Your broadband speed decides how smooth your IPTV picture will be. The good news is that most fibre and many broadband connections in Ireland are fast enough – as long as the home network is set up well.
Recommended speeds
| Quality | Minimum per screen | Recommended per screen |
|---|---|---|
| SD | 5 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| HD / Full HD | 10 Mbps | 15 Mbps or more |
| 4K Ultra HD | 20 Mbps | 25 Mbps or more |
These figures are for one screen. If other people in the house are streaming, gaming or downloading at the same time, add their usage on top.
Speed is not everything: stability matters
A stable 30 Mbps connection is better for IPTV than an unstable 100 Mbps one. Drops, high latency and Wi-Fi interference cause more buffering than a lower headline speed.
How to test your connection
- Run a speed test on the device you use for IPTV, not on your phone next to the router.
- Test in the evening, when networks are busiest.
- Run the test several times and note the lowest result.
How to improve your IPTV connection
- Use Ethernet whenever possible – it is the most reliable option.
- Choose 5 GHz Wi-Fi instead of 2.4 GHz if the router is close to the TV.
- Add a mesh system or powerline adapter if the TV is far from the router.
- Restart the router regularly and keep its firmware up to date.
- Switch quality from 4K to Full HD when the connection is busy.
Mobile broadband and 4G/5G
IPTV can work on 4G or 5G home broadband, but speeds vary during the day and data caps can run out quickly – 4K uses several gigabytes per hour. Check your plan before streaming for long periods.
Still buffering after these checks? Read our 9 fixes for IPTV buffering, test your setup with a 30-minute free trial, or see our IPTV subscription plans.