Live Stream Sports Events Without Buffering

Sports events are lined up around the year. So, if you are an ardent sports lover, you should try to catch as much live action as you can! However, if your internet connection is not stable, you can get stuck in an endless buffering loop.

Slow internet speed is frustrating, especially when you are watching a close contest. Want to put an end to buffering? In this article, you will find all the tips and tricks to live stream sports without any buffering!

What Is Buffering?

Video streaming has caught the attention of people across the world. Many people use video-streaming apps to binge on their favourite movies, shows and sports.

The hosting software loads data chunks in a memory reserved for it. This memory is often referred to as a buffer. As you watch a video or stream live sports, more data is downloaded in the buffer. The hustle is to provide you with a continuous video playback experience.

However, when your internet connection is slow, it takes time to download the content. As a result, the screen freezes and you see a small circle rotating on it. This phenomenon is called video buffering.

You need high-speed internet to eliminate video buffering. However, even a decent internet speed may lag if you watch live stream sports in 4K video quality.

When the internet speed becomes slow, the live stream may adjust to a lower quality. It is frustrating to watch live streams in low quality. So, it deteriorates your overall live-streaming experience. To avoid this frustration, you must get an internet connection from a competent ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Reasons for Live Stream Buffering

As we have discussed above, the main reason for buffering is slow internet speed. Some other reasons that may also cause buffering are listed below:

1. Bandwidth Cap

A bandwidth cap is the limit that decides your device's data-transmitting ability at that particular moment. Every internet connection is associated with a bandwidth cap. The bandwidth cap can differ as per the ISP or broadband plan you have subscribed to live stream sports.

If the bandwidth cap is on the lower side, it might not match up with the bandwidth required to stream live sports. It may result in buffering or your screen might get frozen for a few seconds.

At least 50% of your bandwidth should be allocated to buffering to minimise this issue. For instance, if you are streaming a live sports event at 50 Mbps, your connection must support a bandwidth of at least 100 Mbps.

2. Data Per Frame

Data per frame is the number of data packets required to download one frame of content. If you live stream sports in 4K video quality, the data per frame will be much higher than a regular HD video. So, the download speeds of your internet connection should be much higher to stream in 4K quality.

If you are ok with watching the video in regular HD quality, you can switch to 1080p or 720p. It might minimise the buffering issue, and you can watch live sports without any disturbance!

3. Technical Issues

Older devices may not be capable of handling the internet speed required for continuous playback. So, if you are using an old mobile to stream live sports, you may encounter some buffering.

The same thing goes for outdated browsers and video streaming apps. Outdated browsers and streaming apps are not capable of streaming content in high quality. Therefore, you must resolve these technical issues before blaming your internet connection.

4. Streaming Issues

If millions of viewers are streaming the same live event, it creates a network overload. This overload may slow their server, which might also affect your streaming experience.

Tips to Reduce Buffering While Streaming Live Sports Events

Here are some tips that can help you reduce buffering issues while streaming live sports events:

1. Check the Internet Speed

Check internet speed before streaming a live streaming channel or app. If the internet speed is not up to the mark, change to a different internet connection or plan.

The internet speed testing apps usually contain different metrics in the result. You will see upload speed, download speed and ping rate (latency) in the results. A high upload speed is required if you want to stream your content using a streaming device.

For instance, professional gamers usually stream games live for their fans and followers. However, to watch live stream sports in HD quality, you will need a high download speed.

Ping rate refers to the time taken by the information to reach your device from the server. If the ping rate is high, it means that your internet connection is not stable.

It may create issues like buffering or freezing of the live stream. Ideally, ping rates of 50 ms (milliseconds) or lower are ideal for buffering in 4K video quality.

2. Check Connected Devices

If you are using a WiFi connection to stream a live sports event, check the number of devices that are connected to the WiFi. If more devices are connected to the WiFi, it will create a network strain.

The bandwidth will get divided between the devices, and your streaming device may not get enough bandwidth to stream content in HD quality. You can disconnect other devices from the WiFi to minimise this issue.

3. Adjust the Video Quality

If your streaming device is not able to stream in 4K video quality due to slow internet speed, adjust the video quality. The device may be able to provide continuous playback when you lower the video resolution.

You can also pause the live stream for a few seconds to help it revive its playback speed.

4. Reboot the Streaming Device

One of the basic things to do is to reboot the streaming device. Sometimes, rebooting helps the streaming app and device and they start catching up live streams quickly.

