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IP SUPPORT • CONNECTION HELP
IPv6 and Streaming: Troubleshoot Buffering and Freezing
If channels repeatedly buffer, freeze, or reconnect, use this guide to check whether your network connection may be contributing to the problem.
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IPv6 Does Not Automatically Mean There Is a Problem
IPv4 and IPv6 are two ways devices connect over the internet. Many networks use both normally. A problem with a particular network route, device, or app can affect playback, but seeing an IPv6 address does not diagnose the cause.
If your service works normally, leave your network settings as they are.
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1. Check the Basics First
- Restart your streaming device and check for updates to the app and device software.
- Try several channels. If only one channel fails, note its name for support before changing network settings.
- Check your Wi-Fi connection. If possible, compare playback using Ethernet or move the device closer to the router.
You can also use the IP Support Troubleshooting Tool at the bottom of this guide to check service status and try a brief playback test before changing router settings.
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2. Check Whether IPv6 Is Available
Open the test below in a browser on the affected device, if available. Otherwise, use a phone or computer connected to the same home Wi-Fi. On a phone, confirm you are using Wi-Fi rather than mobile data.
No IPv6 detected: Skip the IPv6 settings test below. Continue checking the app, Wi-Fi, service status, and network route.
IPv6 detected: This is normal on many networks. Continue only if playback problems persist.
The result applies to that browser's current connection. A VPN can change the result, and a test on your phone does not prove your TV app uses IPv6. Note whether a VPN was connected during the test.
Optional address checks: WhatIsMyIPAddress or IPLeak. IPv4 uses periods; IPv6 uses colons. Your network may have both.
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3. Compare Playback Through a VPN
If you have a VPN available, connect it on the device you watch on, then retry the same channels in the same app. If already connected, try another nearby VPN location. Change only one setting at a time.
Better playback through a VPN suggests the connection path may matter. It does not prove IPv6 was the cause. VPNs handle IPv6 differently, and a VPN can also change routing or speed.
Open the VPN Setup and Troubleshooting Guide
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4. Test IPv4 Only If Your Device or ISP Supports It
If IPv6 is available and the problem continues, ask your device manufacturer or internet provider whether a temporary IPv4 preference or IPv4-only test is supported on your connection.
- Record the original settings before making a supported change. Prefer a setting limited to the affected device when available.
- Follow the manufacturer's or ISP's instructions. Router menus vary; there is no single menu path that works for every device.
- Reconnect or restart the streaming device, then test the same app and channels with the VPN state unchanged.
- Restore the original settings if there is no improvement or other internet features stop working.
Do not disable IPv6 across your network as a routine fix. Some connections depend on it. If the setting is unavailable, contact support instead of changing unrelated modem or mobile-network settings.
Windows users: Microsoft advises against disabling IPv6 and recommends preferring IPv4 instead when needed. Ask for help with this advanced setting. Microsoft guidance.
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What Your Comparison Tells Us
Playback improves with the supported IPv4 test: Report the result to support and your ISP so they can investigate a possible IPv6 path or compatibility issue.
No improvement: Restore your settings. The next checks should focus on the app, device, Wi-Fi, or service rather than continuing to change IPv6 options.
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Check Your Service and Share the Results
Use the IP Support Troubleshooting Tool to gather useful results while you work through the connection problem.
- Open the tool in the browser where you are signed into your client account. Confirm your service and check the available service/account status information.
- Stop playback on your TV first. Try the affected channel briefly in the tool, then stop the browser test before returning to your TV.
- Run Connection Speed Check if available. Record download, upload, ping, and jitter, along with the device, network, and VPN state used for the test.
- Add these results to your support ticket, including the affected channel, exact error, and whether the VPN or supported IPv4 test helped. Do not include your password.
If the tool opens in visitor mode, sign into the Client Area in the same browser, then reopen it.
How to interpret it: Working browser playback helps show the service is reachable through that test path; it does not prove your TV app uses the same route. The speed check measures the connection to IP Support, not every streaming server. The tool does not diagnose IPv6. A busy or unavailable tool alone does not establish a service outage.
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Still Need Help?
Tell us your device and app, internet provider, affected channels, and what changed during testing. If you tested on a phone rather than the TV, mention that too.
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