between jacks is about 25 feet. There are two cat5-e patch cables connected to the jacks, one goes to the router (3 foot), the other to the Samsung (6 foot). There aren't any long runs near any high voltage (110V).

With the Sony (upstairs), I got lazy, I simply drilled a hole through the wall and passed a 15 or 20 foot cat5-e patch cable through it, one end into the router, the other into the Sony. The Sony has wireless built-in, but I ran that cable before I got it, so it was just easier to plug the cable in rather than set up the wireless.

I didn't have time to run any tests, and I'm not sure how I would select the test video from the blu-ray players anyway.

brookeKrige
join:2012-11-05
San Jose, CA

brookeKrige

Member

said by Timmn:

not sure how I would select the test video from the blu-ray

I can search for and add the example short to my queue like any other title.

My blu-ray is a too-old Sony however, won't show bit-rate stats (nor subtitles, FW is up to date: the no subtitles and no FW to fix it, means next blu-ray player ain't gonna be a Sony... not to mention the +/-15sec replay/forward remote buttons aren't even supported, etc).
Timmn
join:2000-04-23
Tinley Park, IL

Timmn

Member

said by brookeKrige:

My blu-ray is a too-old Sony however, won't show bit-rate stats (nor subtitles, FW is up to date: the no subtitles and no FW to fix it, means next blu-ray player ain't gonna be a Sony... not to mention the +/-15sec replay/forward remote buttons aren't even supported, etc).

I had a similar reason for buying the Sony, for some reason, the default language settings for Anime on Netflix is Japanese, and you can't change it on the Samsung. I was told that it couldn't be fixed on older blu-ray players through a firmware update, there was a hardware change to enable those features.

Somewhere on the Netflix site, they had a list of blu-ray players and what features they supported. If I find the list again, I'll post a link to it here, they had it well hidden, and I ran across it by accident. From what I understand, any new blu-ray player will support all the Netflix features.
Timmn

Timmn to brookeKrige

Member

to brookeKrige
Here is the list of Sony blu-ray players and what they support on Netflix:

»help.netflix.com/article ··· %20audio

They have a similar list for just about every major manufacturer.