Sucks, right?
Well never you mind, Netflix lovers. Our mates at Finder.com.au have come up with some ~genius~ hacks to avoid those pesky streaming delays during your Netflix and chill sessions.
-
Free up some bandwidth
If you live in a household of streamers and gamers you’re likely to have experienced issues with your Netflix binge before. If you can pause all other downloads or disconnect any other devices that aren’t in use but might be drawing on your Internet.
-
Use a VPN
When you use the words VPN and Netflix in the same sentence it’s become synonymous with illegally streaming content from American Netflix, but you can use a VPN to actually speed up your Internet connection. The reason for regular Netflix or Stan dropouts might be due to an overworked server, by using a VPN you access Australian Netflix through an alternative server. If you still find your speeds slow you can simply turn your VPN off.
-
Check your speed
Netflix has recommendations for the basic speeds you’ll need for each package. If you’re streaming in HD you need to make sure your current broadband plan is fast enough to handle it.
If you find your speeds are marginally slower than what your streaming service requires it’s a good idea to reevaluate your NBN plan and potential upgrade to a higher speed tier.
-
Check your hardware
Cheap and faulty equipment is often a key cause of slower Internet speeds. Make sure you purchase your devices from a reputable source to avoid it breaking or becoming the cause of your Internet issues in the future. You can do this by checking the Internet connection on different devices in your household, from your phone to your laptop. If you find the speeds consistently slow across all platforms there’s probably a bigger issue at hand and you’ll want to your modem and/or Internet speeds.