Hughesnet Community

Constant buffering on Youtube

cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
rustythecur
Junior

Constant buffering on Youtube

     For the last 2 weeks I have had a hard time when trying to watch a Youtube video. Some buffering before 8 am, which has never occurred before. At night the problem is much worse. Sometimes the video stops loading half way thru and will not restart.

 

    What is strange is that my speeds as tested on testmy are excellent. In the past when I have experienced the problem of buffering my speeds have been below 1.5 mb, sometime below 1 mb. This time my speeds have been above 5 mb and sometimes above 15 mb. This problem of buffering has been occurring every night all night. Video Optimization has been turned off. Also I still have over half my data left for this month.

 

    Video performance on other websites has not been affected. Last night I spent 45 minutes trying to watch a 15 minute video on Youtube at 480p. I gave up when it was only 2/3 finished. I then went to This Old House website and watched two 23 minute videos at 720p with no buffering.

 

     Any one have in thoughts on the cause of my problem?


                                                                                                  Thank you

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Thank you for this information, I'm sending you a replacement HT2000w, it should arrive in the next few days. Please let me know if you're still having intermittent connectivity with your wifi network.

 

Your cooperation, patience, and understanding are much appreciated.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

View solution in original post

25 REPLIES 25
C0RR0SIVE
Associate Professor

Hi Corrosive,

     

          I do have the Video Data Saver disabled, I always disable it when I get on the internet.

 

                                                                                                             Thank you

I have not received any help with my problem from the moderators on this site. I ran the Connectivity Test on the Hughesnet System Control Center. The results below.

 

Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test
Connectivity Test in progress...     100%

IP Gateway      MID27HNSIGW62A002Adv

Packet Loss      10%

Average Delay   789 ms

Minimum Delay   577 ms

Maxium Delay     1650 ms
You have limited connectivity to the gateway.


The last line, “You have limited connectivity to the gateway”, could that be the answer to my problem? Again my speeds according to Testmy are excellent.


    I have been a Hughesnet customer for a year and a half. I have tried to be civil and understanding when trying to deal with the many problems I have encountered when dealing with Hughesnet.

When I upgraded from Gen 4 to Gen 5 I was charged for both services, I called customer service pointed that out and told that the problem would be fixed. Next month the same thing, called told it would be fixed. Next bill still charged for both 3rd called seems to have fixed that problem.

 

   The modem I was issued when I upgraded to Gen 5 began performing erratically after about a month. If it was on for a long time speeds would drop below 1mb then it would start disconnecting from the internet. I would shut of and allow it to cool down. Then it would work again. As time went by the amount of time it would work before beginning to fail would become shorter and shorter. This went on for several months, I would call tech support and they would have me run tests and tell me everything was alright on their end.

 

    I would tell them that the modem was failing when it would get hot, they ignored me. Finally one day I was on the phone with them performing tests when the modem failed completely and permanently. For the first time my problem was escalated to the second level of support. They determined the modem was not working. Thank you. They scheduled a technicians visit in a weeks time. He took one look at it and said it had failed because it was getting to hot, just what I had been telling the tech support people for several months.

 

   I endured several months of what is substandard service even for Hughesnet because nobody cared. With my current modem I shut it off when ever it is not in use I am not going thru that nightmare again.

 

     When I upgraded to Gen 5 I was introduced to Video Optimization, except for me it did not work. To be specific when I would open the Usage Meter there was no Video Setting on the side bar or in the drop down menu so could not disable the Video Savings Mode. That wasn’t very frustrating, it took 8 days to resolve that problem. To this day the Usage Meter often is not there when I turn on my computer. I then must restart my computer and hope it shows up. My all time record was 16 restarts.

 

    I am paying 3 times what I ever have paid for internet access and the quality of service is terrible. With other providers if their was a problem and that was rare it was fixed in a day. That is I would alert them to the fact that something was amiss and they would fix it without my further involvement.

 

    Lets recap Hughesnet is very expensive, I would say its customer service is a joke but it is worse then that because you waste hours on phone for no purpose other than becoming very frustrated. You can not play internet games, streaming does not really work, video conferencing is a joke. My healthcare provider wanted to set me up to be able to talk to a doctor over the internet since I live in a remote area. I told them who my internet provider is and they dropped that idea. Now I can not even watch a Youtube Video. If all I can do is read my email I can go into town twice a week and do that at the Library for free and save my self $120 a month.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@rustythecur

 

I don't see any bad weather near Midland, TX, which is where your gateway is, so it's doubtful that your packet loss was related to such, and if you had bad weather at your location I'm sure you would have mentioned it.  

