Internet Service Providers: Untangling the World Wide Web of Confusion

In today's digital age, it's understandable that when you want to watch a video online, you expect it to play in high resolution and without interruptions. It's a frustration, therefore, when the video pauses to buffer — especially if this happens several times in a short duration. If you're experiencing frequent buffering, set your frustrations aside and try to find a solution. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple things that you can do to make this problem a thing of the past, allowing you and the members of your family to ensure that you can watch online videos without interruption. Here are some options.

Increase Your Connection Speed

Take a look at your home internet plan and determine your current internet speed. Slow internet is often a major cause for video buffering, especially if multiple family members are trying to watch content at the same time. Visit your internet service provider's website and look at the different packages that offer higher speeds. You don't have to spend a lot more to upgrade to a faster plan that will cure your buffering issues. If you've been a customer with the ISP for a long time, it's possible that you may be able to request a faster speed and not have to pay for it.

Upgrade Your Modem

If you've been using the same modem for a long time, it's possible that it's contributing to your issue with video buffering. You can do some research online to see how your modem stacks up against today's models, but the simplest strategy is to speak to a technical rep for your internet provider and describe your modem. All that you'll need to do is give the make and model to the technician, and he or she can indicate whether the modem might be contributing to your problem. Often, upgrading the modem — whether you rent it from your ISP or buy one yourself — will fix the issue.

Look For Computer Issues

There's a chance that your computer itself, rather than your home internet connection, might be the cause of your buffering problem. Check how much available disc space you have on your computer. If your hard drive is nearly full, the performance of the machine can suffer in a number of ways, including slowing things down. Alternatively, you can take your computer to a local technician who can perform a disc cleanup and take care of other tasks that may be affecting your speed.