Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[cam]

We use appletv quite a lot. It is networked to our itunes installations via our wireless network.
I have noticed for some time that if the adsl download speed drops then the internal network slows down considerably. If adsl download is OK (for us that equals 1.5M) the network operates fine.
Cannot understand why.

The router is a Belkin Surf N150 (F7D1401 v1).
There are usually several connections including a printer, 2 laptops and a few iPhones, but while we are using appletv the other connections won't be doing much.

[kitz]

Sorry Im not clear if you are you downloading to desktop app..  or direct streaming?

I also use ATV a lot - mostly iplayer direct stream so my own observations are based on that

One thing I have noticed is that if I stream iplayer to my ipod/ipad then it uses about 1.2 Mbps of bandwidth.. yet if I stream to the ATV it can use anything up to 8- 10Mbps whilst it buffers. 

I cant measure this exactly, its been measured by doing speedtests on the other machine. eg normal download speed = 18-19Mbps. 
Download speed whilst using ipod/ipad to view iplayer = 16/17 Mbps. 
Download speed whilst streaming to the ATV anything between 8.5 Mbps to 16 Mbps.

I-player seems to sense the device you are streaming to and will up adjust quality depending on the output device.  This is something that I can sometimes see if Im watching a preview on the ipod then switch to watch it on the TV, at first the output will be blocky for a few seconds until it catches up and swtiches over to a better quality stream, there will often be a very slight pause whilst it buffers for the higher resolution and during this period is when I can replicate the up to 10Mbps of bandwidth speed usage... it will after a while normally settle somewhere in the region of 1.5 - 2Mbps.

[cam]

No - I am streaming from iTunes, watching films previously downloaded,  to ATV so 'the internet' should have nothing to do with it. That's why I'm confused as to why the internal network should slow down

[coolsnakeman]

You are streaming from itunes to a device so that will be streaming over your LAN network so you wouldn't need a connection to your broadband in order to do this. Is your itunes located on a PC or laptop? I don't know much about itunes so i did not actually know if it had the facitlity to allow you to stream from it. If the other parts of your network start slowing down due to this fact then i can only see that as the streaming using up a majority off your bandwidth. Perhaps you could get a router with load balancing on it which would equally share your bandwidth out over your network so you don't suffer anything becoming patchy or slow. Another thing to try to see if this is anything to do with your wireless connectivity is try using it over wired to see if this makes any difference. As a wireless connection is still part of a WLAN network then this is how you are streaming so as i said give it a go wired and see if this makes a difference. If it doesn't come back to us for more suggestions. I am hoping that makes sense 

Regards
Gary

[oldfogy]

I cant measure this exactly, its been measured by doing speedtests on the other machine. eg normal download speed = 18-19Mbps. 

One way I have found of accurately measuring any up/down load is with using Netlimiter whist using the program just select that particular program to isolate the reading from any other internet using program, although I know I have said this before, but I use a old version (v1.3) of Netlimiter as I find it more useful than the newer versions.

Also if you conduct a test starting at the beginning of the hour, it is also easier to see exactly what bandwidth has been use.

[cam]

coolsnakeman - I think you misunderstand.

iTunes has the facility to stream previously downloaded material to a tv. That is what I am doing over my wireless network.
I have a slow broadband connection (1.5M if I'm lucky)
Sometimes it is much slower.
When that happens my internal wireless network slows down at the same time.
So, I am not downloading anything - I am streaming from a pc to a tv.
But if the adls connection is going very slow, internal network slows down as well

[kitz]

>> No - I am streaming from iTunes, watching films previously downloaded,

So as you say, strictly speaking your internet connection shouldn't have anything to do with it.
Bearing in mind though, that if at times I am seeing 8Mbps cut from my adsl connection whilst Im direct streaming to the ATV, then I suppose its entirely likely that at times up to 8Mbps will be eaten up on your WLAN even when using via i-tunes.   

I dont know why its slower though only when your adsl speed is slower...  I wonder if i-tunes 'calls home'?  Its a strange one because previously downloaded programs shouldnt be using the internet at all.


>> accurately measuring any up/down load is with using Netlimiter whist using the program

Thanks vm OF..  I do have Netlimiter and DUMeter installed on the Windows machine..  but because Im one of the lucky ones with a fast connection I only direct stream to the ATV & it doesnt go through my PC at all... therefore it cant be measured any way other than taking my 'normal speed' and deducting the speed taken whilst using the ATV and assuming that the missing residual is what is being used by the ATV.  I dont think theres any app that can be installed on the ipod/ipad/ATV that does this. :/
Netlimiter will work for showing network traffic though if you are streaming via i-tunes or the i-player desktop app on a particular PC though.


>> But if the adls connection is going very slow, internal network slows down as well

Hmmm  wonder if theres some sort of interference which is affecting both the adsl and wireless signal.  Netlimiter (mentioned by OF) should be able to show the actual speed being sent from the PC with the previously downloaded material on.

[oldfogy]

It almost sounds as if the wireless side of the modem/router is being throttled back, or, what is it like if you connect with a RJ45 (Ethernet) lead?

[burakkucat]

It seems to me that there is one test that would be interesting to perform. That is to disconnect the xDSL line from the modem/router, whilst streaming over the internal LAN and see what effect that has on the result.

[coolsnakeman]

Yeah i kind of thought as much you where streaming from itunes on a PC to the apple tv but again this is only going to be over WLAN which as stated is already downloaded files. I would go on what BK says and take the XDSL connection off and see what it is like that way.

Gary