Video Streaming & Various Issues with RBK50

[CJHIV99]

Hey everyone,

Lately I've been having a few issues with my recently purchased Orbi Mesh System. It's the RBK50, which was purchased from BestBuy: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-orbi-ac3000-tri-band-mesh-wi-fi-system-2-pack-white/5577333.p?s...

My speeds are 500/500mbps, or typically around 60MB/s.

Router Information

• Firmware - V2.5.1.8
• Model - RBK50
• MU-MIMO - Enabled
• Implicit BEAMFORMING - Enabled
• Fast Roaming - Enabled

The first issue (which doesn't happen 24/7, but time to time) is buffering with streaming video content. Typically this happens on YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu (doesn't matter the device, whether it be a desktop, phone, or apple tv, etc) and I'll just get a spinning wheel where the content is loading but doesn't always want to load or may take a few.

The other issue is with VOIP applications, such as Slack, Discord, and Skype. Though I've been tinkering around to try and see if I've solved the issue, I was having a problem where voices were lagging and not coming through correctly like there was jitter.

Though, I've noticed that the router doesn't have any settings for QOS, so I cannot change to specify specific devices for priority or specific services.

I do have a NAS that runs Plex Media Server on it, however, most of the time it's not being used, and even when it is, the amount of bandwidth being taken is always less than 100mbps.

[CrimpOn]

If the download speed is consistently 500mb, that would seem to make QoS irrelevant.  Even if you were simultaneously streaming 10 HD videos, that would not consume 500mb and QoS would think they all have the same priority.

Have you done a SpeedTest when these episodes occur?  My download speeds vary during the day.

I have seen news reports that the major streaming services are suffering "overload" and are responding (in Europe at least) by reducing resolution to lower bandwidth requirements.  Is one of the streaming services more prone to buffering than others?

[CJHIV99]

I have actually, and the lowest I've seen the speeds dip down to are around 425 or 450. Though typically they're very consistent.

And I haven't seen any particular issues with one over another.

[CrimpOn]

What we normally advise is to determine whether the problem lies with the ISP or the Orbi by disconnecting the Orbi from the modem, connecting a computer directly to the modem, and checking for a difference. That's sort of impractical in this instance because the streaming is almost certainly to TV's that are nowhere near the modem and may not have ethernet jacks.