720p Streaming over WiFi

[MrG]

I currently have a 802.11g (54Mbps) wireless access point.

Streaming a 720p from my PC (LAN) to my Galaxy Note 8, Laptop or Galaxy S4 isn't working. Hectic stop-start buffering of file. Regular 360p is fine.

What access point would you guys recommend for this?

 

[bekdik]

I currently have a 802.11g (54Mbps) wireless access point.

Streaming a 720p from my PC (LAN) to my Galaxy Note 8, Laptop or Galaxy S4 isn't working. Hectic stop-start buffering of file. Regular 360p is fine.

What access point would you guys recommend for this?

I suggest you measure the signal quality before doing anything else. Just because the label says 54Mbps doesn't mean that that's the throughput.

 

[biometrics]

Change channel. You're likely sharing with a neighbour. Try http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

 

[Flidiot]

Changing the channel can def help. In our old place, we had at least 10 different networks available to us (unfortunately all locked or slower :erm: ). We were battling to stream even 480p over the network at times - after some fiddling, I tried changing the channel and it actually seemed better.

We have a Netgear DGN2200M.

 

[DrJohnZoidberg]

Also, what are you using for playback on the tab and what bitrate are we talking about?

 

[SauRoNZA]

Hmm I would definitely consider 802.11G to be the limitation.

Pretty much any 802.11N Access Point should solve your problem.

Even at full signal strength 54Mbps really doesn't go very far all depending on the source material of course.

 

[MrG]

Change channel. You're likely sharing with a neighbour. Try http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

From where I watch:
View attachment 81747

Also, what are you using for playback on the tab and what bitrate are we talking about?

Playback via VLC (on tablet)

View attachment 81745

Video Bitrate:

View attachment 81749

 

[Yotch]

What is the WiFi signal strength like? Do you have any form of encryption enabled? This usually slows down the throughput significantly. It should be possible to send a ~5Mbps stream over an 802.11g connection provided that the signal strength is adequate. Have you tried to remove encryption to see if this helps?

 

[paul5186]

I would definitly upgrade to a wireless N router. TP-link has some great and reasonably prices stuff. Also ensure your encryption is set to AES as TKIP slows the wireless link down quite a bit.

 

[MrG]

My security settings:
View attachment 82267

My signal is perfect. I can hold the device next to the access point and it still buffers. (Full bars on wifi icon, and high result on wifi analyser).

I will try change encryption to only using AES, but I do believe going wireless n might be the answer.

 

[HavocXphere]

I do believe going wireless n might be the answer.

Take care bru - many a forumite has bee burned by that. Specifically you can't actually force n...so after spending a fortune you might still end up on 54mbps.

Hmm I would definitely consider 802.11G to be the limitation.

It isn't...54mbps is a lot of throughput even if you take into account overheads and what not...easily enough to stream 720p. Thats assuming its running at 54 minus overheads...

I do think Sauron is onto something with the router though...in my experience routers operate on the lowest common denominator. e.g. I've had 100mbit - 100mbit wired connections crap themselves *only* becomes the router received a wifi connection and pulled everything down to the lowest common denominator <10mbit. Even though theoretically it was a connection between 3 pure 100mbit wired devices. Note also that people experienced a *sharp* drop in network performance post WinXP...as 40% drop...people proposed all sorts of nasty hacks (most focusing on ntfs sync / audio QoS)...to my knowledge this was never resolved satisfactorily.

I realize this isn't exactly helpful advice - but take it as a warning. People have spent many hours and many rands investigating similar issues with very mixed results. You'll find people pointing to specific hardware claiming that it solved all their problems and cured cancer too. Others just seem to hit an endless string of problems. So realize that you might be in for a rough ride here.

That being said...I'd aim for a n router as sauron said...but I'd double check that the router has gigabit lan ports (this will cost you). Also give dlink a miss...above crap scenario description is with a dlink.

also...you really need to post full network details not just AP.

 

[nomdeplume]

I do believe going wireless n might be the answer.

Even if not the complete solution it should be done as 11n is so much better, and cheap as chips. Am going to purchase 11ac kit myself as every time I want to upload or download large amounts of data I roll an Ethernet cable over the floor in my study... Tested throughput with my Mac air and got over 400megs, so no more ugly cable.

