So is Buffering Dropouts the Norm for Streaming?

I'll put this out there and then let it to rest it sounds like were just putting way too many possibilities out there, You can download an android app just called wifi analyzer, I use this sometimes at work, it well tell you what channel everyone is around you and the signal strength. Look at all the channels and set yours to a channel away from them. I'm guessing you know how to do this but if not type in 192.168.1.1 in your browser, I think you said its a Linksys, so user name and password are both admin. I totally forgot my boss gave me a trilithic wifi analyzer meter, gotta mess around with it, sometimes this stuff is fun other times a pain..
I failed to remember competition for utilized WIFI channels. I have updated my list of big hitters, above, accordingly.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
you can put on that list 2.4 ghz phone bases, some wireless speakers systems, garage door openers etc..
 
you can put on that list 2.4 ghz phone bases, some wireless speakers systems, garage5ghz band door openers etc..
Your point well taken. I have a couple little used cordless phones I could shut down for testing. Both my laptops appear to not see 5ghz band.
Will check out my TP-Link router options to make sure can't get that laptop to 5.
thanks again.
 
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For speed tests I like to try downloads of large ISO files like Windows service packs and the like. Utilities like Speedtest.net are OK for a quick check but a large ISO download will give you a better idea of true download/streaming capability.

To really push it, you can start several download sessions to fully saturate your connection then sum the results of the individual sessions.

For example, my advertised speed is 60 Mbps and I've started four downloads of 1.9GB ISO files.

If you add all these up and convert you see that the sum of download speed actually exceeds, slightly, what I'm paying for. Normally I let this bake until the downloads are mostly completed to ensure there isn't any big drop off over time. It's a pretty good test.

download.png
 
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I suggest before burrowing past the basics by jumping into gnarly network packet inspection gymnastics, et.al. …best to practice is to eliminate/confirm “the basics” first.

--ISP bandwidth…CHECK
--Wi-Fi signal strength… CHECK (at least close proximity)
--CPU/Disk load… VERY SUSPECT

Now, there is one other basic variable that would aid in diagnosing your issue.
  • How are you accessing the stream? Are you using your browser or a media player application. i.e. Windows Media Player/Winamp, etc.?
  • Which browser? Which player?

A basic gut spidey sense tells me that the laptop is gagging (buffering/writing to disk) under an extraneous CPU load. That is, until I read this:
Yes, downloaded Ookla speedtest ap on smartphone. It gave no readings during a dropout. Said communication issue.
Wildcat, Having dropouts on laptop when it sits three feet from router.

Being that you lost connection on your phone, this points a somewhat crooked finger back at the router and/or your ISP connection.

TS 101 dictates going back to ground zero. So let’s first take your router out of the loop.
  1. Connect/Wire the laptop directly into your modem.
  2. Fire up a stream.
  3. Manually connect to Windows Update.
  4. Let er rip (a typical while) and Report back.

If the stream gags, this more than likely eliminates your router/Wi-Fi as the culprit. Conversely, if the stream plays without drops (under load) you should then focus on your router's settings/performance.

At whatever point forward, we'll then be better able to suggest remedies.
 
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I suggest before burrowing past the basics by jumping into gnarly network packet inspection gymnastics, et.al. …best to practice is to eliminate/confirm “the basics” first.

--ISP bandwidth…CHECK
--Wi-Fi signal strength… CHECK (at least close proximity)
--CPU/Disk load… VERY SUSPECT

Now, there is one other basic variable that would aid in diagnosing your issue.
  • How are you accessing the stream? Are you using your browser or a media player application. i.e. Windows Media Player/Winamp, etc.?
  • Which browser? Which player?

A basic gut spidey sense tells me that the laptop is gagging (buffering/writing to disk) under an extraneous CPU load. That is, until I read this:


Being that you lost connection on your phone, this points a somewhat crooked finger back at the router and/or your ISP connection.

TS 101 dictates going back to ground zero. So let’s first take your router out of the loop.
  1. Connect/Wire the laptop directly into your modem.
  2. Fire up a stream.
  3. Manually connect to Windows Update.
  4. Let er rip (a typical while) and Report back.

If the stream gags, this more than likely eliminates your router/Wi-Fi as the culprit. Conversely, if the stream plays without drops (under load) you should then focus on your router's settings/performance.

At whatever point forward, we'll then be better able to suggest remedies.

+48,
I'm useing Chrome browser to access the streems.
I'll give bypassing the router a go tomorrow.
thanks.
 
+48,
I'm useing Chrome browser to access the streems.
I'll give bypassing the router a go tomorrow.
thanks.
OK. Good to know. In certain situations, browsers and/or their extensions can be quite naughty with your RAM. Need be you can test (eliminate) a greedy browser by easily using a "stand alone" player. But that falls into the realm of Step 2.

