What is the Best Network for Streaming?
Watching movies, TV shows, listening to music, and much more has turned into an unalienable component of our existence. However, to effectively stream and more so stream without any disruptions or interruptions, then one would need to have a stable internet connection. Selecting the right network to use while streaming becomes very tricky with ample options available. In this article, I will focus on the factors that one needs to pay attention to when looking for the best network for streaming on various devices using media players without stops and poor image quality.
Internet Speed for Streaming
In essence, internet bandwidth and speed are the most critical aspects that dictate the quality of your streaming. Thus, to achieve a smooth streaming of SD quality, the minimum internet connection speed should be 3-4 Mbps. But if you are streaming Ultra HD 4K videos, then you will need an internet connection with a speed of 25 Mbps or more to do it without any buffering.
Services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video are capable of detecting your internet bandwidth and adapting the stream quality accordingly. Even if you have a good capability internet connection, and other people connected to the same network are downloading files or playing games, your streaming will be affected.
Wired vs Wireless Connections
This type of internet connection comes with a wire cable such as the Ethernet cable and is always more reliable and faster than wireless networks. Wi-Fi has always been problematic in terms of signal interference and its strength over large distances. Physical barriers such as walls and other obstacles that may exist between your router and the streaming device will cause fading of the signal.
Consumption over wireless connections can be smooth and seamless within a given range. However, if you want the best streaming experience, you should connect your primary streaming devices such as smart TVs, media streamers, and gaming consoles to your router through an Ethernet cable if possible. Furthermore, check your router firmware, so that it supports the latest Wi-Fi standards, which can improve coverage.
Home Broadband Networks
The two most popular broadband networks when streaming over a home connection are fibre optic and cable broadband and these provide the fastest and most reliable connections. That is why they are good for streaming, gaming, and other activities that heavily use bandwidth and consume a lot of data.
Fibre internet for internet connection offers extraordinary speed for both download and upload – 1Gbps or even more. Both the download and upload speeds are comparable and this makes it good for streaming content online, virtual meetings with people, and uploading files to the cloud. Copper cables use electric signals to transfer data while fibre optic cables on the other hand use light signals through glass fibres with potentially little data loss.
The drawback is that fiber internet accessibility is a work in progress almost in every part of the world. However, where it is available, it provides performance that is unparalleled to other methods of insulation.
Like the DSL internet, the cable internet also employs the coaxial cable belonging to the cable television provider. Fibre internet, for example, is far more reliable and can deliver speeds that are even higher than cable internet; nonetheless, today’s cable internet is also capable of providing quite outstanding bandwidth, specifically up to 500 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up via the DOCSIS 3.1 technology.
Thus both fibre optic and cable broadband networks do not face any challenges in supporting multiple users and multiple devices all streaming the same content in ultra-high definition. It is far superior and very much reliable than the earlier telephone line ADSL networks which can only go up to a hundred Mbps for downloads.
Mobile Data Networks
So as the screens of the smartphone increase and more applications for streaming movies and shows evolve, consumers desire to watch movies and shows while on the move or outside home broadband networks. Mobile videos are one of the most data-intensive uses of the Internet and significant consumers of data plans.
Out of all the accessible mobile network standards, 5G is the standard with the highest mean connection speeds for streaming videos in up to 4K and 8K quality, low latency for immediate interactivity, and the ability to support more devices at once. For those who have access to 5G from the main carriers such as Verizon, T-Mobile/Sprint, and AT&T, it is the optimal network for streaming on the go using mobile devices including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Actual measurements of average download rates have been between 150-300 Mbps in live tests over 5G with the peak defined by the mmWave frequency at 1Gbps. Conversely, 4G LTE average speeds are usually less than 75 Mbps and 3G network average speeds of less than 10 Mbps.
However, the 5G deployment is still unfolding in the world today. When there is no support for 5G available at the moment, streaming over the 4G LTE network proved to be quite acceptable. The only thing I want to remind you is that video streaming is the most data-intensive activity on mobile networks, which eats up the monthly capped data very quickly. Therefore make sure your available data plan has sufficient bandwidth for mobile streaming.
Another important factor is the quality and availability of the mobile networks that dominate the streaming services in the regions. The study by Opensignal and Ookla has demonstrated that the overall features of 4G/5G speeds and latency may vary significantly from one country to another, or even from one mobile operator to another within the same country.
Public Wi-Fi Networks
Free internet connections in various public places such as cafes, hotels, airports, and many others can appear to be an ideal place to stream. However, this is a very dangerous concept that should not be implemented even in its elementary form because of significant privacy and security issues.
These unsecured public Wi-Fi access points are, however, relatively slow most of the time. That, together with the possibility for many users to be online at the same time, generates significant variability and insufficient speed for streaming high-quality video without frequent pauses and interruptions. Using P2P on a shared wireless connection or ‘Public’ Wi-Fi is very likely to result in disappointment while watching your favorite shows online.
It is better to use the smartphone’s mobile data connection instead or download content via home broadband to be viewed later when away from secure networks.
In this paper, the author provided an overview of the most suitable network for streaming.
In conclusion, fiber optic and modern cable broadband networks are your best bet for a seamless streaming experience where you get consistent Ultra HD quality videos and no to little buffering from Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Twitch, and the like. If available, 5G streaming with mobile devices also offers wireless high-speed, high-definition streaming.
With streaming as the most common internet usage around the world, having adequate speeds for home broadband or mobile data networks in your area is important. The few megabytes difference in internet speeds will have a significantly huge impact on the efficiency of streaming. Having an extra 50 Mbps can mean the difference between constantly having to wait for a video to load to actually being able to watch it smoothly without interruption.
Well, therefore, look at your current internet subscription plan to ensure that the network technology, speed limit, and data offered are appropriate for streaming across the household. In case of need, there is nothing wrong with switching from a slower broadband connection to a faster fiber optic or cable broadband connection for the best streaming experience.
Ready to upgrade your internet experience? Call us now at +1 844-349-7575 to explore the best Cox Internet plans for your needs!