Forum Discussion

Paul_I's avatar
Paul_I
Superfast
2 years ago

Why does YouTube buffer/stutter on my 1Gb downlaod connection?

So my download speed (package) is around 912Mbps - (Virgins fastest speed) but when watching YT videos, after a few seconds, the video often pauses (spinning icon) for anything between 5 and 30 seconds (apprpox) before playing again.

I would have thought with the speeds I'm getting, this shouldn't be an issue. I watch streams in 2k (and 4k where possible even though my monitor's native resolution is 2K).

It doesn't matter which browser I use.

On top of that, if I watch the same video(s) at home on my S23 Ultra mobile phone (in 4k) I don't have the same issue. The video plays fine, no buffering.

Wifi on phone does better than my hardwired router manages on my PC!

So what is the fix?

What's the fix for this?

youtube
    • Paul_I's avatar
      Paul_I
      Superfast
      2 years ago

      I have Brave browser which blocks ads, I have Chrome with an ad blocker, and I have Firefox which allows YT ads.

      Buffering occurs on all 3. Even does it on my own YouTube channel with my own personal drone videos (as the content creator).

      • Sabrina_B's avatar
        Sabrina_B
        Forum Team
        2 years ago

        Hi Paul_I 👋.

        Thanks for reaching out to us. Apologies for the issues that you are having with buffering. Can we ask your current set up, ie, spec of the PC/Laptop also how you are connecting to your home network via ethernet and is the cable sufficient to cater for the speeds you have ie Cat5e and above. If it is connected via WiFi are you connected to the right bandwidth channel for the spec of your device being used, and is this signal being obtained through a third party device such as a WiFi extender?

        Please let us know. 

        Sabrina

  • legacy1's avatar
    legacy1
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    if this is by PC you can try another DNS then

    ipconfig/flushDNS

    in CMD

    and in firewall add a rule to block UDP remote 443 for outbound this will force YouTube to use TCP not that UDP is a problem just in case  

     

    • Paul_I's avatar
      Paul_I
      Superfast
      2 years ago

      No, though I donn't understand why another cable would stop buffereing - all my other internet based applications and games work flawlwssly. It's only YT.

      • Adduxi's avatar
        Adduxi
        Very Insightful Person
        2 years ago

        Possibly the CDN servers  are badly routed, and this is causing problems?  I have a distant memory of similar issues with Social Media not showing content etc and this was the cause.  No recollection of how it was resolved.

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    Youtube introduced a 5-second pause on the start of ad-blocked videos last month across all platforms, so disabling your ad blocker will eliminate this pause.

    This comes on top of a recently-reintroduced unskippable 30-second ad break at the start of videos in the UK. You can watch with no ads by paying the YouTube Premium of £12.99pm.