Is the any way to get better internet? (& Watching TV via internet)

[angdel]

I'm about to give up trying to watch UK/American TV via internet because my internet just isn't good enough. It's constantly buffering, freezing for ages or just not working at all. It's not just a bit, it's constantly and it's often unwatchable. It's the same if I use a vpn to view iPlayer etc, Thai Expat TV or View TV abroad in a box.

I'm in Bangkok and subscribed to True 'Ultra hi-speed' internet but have an old style ADSL router (like the one in the picture I've tried to attach). From what I understand this is to do with it being the only internet available for my apartment block (smaller, slightly older building). There is apparently no better internet package available for me to upgrade to.

Why is it so rubbish? Can anyone help please? Is there anything I can try before I completely give up?

ps - I know I could live without TV but I don't want to if I can help it

[ukrules]

I suggest downloading the video files and only watching them once the download has fully completed.

[angdel]

Thanks for your response. Do you mean forgetting about Thai expat TV etc and downloading torrents instead?

[worgeordie]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

[SoiBiker]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

[DogNo1]

Well, Kodi movies play OK with my slow hotel wifi. I've found that if they stutter at the beginning, pausing them and allowing them to buffer for ten minutes or so allows them to play smoothly for 20-25 minutes. Sometimes just finding a good stream does the trick. Anyway with a little fiddling they are watchable. Try Kodi.

[catman20]

do a speed test, u need above 3 mgb I have about 14 mgb on average and it all works good 99% of the time cost me about 10,000 baht a year with 3BB

[bkk_mike]

If you're renting, often the simplest way to get better internet is to move...

In the meantime, torrents work over the shittiest of connections - and since you've downloaded before you watch - you don't have any issues with streaming.

(Streaming can be an issue over wi-fi in apartment blocks - simply because of interference from other people's wi-fi. Especially if it's to a PC a couple of rooms away. A cable will be better... - I've had issues streaming even with a 12MB connection in the UK over wi-fi (admittedly, the TV was two floors from the router), that went away when I ran a cable...

Edited December 15, 2015 by bkk_mike

[WorriedNoodle]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

I'm with worgeordie on this. RH45 connection will always give most reliable result - but may not be an option always. The o/p needs to do a speedtest to see if the wifi signal is good enough.

Edited December 15, 2015 by WorriedNoodle

[AJBangkok]

I'd try a new router. A d-link router will cost 800-1200 baht

[CWMcMurray]

You can try iflix ... Is western TV and movies and service based in Thailand so no need for VPN or DSN...

Free month without any need to enter credit card details to ensure it will work for you..

Also allows for download of 10 shows or movies at time .. Or streaming... So if your internet connection is slow... Just choose download option and then watch without buffering

Once free month is up, is sipper cheap..

I like it and got a 1 year subscription for 1000 thb per year

Or you can do 100 thb per

Month..

[rambling]

The problem is most likely ISP bandwidth sharing. True doesn't have the 10MBps * All users capacity so it multiplexes. In short, if everyone uses the internet at the same time everyone will suffer a much slower connection as the infrastructure is a bottleneck and it will try its best to multiplex between all demands.

Try to stream the content at different times of the day, for example does it work better at 2pm or 4am vs 8pm? If yes then the above is in play and you can consider a better ISP instead of True such as KSC or Pacnet. If not then there's another issue in play which you need to investigate.

You can do a Line quality test at dslreports.com http://www.dslreports.com/pingtest check for packet loss, latency to your machine etc.

Other things to check are pc firewall, router firewall, anitvirus (exclude streaming content from being monitored and checked if you trust the source). Also obviously that no other service in your home / network is using your bandwidth (no background d/l, web page refreshes, mobile devices streaming youtube etc.)

Good luck.

[AlQaholic]

I have quiet good internet connection (direct fiber into my house) and frequently check the speed, which is between 10 MBs at "internet busy times = evening" to 30 MBs at other times. Never under 10MBs. using wifi in my house. using Kodi.

It is my understanding that it is not my speed or my ISP (True) that is the problem but rather the source servers. I notice that when trying to watch a newly released movie that just came out in HD it is almost impossible to watch, but when trying a few days later or when the internet in the US is less busy it becomes very easy to watch without buffering.