PS. I forgot to tell you that immediately after hooking up direct you should reboot the whole show. Modem first [wait] then laptop. Let it all rest for at least five minutes. Then proceed as above.
 
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"Boomer Theory"... Speeds (service) is manipulated so you are forced into considering an upgrade... :idea: ?

A longer duration test like I suggested back in post #44 will usually reveal if your ISP is throttling back. Mine holds pretty rock steady at 60-61Mbps which is what I'm paying for. On a site like Speedtest it'll burst up a little more like the one I just did showing 66.5Mbps (with a 9ms ping).
 
I run this on all of my machines. It will show CPU load, network activity, disk activity, and memory usage (physical and virtual): http://hexagora.com/en_dw_davperf.asp It does not use up a bunch of system resources, and give alot of useful diagnostic information.

I don't know if it works with Win10. I won't run Win10 on any machine, as it is today. Win10 telemetry reporting could be a cause for network choking, all by itself.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
OK. Good to know. In certain situations, browsers and/or their extensions can be quite naughty with your RAM. Need be you can test (eliminate) a greedy browser by easily using a "stand alone" player. But that falls into the realm of Step 2.

PS. I forgot to tell you that immediately after hooking up direct you should reboot the whole show. Modem first [wait] then laptop. Let it all rest for at least five minutes. Then proceed as above.

Wired ethernet, modem to laptop. Started streeming. Had one short dropout after couple minutes before I started Windows update. I did a manual Windows update with no dropout. Another update available, which I did without dropout. An additional optional update failed. For what ever reason. I streemed another hour plus without dropout.
Reconnected the wifi. Been streeming without dropout an hour or so. I've had stretches without wifi dropouts before. Not unusual.
 
Dropouts should be pretty rare with a direct cable connection. Your PC could be choking for various reasons previously stated. This could be narrowed by using another PC or current streaming device. Your modem could be choking. You would need to coordinate with your ISP to determine what is up there. You may actually have a need for an attenuator at the cable input of your modem, for that you would need an installer or field rep for your ISP on site.

The PC is the easiest to test and eliminate. Invite a friend to come over with a newish laptop and see what is what. If no drop-outs, you can begin the work to determine what is up in your PC (could be many things). While your friend is there, you could see how well your WIFI is doing, also.

Good luck,
Rich P
 
Dropouts should be pretty rare with a direct cable connection. Your PC could be choking for various reasons previously stated. This could be narrowed by using another PC or current streaming device. Your modem could be choking. You would need to coordinate with your ISP to determine what is up there. You may actually have a need for an attenuator at the cable input of your modem, for that you would need an installer or field rep for your ISP on site.

The PC is the easiest to test and eliminate. Invite a friend to come over with a newish laptop and see what is what. If no drop-outs, you can begin the work to determine what is up in your PC (could be many things). While your friend is there, you could see how well your WIFI is doing, also.

Good luck,
Rich P

Rich,
I do have a newer i5 laptop that was bought in Nov '11. It is a little newer. It handles Win10, unlike the one I use for streeming. Had to revert back to Win7 on it to get it to work.
 
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Lol, Sonos solved this issue over 12 years ago, by bypassing your crappy home WiFi with their own mesh network. I notice that all the router vendors are finally starting to offer multi node meshed routers now.

I just chuckle to myself when I read about dropouts, and happily listen to glitch-free music. 5 minutes to install, never had a dropout in several years.
 
Have we ruled out system resources causing the dropout? Hit Ctrl Alt Del and open Task Manager. You can run Task Manger right along side your browser and watch the system resources/performance and see if the drop outs are happening at the same time system resources spike.
I don't know if it works with Win10. I won't run Win10 on any machine, as it is today. Win10 telemetry reporting could be a cause for network choking, all by itself.

Enjoy,
Rich P

Funny, I run W10 on a couple of machines and I have a fairly slow internet connection (2.5 down/.4 up) and never have any trouble with dropouts. Of course I have disabled as much of the telemetry as possible through Group Policy editing and have my updates configured to not do anything until I allow it.
 
Have we ruled out system resources causing the dropout? Hit CtI'm Alt Del and open Task Manager. You can run Task Manger right along side your browser and watch the system resources/performance and see if the drop outs are happening at the same time system resources spike.


Funny, I run W10 on a couple of machines and I have a fairly slow internet connection (2.5 down/.4 up) and never have any trouble with dropouts. Of course I have disabled as much of the telemetry as possible through Group Policy editing and have my updates configured to not do anything until I allow it.

Jeffrey,
Have opened the Task Manager and Performance tab. As streeming CPU usage run 0 to about 12% spikes. Have not had any dropout this afternoon besides when I had to reboot the router once.
I'm running Win7 on laptop after two times in shop trying to run 10.
 
In Windows Update. If I set to" Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them," how will it notify me?
 
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