How to Boost the Signal and Speed for Streaming for Netflix
By Cee Jay
To stream Netflix videos, you need a minimum Internet speed of at least a .50 megabit per second; 3 megabits per second is recommended. The faster the connection, the smoother the playback experience will be. Boosting your signal and increasing download speeds eliminate the possibility of stuttering and choppy playback. The easiest way to boost your signal is by repositioning your hardware. In addition, Netflix automatically chooses the video stream that best matches your connection speed. You can also have the fastest stream chosen by default for all future videos.
Step 1
Move closer to your router if you are using wireless Internet. Wi-Fi reception improves the closer you get to the source of the signal. Move your laptop closer to the wireless router, or move the router if you are using a desktop computer. A strong signal reduces the likelihood of poor performance or a dropped connection while the videos are playing.
Step 2
Reduce the quality of the stream to improve playback speeds. The lower the quality is, the faster the video loads, because the adjusted file size is smaller. Videos that are of a higher quality will be much larger, and they are more likely to pause to buffer. Buffering gives your connection time to catch up by preloading the video before it is played. Log in to your account on Netflix.com, and click "My Account and Help." Click "Manage Video Quality," and change the setting from "Best Quality" to "Good Quality."
Step 3
Avoid using the Internet while Netflix is running. Streaming videos need a great deal of bandwidth to play smoothly without stopping. Unless you have a 3 Mbps connection or above, using the Internet at the same time will slow the videos down. If you run file-sharing apps or peer-to-peer software, playback could be affected even with a high-speed connection. These types of programs are designed to use as much bandwidth as possible, which leaves little for Netflix.
References
Writer Bio
Cee Jay began writing professionally in 2009 with work appearing on various websites. She has been repairing computers since 2000 and focuses on topics related to PC support/repair. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in computer science from Franklin University and also studied advanced language arts at the Center for Arts and Sciences.