YouTube terrible speed and buffering

[Alecmac007]

I am on Vodafone fibre so just under a year and no problems getting 10mbps but over the last 5 days I am getting terrible performance on YouTube on wifi on all devices. It either buffers, doesn’t play video and occasionally I get a period of a few minutes with no problems.

I have rebooted router and reset firmware and spoke to  Vodafone but no solution. If I connect to mobile data all is good, and all other streaming video sites work fantastic and my wifi speed is always good. Any ideas?

[Alecmac007]

Thanks for the suggestions I took all the lab cables out and rebooted and seemed good for a few minutes . But the problem is back.

I am testing the vpn on opera as well, although slower to get a video it seems to play.

I will continue to test and let you know. If a do find that it plays ok via a vpn how can Vodafone fix?

[Jayach]

If it does work over a VPN, but not directly via Vodafone, then it proves that there is a routing/peering problem with Vodafone servers.

Obviously the free VPN provided with Opera is not the best, a proper one would be better (I use Nord) but it will suffice to prove a point.

Getting them to do something about it won't be easy, but at least you know there is nothing you can do your end.

[daern]

For me, it's the same slow-starting, buffering result on the following:

• Windows 10/11, Google Chrome (wired ethernet)
• Youtube app on Android (wifi, TP-link mesh)
• Youtube app on iOS (wifi, TP-link mesh)

In both mobile cases, it's fine on 4G/5G (O2). Other video sites (e.g. BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.) are fine, and Chrome's internet speed test reports a reasonably steady 40Mbps/5Mbps connection (I don't have FTTP...yet)

It all started about 2/3 weeks ago after returning from holiday. Router has been bounced a couple of times, to no effect. One notable problem that I've had for months now (long before this started) is that the OEM Voda router is unbelievably slow to administer, often taking minutes to login and is very unreliable to save settings.

[Jayach]

---

@daern wrote:

One notable problem that I've had for months now (long before this started) is that the OEM Voda router is unbelievably slow to administer, often taking minutes to login and is very unreliable to save settings.

---

That is interesting, it is often a sign that the LAN connection is very busy, possibly due to some misconfiguration of the cabling causing a "packet storm" As a test try disconnecting the LAN cables and rebooting the router. See if it improves then. If so connect one of the LAN cables back (presumably you have 2, one for the mesh and one for the PC) Run like that for awhile and if it is still O.K. connect the other. If shortly after that it all slows down it will be indicative of a storm building up.

Do you have any other switches or routers on the LAN? Is the mesh in AP mode or router mode?

[daern]

---

@Jayach wrote:

---

@daern wrote:

One notable problem that I've had for months now (long before this started) is that the OEM Voda router is unbelievably slow to administer, often taking minutes to login and is very unreliable to save settings.

---

That is interesting, it is often a sign that the LAN connection is very busy, possibly due to some misconfiguration of the cabling causing a "packet storm" As a test try disconnecting the LAN cables and rebooting the router. See if it improves then. If so connect one of the LAN cables back (presumably you have 2, one for the mesh and one for the PC) Run like that for awhile and if it is still O.K. connect the other. If shortly after that it all slows down it will be indicative of a storm building up.

Do you have any other switches or routers on the LAN? Is the mesh in AP mode or router mode?

---

To avoid muddying this particular issue, I'll take the slow router issue away into another thread and will create a new discussion there. The router has been shockingly slow to manage for months and months now, but the youtube buffering issue is very recent.

[mmotti]

Well that's interesting - I am also in Cirencester and am experiencing this issue

[Ripshod]

Run a traceroute to bbc.co.uk and post the results. 

[Alecmac007]

Very interesting to see that someone has exactly the same from problem in Cirencester and issue occurred around the same time.

Is this likely to be a physical issue with the live or something linked to the Vodaphone broadband? 
how do you think is the best way to esculate rather than being told to do countless reboots and firmware restarts !

thanks

[Ripshod]

I believe you have a routing issue, as more and more vf clients are experiencing - hence me asking for traces. If your gateway proves to be extremely remote from your location you can join the long running thread here: https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Broadband-connection/Ping-Latency-way-higher-Gigafast-900/m-p/271024... and leave your details with the team on social media as @Beth requests on that thread.

[Jayach]

As @Ripshod says it's likely a routing problem, which means it is within Vodafone's network, so nothing to do with the line.

I doubt it is the same problem as the other thread, otherwise it wouldn't only be YouTube effected. (but may well be related) I suspect your problems are likely more local to yourselves.

Vodafone seem to be having "capacity" problems and appear to be attempting to "load balance" users, causing knock on effects.