Youtube constantly buffering/freezing

[ILoveSouls]

Not sure what's going on with Bell lately but trying to watch youtube has just turned into a constant buffering nightmare.

I've been trying to sort out what it might be as it's almost unwatchable with devices especially on WIFI the past 2 weeks or so.

Turns out I'm not the only one as I found this reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/bell/comments/zlgneb/youtube_buffering_lately_any_device_in_home_any/

You can give me all the speed in the world but when I can't even watch a youtube video at 1080P without it freezing and turning it down to as low as 360P, what's the point?

I would say maybe it's a Youtube issue but from what I've seen around here it just seems to be a Bell Network/routing issue or something.

[ILoveSouls · Accepted solution]

Turns out if you use a VPN this issues goes away. Funny.

[Hutch]

Sorry I don't understand.  I have to subscribe and pay for a VPN to be able to get decent internet from Bell?

[Hutch]

My streaming services are virtually unwatchable with all the buffering on my fibe hi speed service

[BellPatricia]

Hi there @Hutch,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Bell Community.

The Community needs a bit more information in order to help.

What streaming services are you referring to? Are you experiencing this on all devices or just certain ones, also, what devices (make and model)?

Can you share which modem and Internet package you subscribe to?

Please post a screen shot of your Speed test so we can check it out as well.

Looking forward to your reply.

- Patricia

[Stevevignet]

This is not about the speed test , it is a regional issue , I have the same issue right now and it very frustrating , speed test is A1 , but youtube and the google app store (google servers) doesnt work anymore (very slow with wired connection) and simply not working with wifi. Why I know it'S regional , because if I start my VPN and put it in an other city near mine , it works....I suspect a bad DNS table on a switch , but trying to explain that to an agent who ask me if im sure my computer is on is pretty hard on the nerves.

[Vanadiel]

Use Winmtr, a small free program, and as address put in www.youtube.com.

Leave it for 5 minutes, then post the printout here. If you have packet loss, abnormal high ping times it will show in the printout.

Should look like this:

[daflamme]

Has anyone sorted this out? Subscribed with Bell 2 weeks ago and started having this problem this weekend. Completely unusable YouTube and playstore

[daflamme]

Yes will call tomorrow. Where are you located if this can be a related cause? Using a VPN resolves the problem like said above

[Vanadiel]

VPN still requires a connection between you and the VPN server. It's always possible there's a routing problem somewhere, but without additional data that's just guessing.

[Jay4]

I have the same pronlem since 48hrs but when i call Bell they dont seem to know the problem

[daflamme]

Talked to a technician this morning and they're sending someone tomorrow, I'll keep you updated. 

The post between my last twos somehow got deleted so can't know where the guys was from, but I talked to one of my neighbor and he has the same issue (I'm in Quebec city, Qc)

[Stevevignet]

Me too , it's obviously a problem in quebec city. Nobody called me back yet , I hope it will be this week.

[dperez83]

I am having the same problem. It started some days ago. I am in Quebec city. If use a VPN or cellular data I don't have the problem.

@BellPatricia can you escalate this? It's clear that there is some sort of routing problem for clients in Quebec city. I am not willing to call support and go through some troubleshooting, tech visit and  modem replacement loop for a network problem.

[Michael4]

Same issue as you guys describing, from quebec also