I have never tried to watch live streams so dunno how those work, but would expect it to be similar. Maybe also some streams might be deliberately slowed down for some IP address ranges? for example some servers may prioritize customers in the US before foreign IP addresses?

Of course some IP address ranges are simply and totally blocked either by streaming server or Thailand.

Edited December 15, 2015 by AlQaholic

[tlcwaterfall]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

http://hometheater.about.com/od/internethometheater2/a/Internet-Speed-for-Netflix-Vudu.htm

2Mbps is required to stream video.

[SoiBiker]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

http://hometheater.about.com/od/internethometheater2/a/Internet-Speed-for-Netflix-Vudu.htm

2Mbps is required to stream video.

Exactly. Which even an 802.11b connection should comfortably be able to achieve.

[Pdavies99]

Some basic simple advice:

Your router looks pretty old?

Has your router been set up correctly?

Check out the cables for "thai" repairs all the way into your block, they just wrap together and tape up, useless!

How well is your computer running? Do you have adware malware viruses etc? Maybe a reformat is needed?

Complain and complain often to TRUE and ask them to come out and check out, should be no charge?

In general Thai expat tv will run on the cheapest package deals perfectly

Streaming can be an issue, especially if your computer is not up to it.

Finally get a friend to bring his laptop etc to your home and see if same problem, that will tell you if its your computer!

Where are you located?

[bubba45]

I've been fighting this for months. I stream two types of content, sports from the US via MLB and NFL, neither which require VPN. On a good day I get 4mb to 5mb download (DSL). These stream at pretty much HD quality; I use an AppleTV. However, I did find less buffering when I connected the AppleTV to my network via ethernet rather than using wifi. Even though all my equipment is in the same room.

I also stream off Amazon Prime. As most know here's where the problem starts, fooling the provider as to your physical location. Sometimes VPN works (I use VPN on my iPad, then stream from the iPad to AppleTV) but since our friendly hosts crush your vpn connection, in my experience I'm lucky to get .5mb when VPN is activated. However, I have streamed at less than 1mb speeds, with little to no buffering, surprisingly enough. But because of the VPN issues, I have tried something else, a "smart DNS proxy server". There's actually a company based in Bangkok that provides this service, but if you google that term you can find a list of the best ones. I am using the one in BKK. You have to change some settings for your internet, but they explain how to do it on the web site. Best part, you can do a 30 day free trial with some of the companies without giving a credit card number. Try it, if it works, sign up. If not, nothing lost but a little time.

The beauty of this is, unlike VPN, our hosts are not crushing your connection, so you should get your normal download speed. I've had good luck with it and watch Amazon Prime regularly.

Hope this helps.

[fred Kubasa]

I have had DTAC phone and Internet services for 9 years without trouble. Recently I moved to a

somewhat isolated, ( and bleak)area known as Pratnumak Hills and both units reception diminished

greatly. Now, in speaking to others it seems reception DOES depend greatly on area so even though

I remain in Pattaya, the signal has dropped & there is nothing I can do about it but move ! The

building supplied WI-FI doesn't work either.

[Chicog]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

That simply isn't true.

There are all sorts of things that can affect Wifi signal, interference etc.

If it's easy to use a wire, use a wire I say.

[emilymat]

I have bog standard TOT through the phone line. No set top boxes etc. The streaming from Ex Pats TV is first class in HD. Just like watching telly in the UK.

[SoiBiker]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

That simply isn't true.

There are all sorts of things that can affect Wifi signal, interference etc.

If it's easy to use a wire, use a wire I say.

If someone's wifi isn't working properly, I'd advise them to fix it, not just use a wire instead.

If it's working properly, it won't be the problem here.

[Chicog]

Are you connecting with WiFi,?,if so you will get a better connection with RJ45 cable,

regards worgeordie

That's nonsensical advice in this context. Even the slowest of WiFi connections will offer sufficient bandwidth to stream video from iPlayer et al.

That simply isn't true.

There are all sorts of things that can affect Wifi signal, interference etc.

If it's easy to use a wire, use a wire I say.

If someone's wifi isn't working properly, I'd advise them to fix it, not just use a wire instead.

If it's working properly, it won't be the problem here.

But like I said, if it's easy to use a wire, use a wire.

Precludes any future pomplems, e.g. your neighbour firing up a new router on the same channel as you. Or overusing his microwave.

[angdel]

Thank you for all the replies.

