Netflix Instant Play

[Batmatt Beyond]

How do most of you who use Netflix Instant Play use it - over an ethernet cable or wirelessly? The reason I'm asking is that every time I try to watch something on my computer I get a message saying that my internet connection has slowed and Netflix is changing my connection so that my movie doesn't get interrupted again. However, I usually end up having to reload the page to get it to start up again, only to have it stop again. We have AT&T DSL as our internet provider. I've tried watching Instant Play stuff over a cable and via the wireless, but get the same results.

Does anyone else have any problems with it?

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I haven't tried it wirelessly (though I hope to soon, since I ordered the instant play disc for our Wii), but it's never given me a problem (well, THAT problem) when I watch it on our PC. (I have to use explorer to see it, instead of Firefox, and sometimes there are firewall issues. But bandwidth hasn't been an issue yet.)

[Ana Canino-Fluit (Anacoqui- mod)]

I haven't had that issue. You might want to check you upload and download speeds at Broadband.gov

We use netflix streaming,via wireless connection on two laptops and our wii without any issues.

[Batmatt Beyond]

Do y'all have DSL or cable modems?

[Ana Canino-Fluit (Anacoqui- mod)]

cable

Batmatt Beyond said:

Do y'all have DSL or cable modems?

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

We use a cable modem for our PS3 Netflix. The only problem I've ever had was a audio/visual mismatch on "The Three Doctors". I tried to keep watching, pretending it was a bad dub job...but quit after a few minutes.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

We're cable, too.

[Batmatt Beyond]

I foresee a switch to cable internet service in my near future. Thanks for the input. If anyone else has more info to offer please let me know.

[Rich Lane]

Netflix online is how Dolores and I have watched Spartacus: Blood and Sand since it started. When our son Dale is home, he watches movies on it all the time. While the quality of picture isn't as good as a new DVD, it certainly is very watchable. I think we got the message you mentioned once, and that was probably because Pat was downloading something in the other room.

We're on cable. We've had it for about two years, having had Verizon DSL for about four years prior to that. We like cable MUCH better.

[Batmatt Beyond]

After doing some research, I've discovered that our maximum DSL speed is 6.0 Mbps. The standard speed for our cable provider is 8.0 Mbps with options for even faster service. Our Netflix Instant Play disc for the Wii will arrive today, so I think I'll make the switch to cable pretty soon. We couldn't even get through an entire YouTube video last night before the connection stopped.

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

We use a wireless internet connection to a cable modem. Loading problems for us are rare enough that they don't bother us.

[Don Collett]

I have DSL and have used instant play on the Wii and my desktop. I haven't had any problems so far, even with running Project 42 Radio 24/7 off another PC. I'd switch to cable, but I wouldn't get any increase in bandwidth, so it's moot. I'd go ahead and make the switch, Batmatt. A couple more megabits of bandwith might make the difference.

[Batmatt Beyond]

Thanks for the additional input, folks. I have ordered cable internet service, which will be installed Monday. That night, once everything is up and running, I'll cancel the DSL service. The final nail for DSL came when our Netflix Wii disc arrived yesterday and the connection kept going down during set-up.