Netflix is slow lately on FIOS

[glugglug]

For the past few weeks I am intermittently getting only 1-2 bars on the bandwidth meter for the XBOX Netflix app, which I think means it is ~1-2Mbps.

I have a 35/35Mbps plan with FIOS, so it should be getting HD all the time. (it used to until recently).

Are others having this problem lately?  Is it a FIOS issue or is Netflix downgrading their service for any customers not on OpenConnect ISPs?

[walt178]

Thanks, that worked.   I should have known clicking on the video was necessary.

[Namronorman]

Nice, not even 3pm ET yet and I'm starting to have trouble streaming in HD! 🙂 Thanks again, Verizon, for punishing your customers over a business dispute you are having with another company.

[walt178]

I suspect this is going to become a recurring problem on video streaming sites.  As more and more people begin to use their service there may be a lag in providng adequate server capacity.

Last night I expererinced a rare slow connect speed on Amazon Prime.  (The slowest I've seen in over two years.)  Speed tests and other sites indicated no problem.  Even on YouTube HD streaming was great.  Back to Amazon: still slow.  About 2 hours later Amazon was back to normal.  Hopefully, a one time glitch rather than an omen of things to come.

[Namronorman]

About a week or so ago and before, it appeared that all netflix videos were being served to Verizon FiOS customers via Telia Sonera and Telia Sonera alone. During that time, packet loss seemed to be rather high with anything that was being served over Telia. Now, with Netflix much improved at all hours, it appears that Netflix is being streamed via Telia, XO, Sprint, and others.

With the additional peering points in place, I am now able to stream HD again even during peak hours. It does seem a BIT slow this evening but still capable of 3mbit HD.

[mm112]

Verizon is currently involved in a very ugly battle with cogent communications a large provider of bandwith that is necessary to be able to stream anything from netflix. The battle between verizon and cogent comunications is over "peering" which is something that two bandwith providers like verizon and cogent communications have to come to an agreement over so that you can stream content as it should be streamed. Another reason for some of the slow streaming has to do with the fact that verizon came to an agreement with redbox to stream their content for fios customers so netflix is angry about the fact that verizon is doing business with netflix's competitor redbox. If you want more details about what is going on then google "gigaom verizon" and see for yourself what is going on where verizon's p r person just released a statement about the battle between verizon and cogent communications over netflix content.

[Namronorman]

And we're back to a slow Netflix experience with constant buffering and no HD 🙂

[Namronorman]

http://i.imgur.com/gfyByFf.jpg <- FiOS quality streaming!

[smith6612]

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@Namronorman wrote:

http://i.imgur.com/gfyByFf.jpg <- FiOS quality streaming!

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I hate to be a bit hindsighted here, knowing there has been some congestion issues lately but, since you've brought that window up I figured I'd mention it. Why not set the movie to stream at the max quality (3500) and let it buffer up for a few minutes? I did that a while back on a shoddy cable connection and it played back fine. Yeah, I know you shouldn't have to do that on FiOS 🙂

[Namronorman]

@Smith6612 wrote:

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@Namronorman wrote:

http://i.imgur.com/gfyByFf.jpg <- FiOS quality streaming!

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I hate to be a bit hindsighted here, knowing there has been some congestion issues lately but, since you've brought that window up I figured I'd mention it. Why not set the movie to stream at the max quality (3500) and let it buffer up for a few minutes? I did that a while back on a shoddy cable connection and it played back fine. Yeah, I know you shouldn't have to do that on FiOS 🙂

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I wish I could say that worked for me but all it does is buffer at 3k but play at <1mbit. On the off chance it makes it to 3k, it'll play for about a minute before it gets stuck at a buffering screen for several minutes.

[ericjbyu]

I have this problem most of the time lately. It is very frustrating. I wish Verizon would do something about it

[PCTechNJ]

I just got done with tech support with both Netflix and Verizon .. whom are pretty much pointing the finger at each other.  I have (3) devices that will randomly stream HD (and sometimes SuperHD).  However, the past 3 days have been terrible and Netflix is constantly stuck at 480p resolution.

I've reboot and reset the router (just for giggles).  My PC is hardwired, no HD, while my PS3 and WiiU won't even get HD.  The only time I got SuperHD running was Christmas day.

Its completely frustrating.

[Namronorman]

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@PCTechNJ wrote:

I just got done with tech support with both Netflix and Verizon .. whom are pretty much pointing the finger at each other.  I have (3) devices that will randomly stream HD (and sometimes SuperHD).  However, the past 3 days have been terrible and Netflix is constantly stuck at 480p resolution.

I've reboot and reset the router (just for giggles).  My PC is hardwired, no HD, while my PS3 and WiiU won't even get HD.  The only time I got SuperHD running was Christmas day.

Its completely frustrating.

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PCTechNJ,

It's not just you, it's most people on Verizon and it's not Netflix. People love to bring up Cogent in defense of Verizon but that argument is no longer relevant. Most Netflix content being served to Verizon customers is via Level 3 now. Level 3, like Verizon, is a tier 1 provider and they SHOULD have settlement free peering with each other.

Verizon is treating Level 3 like Cogent now. Verizon also has its own streaming product (Redbox Instant) that "competes" with Netflix. Peering points between Verizon and Level 3 have been beyond saturated lately.

I'm not sure what alternatives you have ISP wise but I suggest you start shopping around. Verizon has been a real bully with anyone that provides transit for Netflix since the launch of their own streaming service.

