Question Inconsistently, devices take 10-20 seconds to connect/play video.

[Barty1884]

Hi all,

Recently, something has started acting up with my network in terms of connection.
When connecting to video , there are delays of 10-20 seconds (not each/every time, but often enough) before a video will play. Youtube, Disney+, Netflix, Prime... similar story with each.
Doesn't seem to matter the resolution, 720p, 1080p, 4K.
3x Nvidia Shield, 1x FireStick 4K,, Desktop w/clean W11 install, Laptop with same.
Very occasionally, webpages will take a similar length of time to connect via Wifi on mobile devices (Pixel 5, iPhone XR)

Assuming it's just building a buffer - but wasn't an issue until probably ~2 months ago. Trying to recall if anything changed at the time, but nothing comes to mind.

Definitely more common on the Android/Android-based devices (Shield, Firestick, Pixel 5) than the others, but definitely present on the others too.

Any thoughts?


Sorely tempted to go pick up a Dream Machine Pro (or wait for the SE) and a replacement 16 or 24 port switch to see if it'll fix the issue, but would prefer to wait.


Relevant Specs:
Symmetrical Gigabit
ISP Provided router > Unifi USW-8-60W > USW-Flex-Mini > Patch Panel > Cat6 to all rooms > 2x UAP-AC-Pro for Wifi.

Wasn't an issue when I had my USW-24-250W, but it died over a year ago so that isn't it.
Unifi wasn't showing IP addresses for various devices when I was going Router>Flex Mini's directly (although clients did work) so routed everything through the USW-8.

 

[Ralston18]

DSL service from ISP?

What about the splitter/filter? They can be quite problematic.

 

[Barty1884]

FTTH

Splitter/filter? Sorry, you lost me there @Ralston18

 

[Ralston18]

Apologies - should have included some links:

https://www.blackfoot.com/news/faqs/what-is-a-dsl-filter/

https://getinternet.com/what-is-a-dsl-filter-how-does-it-work/

https://www.amazon.com/iMBAPrice®-line-Splitter-Noise-Filter/dp/B01258GUCQ

In the third link, scroll down to view photos and a diagram.

 

[Barty1884]

No DSL though, Fiber to the Home via ONT. And no phone service anyway....

 

[Ralston18]

No DSL then....

My fall back suggestion is to boot up and open either Resource Monitor or Task Manager. Use both but only one at a time.

After the system boots, open the window but do nothing but watch. Get a sense of what resources are being used, what is using any given resource, and lastly to what extent (%) any given resource is being used.

Wait for the system to become stable: no backing up, no updates going on, etc.. Then, keeping the window open and viewable, connect to video. Determine what changes when/while the buffering occurs.

Very curious about what the system is doing, may be trying to do, or waiting on during the buffering time.

On both desktop and laptop.

May take some trial and error to narrow things down. Also may need to disconnect all but one video device. If the buffering stops then add another device, so on and so forth.

= = = =

Question:

This switch?

https://dl.ubnt.com/guides/UniFi_Switch/US-8-60W_QSG.pdf

Is the dashboard (Page 14) at all useful?

Are any of those PoE ports involved with the video connections?

Just thinking/wondering out loud....

 

[Barty1884]

Will keep you posted on the troubleshooting.

Question:

This switch?

https://dl.ubnt.com/guides/UniFi_Switch/US-8-60W_QSG.pdf

Is the dashboard (Page 14) at all useful?

Are any of those PoE ports involved with the video connections?

Just thinking/wondering out loud....

Negative on the usefulness of the dashboard. Really kneecapped not being fully in the Unifi ecosystem with the router etc. Just ends up listing IPs and throughput per device. Nothing out of the ordinary when the issue occurs (at least per the switch). Everything is up-to-date, but I wonder..... not sure if I can see a history if firmware updates, but that might explain it!

No PoE ports involved in the connections. Those are only used for my APs, Cams and the CloudKey.

 

[Ralston18]

One of those problems/situations that may take time to work through.

Bite the proverbial "bullet".

Disconnect all devices.

Determine if the network performs as expected.

Next, if so, then reconnect one, but only one device.

Then, allowing some time, if the network performs as expected (no delays as noted) then add a second device.

Etc., etc...

If the connection delays re-occur with some specific device then that is a clue.

And you can confirm by changing the order of reconnected devices.

Will concede that the diagnostic process is cumbersome and tedious.

Very confident and comfortable that you likely have a very good grasp on things.

Go back that "couple of months" to look for any logs anywhere that might reveal some "Eureka" understanding based on what you have learned in the meantime.

 

[Barty1884]

Stopped by MemoryExpress today and picked up a USW-16-POE. Was open box, and got one heck of a discount. Figured if I was going to redo everything one by one, I may aswell redo the rack...... at least, while waiting on the UDM-PRO-SE.

I've left one Flex-Mini in the equation just to provide ports for lesser/never used jacks in the house.
Everything now connected
Router>16port>Patch (any primary devices)
Router>16port>8port>Patch (secondary)
Router16port>8port>FlexMini>Patch (Unused)

Thus far, only a few hours in, but absolutely none of the buffering has reappeared.

The CloudKey, 8port & flex was supposed to be on the shelf (currently removed & sitting on top) to leave 1U for the UDM-Pro-SE, but couldn't fit my NAS that way. Will need to give it a re-think.