Want to stream NFL this year? Here’s how to watch it without buffering

If you’re watching NFL games this year, you know the risk of a slow internet connection. No one wants to be seconds behind and miss a last-second winning touchdown while your neighbors cheer upstairs, especially if you are organizing a movie night at your place.

The reality is that when you’re streaming big events at the same time as everyone else, there’s going to be some lag or delay. There’s not much you – or your neighbors – can do about this collective baseline lag. If your upstairs neighbors constantly seem to be several seconds ahead of you, that’s a sign that there may also be issues with your home network that’s slowing things down.

Read on for tips and quick steps to optimize your internet connection. If you find that you are still having trouble with slow speeds while streamingyou may need to make long-term changes, such as upgrading your wifi routerFor now, let’s focus on quick and easy improvements that you can tackle in just a few days to be ready for the big game.

Do a speed test

The first step to improving your internet connection is to determine what internet speed you are actually getting. I have a feeling that many of you are unsure of what speed you are supposed to be getting, so if you are unsure, check your online account and see what speed you are paying for.

Next, run a simple internet speed test to determine if you are getting the download and upload speeds you need in the room where your TV is located. The most effective and comprehensive approach is to run multiple tests at different times of the day to get a complete picture of your connection speed. Why? Average download and upload speeds vary depending on network congestion, so be sure to be aware of these factors when testing.

There are many free apps internet speed testsbut I most often use the Ookla speed test. I have the app on my Apple TV and can see the results on my LG TV, but you can also run it in your browser or using a free speed test app on your Android or iOS device.

In our CNET guide to What internet speed do you really need?We recommend a minimum of 25Mbps for streaming 4K video per FCC guidelines, so that’s your starting point. Overall, most households aim for minimum download speeds of at least 100Mbps, if speeds like that are available and affordable at your address, especially considering the number of smart devices connected to the home (which we’ll get to just below).

Now that you’ve tested your speeds, compare them to what you’re paying for. If the numbers are way off, it might be a good idea to contact your internet service provider and find out if there’s something wrong there, or if possible, you could even try to negotiate a faster plan for less money than what you currently pay. If you’ve been a customer of your ISP for a while, you may be surprised to discover the best cheaper plans now available.

Check your layout

Wi-Fi is incredibly convenient, but it can also be the culprit behind your buffering issues. Simply put, the further away your streaming device is from the modem and router, the slower its wireless speeds will be. If the speeds are slow enough, you’ll start to see buffering as the streaming device struggles to transfer video content over the air fast enough to show it to you in real time. As a reminder, my colleague at CNET pays for gigabit speeds, but wasn’t getting those speeds before she optimized her Wi-Fi configuration.

I mentioned before that I ran my Ookla speed test from my Apple TV. The reason for this is that my wife and I decided to connect our Apple TV directly to our router via an Ethernet cable. We wanted our streaming services… Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plusetc. — to access the fastest speeds in our home that would not be possible via Wi-Fi. If possible, a wired Ethernet connection will increase the speed of any device you connect it to, like your TV.

If you can’t connect via Ethernet cable, your best bet is to watch the NFL on a device or TV in the same room as your modem and router. The closer the distance between your router and your Wi-Fi streaming device, the better your chances of uninterrupted performance.

Use your router to check your home’s bandwidth usage

If you’re still having issues even though your download speeds seem fine, you may have issues with your router. The first thing to try is the old trick of turning it off and on again. I know this can be frustrating to hear, especially if you’ve ever asked someone in tech support for help and their first response is, “Did you unplug it and plug it back in?”

The truth is, sometimes it can be that simple: restarting your router often helps it reset and run better.

Another thing to consider is the number of people and devices using your network. We mentioned earlier that the ideal download speed for streaming 4K video is 25Mbps, but every device on your network is using bandwidth, making it harder for your TV to consistently use 25Mbps.

Our homes are now filled with a myriad of connected devices, including cell phones, laptops And smart tvs. Not to mention game consoles, security cameras, voice assistants, connected speakers/sound systems, smart thermostats, smart watches and countless others smart home gadgetsThey are all competing for bandwidth.

Take inventory of the smart devices in your home and, with your partner, roommate, children, or anyone else in your home, agree on what can be temporarily removed from your network to allow for a less congested network while you try to stream the NFL this year.

On that note, if you have people in your home who aren’t football fans and would like some counter-programming, consult with them beforehand and see if you can come up with a list of shows or movies that can be downloaded before the big games. Perhaps you can download a copy of Enchantment for kids. Or maybe non-football fans would enjoy watching a few episodes of The Last of Us or some classic episodes of The OfficeEither way, take the time to get your household on board and download these alternatives in advance, and you can avoid conflicts, arguments and bandwidth drains on the most important match days.

Perform a final checklist

Okay, you’ve tried a few times. Now it’s time to get started. The NFL football season is here until February 9th and you don’t want to miss a single game. It’s time to go through the tasks one last time to make sure all your efforts weren’t in vain.

Rerun this speed test

Those fantastic download speeds you recorded a few days ago won’t do you any good if they aren’t there when you need them most. It’s always a good idea to check your download speed before checking off other items on your list.

Go back to your router and check the bandwidth status again

Remember your smart device inventory? Go through the list and start removing them from your network. Even if you’ve already discussed it with other members of the household, take the time to remind them of your plan of action. For example, you don’t want the kids going off-script to connect to the internet and play. Fortnite instead of sticking to the movie you already downloaded. This will allow you to be less stressed when the medals are on the line.

Now you’re ready to enjoy the best possible experience for your current home setup. You’ve done everything you can, now have fun.