 

More than likely the reps will want to run some diagnostics on your equipment, but the modem must be powered in order for them to do that.  Unless it's in an enclosed area, a hot area, or it doesn't have sufficient space around it, I highly doubt leaving it on tomorrow so they can do that will be a problem.  Unless it was in one or more of those conditions, that the other modem got too hot was a fluke related to that modem.

 

The buffering issue may or may not be related to your packet loss issue, but it's important to make sure everything is in working order.  I'll tag the reps so that they'll be sure to see this.   

 

@Liz @Amanda

Thank you Gabe for your reply. The modem is out in the open where the installer placed it. I will leave it on all day as you suggested.

    Just an update, this morning I lost my internet connection for a few minutes. When it came back I got on the Hughesnet System Control Center and ran the connectivity test again. It now shows 0 packet loss and it says I have a good connection to the internet.

Sorry for the constant updates. I was watching a YouTube video and it started buffering so I ran the connectivity test again.   20 % packet loss and it says I have limited connectivity to the gateway.

Hi rustythecur,

 

No, thank you for the constant updates, good to keep us informed about your experiences. I can use this info to escalate to engineering. First I do have some questions: Does the buffering persist in the YouTube app on a mobile device/tablet? I wonder if there may be a browser plugin/extension that may be affecting how YouTube videos are delivered. The TOH website might deliver its media content differently, which might be why you were able to stream with no issues there.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

Hi Liz,

 

       I am using a MacBook Pro connected by wifi and a pc connected by a ethernet cable. The mac is my primary device I just turned on the pc to see if it was experiencing the same problem. It was. I have been working out side most of the day but when I have been inside I have done the connectivity test on the Hughesnet System Control Center. Once I could not connect to the internet however after a few minutes I could, sometimes the test says I have 0% packet loss and a good conection to the gateway. Other times the test resualt is 10% or 20% or 30% packett loss and that I have a limited connection to the gateway.

 

    For instance when I came in before I read your message the test said 0% packet loss. After reading your message I repeated the test and the result was 20% packet loss.

 

                                                                                     Thank you for your time

 

Hi Liz,

      Tonight I started going to other sites to watch videos when I began to experience severe buffering on YouTube. I had the same problem to one degree or another what every site I went to.

 

     I do not know if the Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test is related to this matter but when ever I have called customer support they have wanted to do that test. Whenever the buffering became serve I would do the Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test and it would show a packet loss of 20% or 30%. Twice I lost the internet completely and could no even load the System Control Center. However that lasted for only a minute or two.

 

  I will include my Testmy results. All the test were done when I was experiencing problem, however all the speeds are really good.

 

          http://testmy.net/quickstats/Tom%20Flanagan

     

      I do not know the source of my problem, whether it is a problem with Hughesnet or something going in my home network.

Hi Liz,

     Another update. About 6 am PST my laptop which is connected to the internet by wifi lost its connection. I also could not connect to the HughesNet System Control Center. I tried the computer that is connected by an ethernet cable and it worked fine.

 

   I then connected a NetGear modem to the HughesNet modem by a ethernet cable and my laptop was able to connect to the internet by way of the NetGear wifi network. Sometime after 6:30 am the HughesNet wifi network started working again.

    Another update, over the weekend when I encountered a lot of buffering while watching a video on the computer that connects by way of wifi I would switch to the computer that is connected by a ethernet cable. I would then watch the same video over again. The amount of buffering seemed to be about the same.

 

       When I am on the internet I regularly do the Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test on the Hughesnet System Control Center. It shows a packet loss of between 0% and 50% with 50% packet loss being rare. When I encounter problems the packet loss is usually 20% or higher.

 

     I have more problem in the evening that early morning. My speeds however seem to be good at all times.

 

    Several times a day I lose my internet connection completely and cannot even connect to the Hughesnet System Control Center. This lasts from several seconds to 15 or 20 minutes.

Hi rustythecur,

 

Thank you for these updates. Just so I'm clear on what's happening in these last updates, two main things are happening:

 

-video buffering persists regardless of whether you're on wifi or directly connected to the HughesNet modem

 

-intermittent connectivity: 

+you lose connection when connected via HughesNet's wifi network

+you stay connected when connected via Netgear's wifi network

+you stay connected when directly connected to the HughesNet modem

 

Please correct me if any of the above statements are inaccurate. If the above is accurate, would you say that you never get these connectivity issues using your Netgear router?

