# Does Netflix streaming really work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix\ **Created:** [January 21, 2021, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091 "2021-01-21T13:22:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/1 "2021-01-21T13:22:50Z")
I just added Netflix streaming to our Dish service. It seems to work fine at five AM but not in the evening when we usually watch TV. It plays for ten minutes or so then stops and says we need to watch something else or come back later. So I did, a couple of nights in a row, with the same result. Is this it? Do people actually watch this stuff in pieces? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/2 "2021-01-21T13:24:10Z")
I’ve never had Netflix or Amazon streaming do this to me. I watch one or the other most evenings. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/3 "2021-01-21T13:24:11Z")
We used to have slow streaming sometimes, but it made a huge difference for our family when we upgraded our internet plan. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/4 "2021-01-21T13:26:38Z")
It works fine over a fast cable internet connection. Your satellite internet connection may not be fast enough or have delays that prevent a continuous stream. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/5 "2021-01-21T13:32:28Z")
Netflix typically works great, even when nothing else worked well on my Visio Smart TVs Netflix did. The probably is probably the Dish. How do you get your Internet and what speed is it at? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/6 "2021-01-21T13:43:41Z")
Google has an internet speed test: [https://www.google.com/search?q=internet+speed+test](https://www.google.com/search?q=internet+speed+test) What speeds are you running at? ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/7 "2021-01-21T13:58:50Z")
Dish may be the problem. I use Hughes for internet and Dish for TV. Don’t know what speed they run at. ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Pebble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lavender_pebble/32/6290_2.png) [@Lavender\_Pebble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Pebble)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/8 "2021-01-21T14:02:40Z")
In case you literally tried this last night (Jan 20), Netflix was down for me all night (my other streams like Hulu and Prime worked fine). But otherwise, it works fine for me and I rarely have problems. So you may have caught a bad night if your internet connection is up to snuff usually. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/9 "2021-01-21T14:04:35Z")
Yep, last night. I’ll give it a couple of more tries before I stop the service. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/10 "2021-01-21T14:40:42Z")
Last night a very large part of the country was streaming the inauguration festivities at once and may have maxed out your internet bandwidth. Try again tonight. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/11 "2021-01-21T14:46:27Z")
I’m not sure it would be a viable business if watching shows in pieces were the case, and you’d probably hear about it, too. It sounds like you have a slow internet connection, or something, as has been mentioned, has been temporarily hogging up the bandwidth. We’ve had Netflix for nigh on at least seven years now. I do not recall any buffering or unavailability issues. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/12 "2021-01-21T14:47:48Z")
Thanks guys! We’ll give it another try. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/13 "2021-01-21T14:59:49Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > then stops and says we need to watch something else or come back later. I have had this happen at times - and I am always able to watch something else. In my case at least, it must be a temporary problem with that particular program\* rather than Netflix or my internet service. Is there possibly some sort of licensing issue where only a certain number of streams are allowed at a time? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/14 "2021-01-21T15:00:02Z")
I got that alert the other night: “This media cannot be watched now. Please try again later.” So I thought “Well, I’ll quit Netflix, and unplug the router for a while, maybe wait an hour.” Then I thought “Screw all that”, and just clicked on the show I wanted again. Started right up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/15 "2021-01-21T17:30:24Z")
I think the Netflix app has a built-in speed test. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/16 "2021-01-21T20:27:51Z")
[https://fast.com/](https://fast.com/) is also provided by Netflix to test the speed of your connection to their servers. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/17 "2021-01-21T20:38:49Z")
I never had issues until recently. Sporadically I’ve been having issues. Sometimes it is just fine (even during prime time) and other time nothing plays. IIRC the last time I had issues Netflix reported a speed of .005MBPS or something ridiculous. (I have fiber to the home, and even though my Roku connects wirelessly Roku reports my wireless connection “excellent” . Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/18 "2021-01-21T20:46:04Z")
[fast.com](http://fast.com) reported 21 Mbps on my iPad which is nearer my router than my Roku. Will try near the Roku later. My computer is using a cat5 cable to the router and reported \> 100 Mbps. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/19 "2021-01-21T23:50:38Z")
I tried Netflix this afternoon about 2. Same result. Ran the test program and connection #1 got a green check mark. The baud rate is whatever Dish provides Netflix. I subscribed to the highest level they offered. Will try again tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2021, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091/20 "2021-01-22T06:41:29Z")
> [@Crane](#): > > Dish may be the problem. I use Hughes for internet and Dish for TV. Don’t know what speed they run at. If Hughes means you’re using HughesNet for internet over satellite, I think that’s probably your problem. You might have already exceeded your monthly data cap, so HughesNet is throttling you to 1-3Mbps, and 1.5Mbps (I think) is the bare minimum for the lowest bitrate Netflix stream. That’s not good. If it’s working at 5am, that might be because HughesNet sets 2am-8am as the Bonus Zone where all data plans get an additional 50GB of data use in those off-peak hours so you aren’t being throttled between 2am and 8am yet. I would guess that the video quality setting in the Netflix app is set to automatic, but you might want to check and see if you can set it to the lowest quality setting. Whatever the problem is though, Netlifx plus satellite internet isn’t a great combo. Even streaming one one hour long episode per day at the lowest quality setting is going to eat up a big chunk of your monthly data plan. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-netflix-streaming-really-work/931091.md?page=2)