 

[Electric]

Even if not the complete solution it should be done as 11n is so much better, and cheap as chips. Am going to purchase 11ac kit myself as every time I want to upload or download large amounts of data I roll an Ethernet cable over the floor in my study... Tested throughput with my Mac air and got over 400megs, so no more ugly cable.

I've actually disconnected my cable in favor of a wireless lan card and a usb wireless adapter.
I use both mainly because it seems to be more stable.
But I get full line speed on my 2mb line as well as not having issues streaming around the house through the pc.

 

[crackersa]

Take care bru - many a forumite has bee burned by that. Specifically you can't actually force n...so after spending a fortune you might still end up on 54mbps.


It isn't...54mbps is a lot of throughput even if you take into account overheads and what not...easily enough to stream 720p. Thats assuming its running at 54 minus overheads...

I do think Sauron is onto something with the router though...in my experience routers operate on the lowest common denominator. e.g. I've had 100mbit - 100mbit wired connections crap themselves *only* becomes the router received a wifi connection and pulled everything down to the lowest common denominator <10mbit. Even though theoretically it was a connection between 3 pure 100mbit wired devices. Note also that people experienced a *sharp* drop in network performance post WinXP...as 40% drop...people proposed all sorts of nasty hacks (most focusing on ntfs sync / audio QoS)...to my knowledge this was never resolved satisfactorily.

I realize this isn't exactly helpful advice - but take it as a warning. People have spent many hours and many rands investigating similar issues with very mixed results. You'll find people pointing to specific hardware claiming that it solved all their problems and cured cancer too. Others just seem to hit an endless string of problems. So realize that you might be in for a rough ride here.

That being said...I'd aim for a n router as sauron said...but I'd double check that the router has gigabit lan ports (this will cost you). Also give dlink a miss...above crap scenario description is with a dlink.

also...you really need to post full network details not just AP.

N class router for sure, if you can find 802.11ac even better (that's if your device receiving is 802.11ac as well,.

dlink is not bad, I have the dir-826l and it's fine, you just have to have a technical understanding of networks and routing.

edit - also, you can force n, if your router allows for it. 2 sets of SSID's one with set specifically for N and the other for b/g. don't use the same SSID for both and the devices that you want on the N, point them to that

 

[4cer]

All routers are not created equal

I have a Netgear DGN2200. This stutters horrendously when i stream 720p from my computer downstairs to my TV upstairs. Whereas on my TP-Link i can stream 1080p 3D videos with no buffering at all.

But i do think a new router will sort you out! As if i can stream 1080P about 40 meters away through walls and floors, im sure you can do 720p to a device.

 

[MrG]

Alright. I am doing another test right now...

The laptop seems to be streaming perfectly fine now.

External USB HDD -> PC -> Telkom ADSL Router -> NetGear 54Mbps 802.11g -> Laptop

Duration: 21 Minutes 47 Seconds
File Size: 1,00 GB (1*079*427*469 bytes)

However the files still buffer incredibly, start - stop, over the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 8. File plays perfectly if the file is copied onto the galaxy devices onboard storage.

Test 2:

I can stream the above file plus a normal standard 320p file on my tab at the same time. Hmm

 

[gregmcc]

54Mbps is more than enough to stream720p. I've got a pair of netgears and stream over them with a R-pi. No issues. At the same time downloading on my laptop at 20Mbps

 

[MrG]

I am currently streaming the following without issue at the SAME TIME:

1) Laptop (720p file mentioned above)
2) Galaxy Tab 8 (360p file)
3) Galaxy S4 (360p file)

None of them are showing any issue with buffering.

However play the file currently running on the laptop on the S4 or Tab by itself via WiFi and it doesn't. hmm...

 

[MrG]

54Mbps is more than enough to stream720p. I've got a pair of netgears and stream over them with a R-pi. No issues. At the same time downloading on my laptop at 20Mbps

I don't get why the S4 and Tab won't stream the files

 

[DJ...]

I have the same problem. I can stream 720 to my PCs but to my Note 2 and Note 10.1 it buffers like crazy. I don't know what the problem is...