[Webdango]

I happen to have a VPN that goes through Miami, I'm in Tampa. Netflix shennanigans started about a month ago - limited to no streaming during primetime.

Flowing the thread, I used the ctr-alt-shift-s to check the stream.

Straight connection: 560

Through the VPN: 3000

So something go on here in Tampa with FiOS limiting Netflix throughput....

[skidram]

Yes, we are certainly not getting what was promised.   It seems like each evening, Netflix is buffering repeatedly.  It's very disappointing.  The only thing more disappointing is the prospect of trying to contact anybody at Verizon.  That can be a time killer.

[spave]

Netflix works fine for me when I turn on the VPN I had to pay extra for just so I could use streaming services and it allows me to avoid the alter.net pathing.

This is an issue they have had for months, I would suggest looking into alternate ISPs if you have any in your area.

It's 100% on verizons end.

[scottydog]

This simply forces those who want commercialess films and TV programs to find them elsewhere. It also will increase illegal downloading a copy right issues for those who are **bleep** enough to do it.

[anonFios]

Looks like Netflix quality isn't the only thing Verizon is allowing to degrade:

http://forums.verizon.com/t5/FiOS-Internet/Is-it-me-or-youtube-being-slow-at-times/m-p/596349/highli...

[anonFios]

Could barely hold HD for more than a couple of seconds at a time last night between 9 and 11pm EST.

I am in the Greater Boston / Massachusetts market.

[prisaz]

I have no issues with netflix, and you can't always blame everything on Verizon. If you really want to see what ports are open for your stream. When streaming a video, open a command prompt and execute netstat -f and it will show you the FQDN that the ports are open to. If you want the options for that command, execute netstat -? some simple basic network commands will tell you much about where your computer is actually connecting. Then trace to that point.

This is a trace to just one of multiple servers.

C:\Windows\system32>tracert  ipv4_1.lagg0.c018.iad001.ix.nflxvideo.net

Tracing route to ipv4_1.lagg0.c018.iad001.ix.nflxvideo.net [108.175.35.137]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  moat1.localnet [192.168.2.1]
  2    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  FWDR-192.FWDR-168.FWDR-1.FWDR-1 [192.168.1.1]
  3    77 ms    36 ms   122 ms  L100.WASHDC-VFTTP-69.verizon-gni.net [x.x.x.x]
  4     5 ms     7 ms     7 ms  G0-8-1-2.WASHDC-LCR-21.verizon-gni.net [130.81.219.146]
  5     5 ms     5 ms     5 ms  so-12-1-0-0.RES-BB-RTR1.verizon-gni.net [130.81.151.230]
  6     7 ms     5 ms     5 ms  0.xe-5-1-2.XL3.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.7.241]
  7     8 ms    10 ms    10 ms  TenGigE0-4-2-0.GW1.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.38.254]
  8    24 ms    24 ms    24 ms  teliasonera-gw.customer.alter.net [63.125.125.42]
  9    49 ms    48 ms     *     netflix-ic-156694-ash-bb1.c.telia.net [213.248.101.26]
 10    20 ms    20 ms    58 ms  ipv4_1.lagg0.c018.iad001.ix.nflxvideo.net [108.175.35.137]

Trace complete.

C:\Windows\system32>

You may notice some latency between alter.net and the customer peering point. If the customer don't pay for it, it isn't free. The customer being Netflix. Netflix is providing a pay for video feed, which is a business to make money. Well look at it this way, Verizon does the same thing, and it is VOD. Should a company provide free bandwidth to their competition. Verizon too is an entertainment provider. If Netflix starts dropping feeds, they will start dropping customers. I have told Netflix to pound sand three different times. A couple times for content, and once for quality of the feed. Now a few years later, I figured I would give them another shot, since I am running a 100% Microsoft Media Center setup with various extenders.

I noticed multiple connections open for the video.

[prisaz]

Also based on that last post, it looks like Verizon does have some latency on their network, so it could be a combination of things. 3    77 ms    36 ms   122 ms  L100.WASHDC-VFTTP-69.verizon-gni.net [x.x.x.x]

I would say the best way to see, would be to tracert  to the streaming servrs when you strt having issues. Then you will know.

Non prime time?

  3     2 ms     2 ms     6 ms  L100.WASHDC-VFTTP-69.verizon-gni.net [71.127.53.1]
  4     9 ms     7 ms     7 ms  G0-8-1-2.WASHDC-LCR-21.verizon-gni.net [130.81.219.146]
  5   151 ms     7 ms     5 ms  so-12-1-0-0.RES-BB-RTR1.verizon-gni.net [130.81.151.230]
  6     7 ms     5 ms     5 ms  0.xe-4-1-0.XL3.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.2.249]
  7    10 ms     9 ms    11 ms  TenGigE0-6-4-0.GW1.IAD8.ALTER.NET [152.63.35.145]
  8    24 ms    23 ms    24 ms  teliasonera-gw.customer.alter.net [63.125.125.42]
  9    44 ms    44 ms    46 ms  netflix-ic-156694-ash-bb1.c.telia.net [213.248.101.26]
 10     5 ms    44 ms     6 ms  ipv4_1.lagg0.c018.iad001.ix.nflxvideo.net [108.175.35.137]

Trace complete.

[Namronorman]

Prisaz,

Verizon has already stated that it is allowing peering points with Cogent to become saturated due to a business dispute with them. Cogent is one of the bigger providers of Netflix streaming content.