# Netflix problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 29, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350 "2011-03-29T04:57:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/1 "2011-03-29T04:57:28Z")
So… For the past couple years, I’ve been taking advantage of Netflix’s ability to suck my time away via streaming video. Over the past week, however, I keep getting ‘Your internet connection has slowed, we are re-adjusting streaming rate’ yadda yadda. To the best of my knowledge, my connection isn’t slowing; I’m not running anything in the background, and I don’t see any particular difference if I bring up a new tab and a new webpage. Netflix is blaming my ISP, saying that they’re somehow messing with my speeds. I know dang well that if I call AT&T, they’ll tell me to reboot everything, cycle the router, and try again. I’ve done all those things. I seriously don’t believe this is the issue, and I really don’t want to deal with overseas tech support on this. Anyone else having / had similar issues? ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/2 "2011-03-29T05:06:36Z")
We had a similar issue a couple of months ago, but oddly enough only on our Wii (we also have netflix streaming on our Blu-ray player). When I called Netflix, they said the same thing, that the ISP speeds had slowed. The ISP, of course, said that no such thing had happened. Who knows. The problem seems to have resolved itself. Sorry I don’t have a better solution. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/3 "2011-03-29T05:09:41Z")
Nope, no problems for me. Are you connecting wirelessly? Also, the I doubt you’re going to notice a slight speed decrease just by opening a new browser window compared to what netflix has to have moving to keep your movie up and running. I’d start by going to [speedtest.net](http://speedtest.net) and see what speed is actually coming in to your house before calling anyone. If Speedtest comes back with something over 1.5 you can call Netflix since it’s probably a problem on their end (assuming your computer is working correctly), if it’s coming in under that, and you’re rated well over that, you need to call your ISP to get it taken care of. So… Run Speedtest, what does it report? What device are you watching movies on? How is connected to your network? ---
**Author:** ![silvermist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@silvermist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silvermist)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/4 "2011-03-29T05:49:45Z")
It’s been happening to me for the past couple of weeks. Three times last night. Getting really annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/5 "2011-03-29T14:25:34Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’d start by going to [speedtest.net](http://speedtest.net) and see what speed is actually coming in to your house before calling anyone. If Speedtest comes back with something over 1.5 you can call Netflix since it’s probably a problem on their end (assuming your computer is working correctly), FYI: This can still be a problem with the ISP. Some ISPs have threatened to “traffic shape”, which means they let certain internet traffic go faster than others. The ISPs see the biggest use in bandwidth when people are at home from work (~7pm or so). The bits of bandwidth getting the biggest attention right now are Bittorent (and other peer to peer sharing software) as well as Netflix (and other internet video services). Not that I’m saying it’s happening, but it wouldn’t surprise me if some Netflix traffic had been routed slower during peak bandwidth usage hours. It also wouldn’t surprise me if the normal customer support staff knew nothing about this or were told not to divulge the information to customers. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/6 "2011-03-29T14:35:43Z")
Happens to me too. Usually on a Saturday evening. In fact I’ll probably drop Netflix in favor of Amazon. It costs more and is a-la-carte pricing but it somehow buffers better. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/7 "2011-03-29T14:41:59Z")
I’ve not seen a problem, but for those of you that have, who is your ISP? If you’re all using the same company, you may have found your problem. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/8 "2011-03-29T16:13:59Z")
Try running some tests here, especially the video test: [http://myspeed.visualware.com/index.php](http://myspeed.visualware.com/index.php) Depending on how many people are in your “network neighborhood” I’m guessing your Internet speed could vary quite a bit especially during the evening. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/9 "2011-03-29T17:52:38Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > Happens to me too. Usually on a Saturday evening. In fact I’ll probably drop Netflix in favor of Amazon. It costs more and is a-la-carte pricing but it somehow buffers better. That’s funny, because I’ve experienced it only intermittently with netflix, but it was rampant on Amazon. To the point that I’ve sworn not to use Amazon again, because it was so frustrating. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/10 "2011-03-29T18:10:37Z")
Before I decided to try a wireless internet provider I read a lot of comments and the biggest complaint was they would clock your speed down if you were using a lot, as in streaming videos. Also, certain times of day they would slow everyone down in a certain tower area. I ended up going with the provider anyway because I didn’t plan on doing a lot of streaming and the wireless connection is better for me right now than committing to a cable company. So, I would tend to believe the “it’s your ISP and not Netflix” answer. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/11 "2011-03-29T18:16:57Z")
Yes, there are a lot of providers, especially wireless/satellite ones, that promise you great connections but only if you don’t use them too much. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/netflix-problem/576350/12 "2011-03-29T22:57:15Z")
I have RCN cable internet and I’ve gotten the re-buffer screen three times since last May. Before that, I had NetZero DSL through my ATT phone line and got the re-buffer at least three times a week, if not a couple times a night once in a while. Anyway, I’ve heard that too, about either cable or wireless internet slowing during busy times, so the OP’s ISP might be pertinent to know in order to speculate more precisely.