 

Do you ever get intermittent connectivity while directly connected to the HughesNet modem?

 

You mentioned the tech left the modem "out in the open", does the HughesNet modem have at least 6 inches around it for proper ventilation?

 

Your cooperation, patience, and understanding are much appreciated.

 

 

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

Hi Liz,

        As regards the NetGear modem, it has been unplugged most of the time since I first posted. I did not want to complicate matters by having any more equipment involved than necessary. I plugged it in for a while to see what would happen. If you wish I will plug it back in and when I have a problem connecting I will try it. I had the same buffering problem with the NetGear router.

 

      Also the computer directly connected is not usually on, however once this weekend when my laptop could not connect I did turn it on and it also was unable to connect to the internet at that time. If you wish I will leave it on also and check whenever I have a problem.


    The modem is on the floor without anything in the near vicinity.

 

    Liz I use the internet in the morning when I first get up and in the evening after I have finished my chores. During the day I only check it once or twice when I come inside for a moment, so I probably when not respond to you until tonight after you are done working for the day.

                   

                                                                                                         Thanks

Hi Liz,

        A clarification, when the Hughesnet modem can not connect the internet, the Netgear modem and the computer connected by a ethernet cable can connect to the internet.

What do you have the Netgears LAN IP set to?

192.168.0.1 must be reserved for the Hughes Modem and proper separation must be maintained between modem and router LAN IP.

 

Good morning rustythecur,

 

Thanks for the details. Right now I just want to determine if the HughesNet modem by itself is intermittently disconnecting. When you're able, please try using just the computer directly connected to the HughesNet modem. Let me know if you encounter the internet disconnecting. If you find yourself with no internet access at any point, please go to the System Control Center at 192.168.0.1 and note the state code. You can see the state code if you click on the system status button at the top.

 

Your cooperation, patience, and understanding are much appreciated.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

Hi Liz,

    The computer connected directly to the modem did not disconnect from the internet this weekend. The computer connected to the HughesNet wifi network did but I can not access the System Control Center on that computer when it can not connect.

 

   This 1st test was done when I could not watch a video without constant buffering, also regular web pages load very slowly.

 

Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test
Connectivity Test in progress... 100%

IP Gateway    MID27HNSIGW62A001Adv

Packet Loss   30%

Average Delay   6,151 ms

Minimum Delay  5,740 ms

Maximum Delay  6,500 ms
You have limited connectivity to the gateway.

 

 

        This second test everything was working normally. The second test was about 5 minutes after the first.

 

Terminal/Gateway Connectivity Test
Connectivity Test in progress... 100%

IP Gateway    MID27HNSIGW62A001Adv

Packet Loss   0%

Average Delay   618 ms

Minimum Delay  570 ms

Maximum Delay  680 ms
You have good connectivity to the gateway.

Hi rustythecur,

 

Thank you for this bit of information this helps. These tests and when you noticed video buffering and slow loading pages, these were when you were directly connected to the HughesNet modem?

 

What error message are you seeing when you can't connect to the internet via HughesNet wifi?

 

What error message are you seeing when you can't connect to the SCC via HughesNet wifi?

 

Edit: Also, if you aren't able to connect to the HughesNet wifi network, please let me know which LEDs on the modem are lit. 

 

Your cooperation, patience, and understanding are much appreciated.

 

If you have a tech or billing question and need help, please start a new thread in the appropriate board. Unsolicited Private Messages may not get replies.

Slow performance? Click me!

Hi Liz,

      Below is the message I get when I lose my connection to the internet and when I cannot connect to the SCC. To be clear I try to access a website, the page on my screen goes white, the bar at the top of the page spins a bit then this page comes up. I then try and go to the SCC, the page goes white, the top spins or gyrates or whatever you call after 15 or 30 seconds the page below comes up. I hope this helps.

 

 

                                    "Hmm. We can't connect that site.

                                     It appears you are not connected to the internet.

                                     Here are two things you can try.

                                     Check you network connection.

                                     If you are connected but behind a firewall check that firefox has permission to access

                                    the web."      

 

         Near as I can tell the same lights are on or flashing when I lose my connection