Internet Buffer Meaning, Causes, and How to Reduce It

 

You’re glued to the screen, totally consumed by the drama and excitement of the latest streaming TV episode. But right when the climax hits, your screen suddenly freezes in place! It jumps forward a second, then freezes again – and again, and again. That’s buffering, and it’s possibly the most frustrating Internet issue.

There are lots of reasons why Internet buffering could affect your TV or other devices when you stream. Fortunately, there are also lots of ways to reduce Internet buffering and keep it from coming back. Let’s take a look!

 

What is Internet Buffering?

 

Internet buffering is actually a necessary part of video streaming. On a technical level, buffering occurs when your device – whether that's a TV, PC, or smartphone – preloads video and audio data while actively streaming video content to your screen. In effect, it's making sure the next few seconds or minutes of video are available as you watch something.

Buffering is why you can choose a video, start at the beginning, and stream it all the way through without interruption or without having to wait for the entire media piece to download – at least, in theory!

It’s also why you can keep watching a video even if your connection momentarily drops or becomes spotty. If your device buffered enough video content, there will be a little “buffer space” between your progress through the video and the latest content downloaded.

 

What People Mean by Internet Buffering

 

Since this process should run smoothly and without being noticed, people associate buffering with lag, stuttering, freezing, and other streaming delays. So, you might hear people complain about buffering, but what they really mean is their video isn’t buffering properly or consistently.

 

What Causes Internet Buffering?

 

Ever asked yourself, “Why does my Internet keep buffering?!” Truth be told, it may not be any single thing; it could be a combination of different factors instead. Your TV or connected device could experience buffering due to:

• Hardware problems. If your device or WiFi router isn’t working, for instance, you might encounter buffering when you try to stream something.
• Low WiFi bandwidth. Low bandwidth limits how much data can flow through your Internet connection, and video takes up a ton of data on average.
• Slow Internet speeds. The slower your Internet, the more time it takes for video streaming data to reach your device – and the longer it takes to properly buffer.
• Problems with the streaming provider. If the streaming platform you use has technical difficulties, that could lead to buffering on your end, too.

 

How to Reduce Internet Buffering for Good

 

Buffering is fairly common, but it’s also a fixable problem. In fact, you can reduce – or possibly even eliminate – buffering from your favorite streaming shows with a little troubleshooting.

 

Perform an Internet Buffer Test

 

The first thing you should do is perform an Internet buffer test to make sure you’re experiencing buffering at all. Video lag or other technical issues could be due to your computer freezing up or general Internet connectivity problems. Find an Internet quality or buffer test online and see if your connection is good to go before proceeding to the next steps.

 

Restart Your Router

 

Your router may be behind constant buffering if its cache – the memory of the router – is full. To fix that, simply restart your router and see if it clears up the buffering bothering your streaming habits. Restarting your router from time to time is a good idea to keep your Internet speed up, anyway, so this bit of device housekeeping is always worth trying.

 

Close Unused Programs

 

Similarly, programs that are running in the background of your computer or TV can hog device resources like memory and processing power. They might also unintentionally contribute to regular buffering by making it harder for your device to load streaming data proactively.

The solution? Simply close any programs you aren't using at the moment, like your e-mail, word processor, or even other tabs on your web browser. You can always reopen them when you’re finished streaming.

 

Lower Video Quality

 

The higher the quality of your streamed video, the more data it requires. That's why HD video takes longer to load and buffer compared to standard definition or SD video. If you really want to watch an episode of TV or movie right now but can't get Internet buffering to stop, consider downgrading the quality of the video to SD instead of HD. It might be just enough to let your device load data ahead of your current spot.

 

Remove Extra Connected Devices

 

Even the best WiFi router can only serve so many devices at once. If you're experiencing not only ongoing buffering when you try to stream but also slow Internet speeds in general, it could be wise to disconnect extra devices you aren't currently using. These can be extra smartphones, game consoles, and PCs.

Those devices still take up a little bit of bandwidth when they are connected to your WiFi router. Disconnecting them may free up enough bandwidth to solve your buffering troubles.

 

Use Your Router’s 5.0 Ghz Channel

 

Have a dual-band router? That means you have two different connection channel types to pick from. By default, most devices connect to the 2.4 Ghz channel, but the 5.0 Ghz channel may be better for streaming video to your device of choice. It’s faster than the 2.4 Ghz channel, and it may come with less competition from other devices.

 

Switch to a Wired Ethernet Connection

 

Whole-home WiFi is pretty fast, but WiFi connections still can’t quite beat the speed and consistency of wired connections. When comparing ethernet vs. WiFi, HD streaming in particular benefits from wired Ethernet connections between a device and a router. For devices that you won’t move around – say, your TV or desktop computer – it’s smart to connect them physically to your router so they always have access to the fastest connectivity possible.

 

Does Higher Internet Speed Reduce Buffering?

 

Yes! Higher Internet speeds directly lead to lower buffering since they can transmit data to your device more quickly than slower connections. Therefore, if you want to reduce buffering throughout your household, switching to a superior Internet service provider with faster plans is a great idea.

Take Shentel – with Gig-speed Internet for households just like yours, our service is the perfect pick for families seeking lightning-fast speed and smooth streaming for their favorite shows.

 

Avoid Buffering with Faster, Better Internet from Shentel

 

Faster speed isn’t all you’ll receive when you switch to Shentel. Free installation when you sign up and plans with unlimited data and wall-to-wall WiFi are also available – complete with Shentel’s best-in-class customer service.

Why wait? You deserve to enjoy the next show you stream to the fullest, without any buffering at all. Check out our plans or contact Shentel today to learn more.