Insufficient broadband speed to watch live on laptop

[Dolallytats]

In the last couple of weeks when I am watching either BBCiPlayer or trying to watch Channel 4 live, this is the message I have been getting 'insufficient broadband speed' messages. The programme then doesn't play.

Can anyone tell me why this has started happening when it has never been a problem before.

Please speak very slowly...I am a bit dim when it comes to anything even remotely technical!! Pretend you're explaining things to a 2 year old and I should be ok!!

Thanks very much!!

[Oodsigma]

I am getting this on dh laptop but not mine. 4od doesn't work on either but does on my phone. So no idea but eager for answers!

[WhoWhatWhereWhen]

try www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk check to see what download speeds your getting.

[WhoWhatWhereWhen]

*you're

[WhoWhatWhereWhen]

sorry, //www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk

[Dolallytats]

Thanks Who, I just checked and it said the speed was 13.93 mb/s. Is that ok? If not, do you know how to improve it?

[WhoWhatWhereWhen]

That should be plenty, try closing down any other programs that could be accessing the internet and make sure your computer has the latest version of flash player from www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

[BertieBotts]

I find this just happens from time to time and then stops happening again. You can try resetting your router (Turn it off for 10 seconds then back on) and as Who says, close down any programs which are using the internet like downloaders. If your antivirus is running any scans or updates it should help to pause or stop those too while you watch the programme.

Usually at the very bottom of the screen on BBC iPlayer there is a link to a lower bandwidth version which you could try, although it's lower quality, and your broadband speed sounds well able to stream even HD quality.

[Dolallytats]

Thanks everyone. I will look at the flashplayer and the link to a lower bandwidth. I just wanted to watch OBEM while curled up in bed, but it just wouldn't have it!!

[NetworkGuy]

Which ISP do you use ? it may be their connection to other services that is getting 'saturated' at times, and sounds like (if you're lying in bed) you may be trying to view in peak TV hours...

The links on the internet are like roads, with different amounts of traffic. So the route to test your speed might not be congested, but links to the BBC or 4oD may have solid traffic jams, and therefore everything is running slow.

It could mean that no matter how fast your speed test is (and I tend to use speedtest.net as you can choose different servers around the UK/ Europe) there may be some links which are constantly 'jammed'.

More and more smart TVs and set top boxes have internet connections so there's a higher chance nowadays of finding the links to UK TV services getting a bit jammed as people watch what they want, when they want and not based on the broadcasting schedule.

I suspect it will also hit the TV networks in a while, when demand online takes every bit of traffic they have (and they'd need to buy more servers, as each server has a limit to how much data it can send out via its ethernet ports, and network capacity, as each data centre has a limit on how much traffic it can handle via fibre connections to other networks).

[Dolallytats]

Networkguy I can't believe you actually put that in a way I understood!! Like you say, I think I was trying to view at a busy time because I watched the programme the following day (On demand not when it was playing live) and apart from freezing a couple of times, it was fine.

Thank you!