You can also reboot your router to fix issues in the internet connectivity. However, these are temporary resolutions and may not work if there is an underlying issue with your internet connection.

5. Turn Off Applications

Your smart TV, smartphone or any other streaming device may be using the internet connection to download the updates in the background. In this case, the speed will be consumed in downloading the updates and your live streams may buffer.So, you must turn off all the applications that can consume data in the background.

6. Change the Frequency of the Router

If your router is set to the 2.4 GHz frequency, it will provide a long range. It means that the data signals will be available even if you live stream sports from a further distance. However, the speed of the internet will be lower than usual.

You can set the router to 5 GHz frequency as it offers much higher speed. In this case, you must ensure that your streaming device is within the router's range.

7. Delete Browser History and Cache

Some people access the streaming platforms via a browser. However, they forget to delete the browsing history and cache. Clearing temporary files and browsing history is a great move as it clears memory chunks.

As a result, your browser can access the internet much faster. You can clear browsing history, temporary files and cache from the advanced settings of your browser.

8. Use Unlimited Data Plans

When you stream sports channels live in 4K video quality, it consumes a lot of data. So, your data limit may get exhausted quickly.

Mobile data plans come with limited data. Therefore, it does not make sense to use them for live-streaming content in HD quality. You can choose a broadband plan that offers unlimited data.

It will allow you to watch your favourite sports channels live. Also, you can manage other activities like watching movies, downloading games, streaming live, etc., with an unlimited WiFi plan.

9. Update Your Streaming App

If you are using an older version of the streaming app, update it as soon as possible. The older version may be unable to handle your high-speed internet, and it may cause the live streams to buffer. Or else, the older update might have some glitch in its video streaming, which may be the reason behind the buffering.

10. Stop Using a VPN

Some VPN services may reduce buffering as it restricts third-party apps and services from using your internet connection. VPN also masks your IP and uses encryption to protect your details. So, it prevents misuse of your data and can be beneficial from a safety point of view.

Using a VPN also allows you to access streaming services and channels that might be blocked in your country or region. However, some services and channels do not allow you to stream using VPN.

Some VPNs also slow down the network speed, which may result in video buffering. So, it is better to avoid VPNs for streaming live sports.

11. Use a Wired Connection

Using WiFi to stream live sports in 4K quality can be convenient as it allows you to stream from any place inside your house. However, it may result in slow internet speed as other members or devices might also be using WiFi simultaneously.

Using a direct connection via Ethernet cable can provide more speed and dedicated bandwidth. You just have to plug the Ethernet cable into your streaming device to enjoy uninterrupted live streams. However, you cannot use it for streaming live sports channels via mobiles and other handheld devices.

12. Switch to a High-Speed Internet

Most people access the internet during the peak hours. It puts an additional load on the network, especially if they are using the same broadband or mobile data plan. So, you may face issues like buffering if you decide to live stream sports during peak hours.

To resolve this issue, you must switch to high-speed internet. Your internet connection must be robust enough to handle network traffic. Similarly, it must offer consistent speeds and bandwidth around the clock.

The best option to avoid buffering is to switch to the Fibernet services. A fibre-optic network offers consistent speeds even during peak hours of the day. It also offers dedicated bandwidth and minimises issues like throttling due to its robust infrastructure.

Your internet connection will not be slowed down during bad weather due to rain, clouds and other reasons. Moreover, it is also more secure as data is transmitted via light signals or pulses.

At ACT Fibernet, we offer flexible broadband plans that are designed to suit the requirements of gamers, live streamers and other types of users. You can choose a plan that suits your requirements and get access to high-speed internet.

We were the first ISP to offer speeds up to 1 Gbps consistently in India. Currently, we are operating in 23 cities and plan to expand our network to other locations soon.

If you subscribe to our plans, you will not face downtime issues or lagging. Video streaming will be smooth as our robust network infrastructure supports higher data frames per second. So, watching live sports streams will be quite easy with our broadband plans.

We have a dedicated customer support team that can handle all your complaints and queries in real time. Our internet connection offers symmetric upload and download speeds. So, you do not have to worry while watching movies or streaming live.

Conclusion

These were some tips and tricks to enjoy live-stream sports without buffering. Find the root cause of your slow internet speed by using troubleshooting tools and applications. Check internet speed using a speed testing application in Ookla.

ACT Fibernet has the reputation of being one of the fastest internet providers in the country. We also offer unlimited internet plans so that you can stream your favourite sports and events without any issues. Visit our portal today, explore the broadband plans and streamline your streaming experience!