MEC fiber gives your TV the speed to stream TV, movies, and sports without buffering.
We’ve all been there. You sit on the couch, pick up the remote, and pull up the next episode of a show on your favorite streaming service…but then it just keeps buffering. You try a couple more times, and maybe pull up another streaming service to compare results, but nothing works. Before you know it, half an hour has gone by and you’re no closer to watching your show.
Is there something wrong with your TV? Is your internet service too slow? What’s going on?
Step 1: Test Your Network Speed
The first thing you should do is check the speed of the connection between your internet provider’s network and your router. In other words, the speed that’s coming into your home.
Many internet providers offer a speed test on their website or in their mobile app that allows you to test your router’s connection to the network. If you have MEC fiber internet, this test is in the CommandIQ app (click here to download - it's free to MEC fiber customers on the Apple App Store and Google Play).
For the best streaming experience, the goal is to have more than 50 Mbps. Most streaming services use less than 20 Mbps; however, Wi-Fi signals degrade and get slower as they travel through your home.
Additionally, if you do not have a fiber internet connection, your speed may fluctuate throughout the day due to factors like interference and congestion. Services like MEC fiber internet avoid these issues: fiber connections don’t experience interference from trees and clouds, and they don’t slow down as more people get online and compete for bandwidth, which means you always get the speed you pay for.
Step 2: Test Your Device Speed
Speedtest by Ookla is a handy app that measures the strength of your Wi-Fi network from the router to a device. It’s free on the Apple App Store and Google Play!
Once you’ve downloaded the app to your phone, simply hold it next to your TV and hit “Go.” This will measure the quality of your Wi-Fi signal near your TV.
The goal once again is to get more than 50 Mbps. If the speed test results are lower than this, your Wi-Fi signal may not be strong enough to travel through your home and give your TV what it needs. You may need a mesh unit to boost the signal to areas of your home where it’s weaker.
If you have excellent speeds that are much greater than 50 Mbps, one of two things might be happening. First, the streaming service you’re trying to watch might be down. An easy way to check is by visiting Downdetector.com to see if other people are reporting issues.
The second possibility is that the TV or device you’re watching may not be able to handle the speeds required for a good streaming experience. In this case you can try to hook up a second device like a Roku or Amazon Fire TV streaming stick to see if the situation improves.
Give Your TV the Tools to Succeed
MEC fiber internet eliminates many obstacles to streaming your favorite shows. It gives you a fast fiber connection that gives you the speed you pay for, no matter what the weather is like or how many people are online. Packages start at 100 Mbps, giving you and your family plenty of speed to stream even when you’re all online at once. Plus, every package includes unlimited data, no lag or throttling, free parental controls via CommandIQ, a free Wi-Fi router, and much more.
Visit teammidwest.com/internet to explore packages and check your eligibility today.