To answer a few questions...

My wifi seems fine for anything other than watching tv.

My 'View TV in a box' box is connected to my router with a cable.

I've done regular speed tests and they mostly average around 12-16mbps download and 1-2mbps upload.

TV seems to work best at 6am and it's definitely worst during peak times eg 8pm onwards.

I'm pretty central, in Sukhumvit.

Thanks for the tips about Kodi, iflix, torrents, new router, contacting True again etc. I'll give your suggestions a try.

[chilli42]

The times that you want to stream movies is the time when the Internet in Thsiland us at its worst. I use all the tricks, pause and let it buffers a bit, result the router frequently etc Yhese things help. However, it's the dark ages of the Internet in Thsiland in terms of download speed. It's only redeeming quality is that it's cheap and that is what the Thsi customer wants.

[monekyface]

The times that you want to stream movies is the time when the Internet in Thsiland us at its worst. I use all the tricks, pause and let it buffers a bit, result the router frequently etc Yhese things help. However, it's the dark ages of the Internet in Thsiland in terms of download speed. It's only redeeming quality is that it's cheap and that is what the Thsi customer wants.

LOL, so true!!!!!!!!

[rijit]

Thank you for all the replies.

To answer a few questions...

My wifi seems fine for anything other than watching tv.

My 'View TV in a box' box is connected to my router with a cable.

I've done regular speed tests and they mostly average around 12-16mbps download and 1-2mbps upload.

TV seems to work best at 6am and it's definitely worst during peak times eg 8pm onwards.

I'm pretty central, in Sukhumvit.

Thanks for the tips about Kodi, iflix, torrents, new router, contacting True again etc. I'll give your suggestions a try.

You've got enuf speed for streaming

So

1/ try a lan lead.

2 / or if u insist on wi fe find out how to change channel on the router

Those fail bring a a friends laptop around. See how that works

Still no joy get true out/ change the router.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[SoiBiker]

The times that you want to stream movies is the time when the Internet in Thsiland us at its worst. I use all the tricks, pause and let it buffers a bit, result the router frequently etc Yhese things help. However, it's the dark ages of the Internet in Thsiland in terms of download speed. It's only redeeming quality is that it's cheap and that is what the Thsi customer wants.

Not quite. What the Thai customer wants is to be able to access sites within Thailand, or stuff like youtube that is locally mirrored. And they get what they want.

However, international bandwidth is rather limited, which is why trying to stream stuff from outside Thailand can be frustrating.

[jacko45k]

I download and store my favourite BBC programs in the morning when the speed is much better.

Of course it is the speed to overseas servers that is important, and I have to slow it slightly using a VPN.

The top speed quoted and speed testing defaults to a local server which really means very little.

I have True Hi-Speed, it is cable not ADSL and while being good most of the time for streaming TV, Saturday night it turns to rubbish, everyone is streaming football.

My friend has ADSL and Expat Tv at his house and says he never has a problem, 3BB. Overall I get an impression that 3BB is better.

Edited December 15, 2015 by jacko45k

[sandyf]

I download and store my favourite BBC programs in the morning when the speed is much better.

Of course it is the speed to overseas servers that is important, and I have to slow it slightly using a VPN.

The top speed quoted and speed testing defaults to a local server which really means very little.

I have True Hi-Speed, it is cable not ADSL and while being good most of the time for streaming TV, Saturday night it turns to rubbish, everyone is streaming football.

My friend has ADSL and Expat Tv at his house and says he never has a problem, 3BB. Overall I get an impression that 3BB is better.

I live out in the sticks and can only have ADSL. I cannot stream video from the internet, just too much buffering but I watch ExpatTV without a problem, that works ok down to under 2 Mbps. I am also on 3BB.

[Kangaloo]

You can try ILIKEHD.

It is only available for Thailand.

The Premium service is I believe is 400 baht a month and if you just want to watch one particular event then a one off payment for 50 baht is available.

That will give you approx... 2 hours watching/streaming time.

ILIKEHD will provide you with all the latest movie's and sports around the world in excellent quality.

As one OP mentioned,You really do need your computer in optimum condition to get the very best from your live streaming.

There is one program in particular that I highly recommend and that is Advanced SystemCare 9

It is truly an amazing piece of software that will optimise your Internet speed and overall performance of your computer