Why Is Peacock TV Buffering? (Reasons, Fixes)

 

Peacock TV has a wide collection of reality TV shows and originals.

Because it’s a streaming platform, you may encounter some problems that cause it to buffer.

Knowing why Peacock TV is buffering can help you solve those problems, so you can enjoy a full stream without interruption.

 

Why Is Peacock TV Buffering? (Reasons, Fixes)

 

1. Slow Internet Speed

 

Peacock TV requires an internet speed of at least 3.0 Mbps.

If you’re watching live sports or a show with the best definition possible, then it suggests having an internet speed of at least 8.0 Mbps.

If your internet speed doesn’t match that, then you’re probably going to experience buffering.

Streaming tends to require fast internet speeds because it has to process data quickly.

If it’s unable to process data quickly, then it needs to pause the video until it has the data to proceed.

That pausing is what you see as buffering.

Slow internet speeds can come from a variety of problems.

Your hardware may have a cut or broken wire which is impacting how much data is able to pass through the router.

If you have satellite internet, then even some passing clouds can cause your speed to decrease.

There’s even a chance that the location of your router is causing the problem.

Unfortunately, you might also be experiencing problems because of the internet service that you have.

Internet speed can be difficult to fix, but there are a few things you can do to potentially boost it.

 

Fix: Move Router Or Upgrade Internet Service

There’s a chance that you have slow internet because your router isn’t in an ideal location.

A router needs to be out in the open.

When you set it inside a shelf or even behind the TV, there’s a chance that its WIFI signal becomes muffled.

There are tons of things that can interfere with its signal.

To speed up your internet, you should move your router away from the TV and in an open area.

With less interference, you might notice that your internet runs faster.

Sometimes your internet is slow because you’re paying for a basic internet service.

Basic internet service tends to provide slow speeds because it’s advertised for people who don’t use the internet that often.

It’s not ideal for streaming platforms.

As such, you may need to revisit your internet service and determine whether you need to upgrade or switch providers entirely.

Better internet packages tend to be more expensive, so you’ll need to determine if paying more works with your budget.

Once you’ve made the necessary changes and have faster internet, Peacock TV should stop buffering.

 

2. Faulty WIFI Connection

 

If you’re relying on WIFI to stream content, then that could be your problem.

WIFI is convenient for many households.

It provides internet without the use of wires creeping all over the house.

It also allows you to provide internet to numerous devices.

Unfortunately, WIFI isn’t the strongest method for providing internet.

Since its signals travel through the air, it means they’re vulnerable to interruption and disruption.

Everything from your microwave to your neighbor’s WIFI could be impacting your service.

When other signals, particularly radio waves, come into contact with your WIFI, it basically distorts it.

As a result, the data passing through WIFI takes longer to reach its destination.

You see this as buffering on Peacock TV.

Because using WIFI can cause problems, there’s a pretty easy fix for this issue.

 

Fix: Use Ethernet Cable

Instead of using WIFI, you should hook up your streaming device to an ethernet cable.

An ethernet cable provides a physical, wired, connection from your router to the device.

Because it’s a physical connection rather than signals through the air, it’s able to process data a lot faster.

There’s a lot less disruption occurring because the wire sheathes the data transfer.

Of course, the problem with ethernet cables is that you are going to have a wire potentially spanning your living room.

There are clever ways you can hide an ethernet cable, however, so it just requires a bit of creativity.

You can also reposition your furniture to keep the cable close to your TV.

Another aspect you may have to consider is how many ethernet ports your router supports.

If it only has one, then you can only have one device hooked up with an ethernet cable at a time.

This is fine if you only have one TV.

While you can always switch the cable between different devices, it can become a hassle.

If you have several devices that need a direct connection, then you might want to consider using a router that has several ethernet cable ports.

By using an ethernet cable, you can provide a stable internet connection which should keep Peacock TV from buffering.

 

3. Network Congestion

 

If you’re someone who tends to use a lot of apps without closing them, then it could be impacting your stream.

When you have several apps open or tabs open, they’re still active.

They go into a sort of pause mode.

Even though they’re paused, there’s still internet going towards them.

This ends up resulting in network congestion.

The data isn’t able to go directly to Peacock TV solely.

Instead, there are tons of streams of data all going to the different apps or tabs that you have active.

Because the network is so congested, the internet is slower.

This can also occur when you have several devices using the internet at the same time.

If someone is downloading something on a gaming console while someone else is streaming on their phone, then that’s a lot of data use.

It’s making the network congested which is causing your buffering problems.

 

Fix: Close Out Of Apps

Fixing these problems is quite easy.

You just need to exit out of the apps or tabs you have open before streaming Peacock TV.

Depending on the device you’re using, you may need to force-stop an app in order to fully exit it.

The same goes for using a lot of devices.

If no one is using a device, but it’s active, then shut it down.

For those who are using other devices, you may need to ask them to pause their download until later.

Ideally, everyone will join you to watch Peacock TV which will limit device usage.

By reducing network congestion, most data can go to your device.

As a result, Peacock TV should stop buffering and run smoothly.

 

4. Full Device Memory

 

The device you’re using to watch Peacock TV might also be impacting its ability to stream.

TVs, computers, phones, and even gaming consoles all have limited memory.

Some devices have greater memory banks than others.

Memory is important because it can impact how quickly the system processes data.

If the memory is full, then it can’t accept any more data.

You see this as buffering because the device is unable to load any more data.

Both long-term and short-term memory for the device is important.

Short-term memory, often called RAM, can help make your device run faster.

When the RAM is full, then you’re going to see slower internet speeds and thus slower streaming.

When your long-term memory storage is full, the device can’t add any more information, so it pauses the influx.

Memory can be an easy fix depending on your circumstances.

 

Fix: Clear Cache, Empty Trash, Restart Device

Sometimes your memory is full because your cache is full.

You can clear your cache to help reduce your device’s long-term and short-term memory.

Keep in mind that clearing your cache means you’re going to need to submit your usernames and passwords for all your services again.

Another thing you can do is empty the trash in the case of your phone or computer.

Whenever you delete anything on your computer, it isn’t immediately taken out of existence.

It goes to your trash bin on the computer instead.

It does this to give you a second chance to restore anything you deleted that you didn’t mean to delete.

When your trash bin is full, it’s impacting your memory.

Deleting what’s in your trash can help free up more memory.

Finally, you should consider restarting your device.

Your RAM stays active until you shut the device down.

Then it refreshes itself.

This can be an easy way to clear your RAM and free up more memory.

Once your device has a bit more memory, it has an easier time processing data.

That can make your internet run a bit faster and provide you with a buffer-free experience on Peacock TV.

 

5. VPN Slowing Internet Down

 

If you use a VPN, then there’s also a chance that it may be slowing your internet down.

A VPN is a powerful tool that can help you change the perceived location of your IP address.

This allows you to change your region which you can use to access restricted content in your area.

It can also sometimes offer security services.

Since data has to pass through the VPN, it can slow your stream a little.

Because the problem is coming from the VPN, there’s an easy way to fix it.

 

Fix: Pause VPN Services

Most VPNs allow you to easily pause them.

With just a click of a button, you can temporarily suspend its services.

You should notice that your internet speed increases just a little bit.

That might be all you need to watch Peacock TV without having it buffer all the time.