LebGeeks

AVOlio

Member

Netflix in Lebanon

This thread can be used for everything related to Netflix if anything.

Although i made it cause im going through a problem with Netflix.
I have a 4k Ultra HD plan subscription.
My internet at home can reach 24mbps and up.
I can stream everything without any buffering issues, even at 4K HDR.

But my problem is on the download side.
Downloads (Offline to watch later) from netflix are EXTREMELY slow using Android.
It should download at 2-3MBps as per my download speed, but the speed is pathetic, being at 20-100KBps 90% of the time.

Anybody else facing this issue?

sero

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

yes I have the same issue
streaming is flawless on tv and mobile phone
I once tried to download some episodes to watch on a plane while travelling (using my mobile phone not a pc), but the download speed was just unbearable. And with every tiny little packet loss the download restarts from the beginning!

beezer

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

The application is horrible, even on Windows. I once had to uninstall and delete 4 movies and then redownload them cause it wasn't even letting me stream.

nuclearcat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Most of ISPs dont have enough capacity, test it early morning

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Most of ISPs dont have enough capacity, test it early morning

What do you mean?

nuclearcat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Try to test it at early morning, if its faster/better. If its not - doesn't worth to discuss.
If faster - i will try to explain.

rolf

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

He means maybe it's a bandwidth issue but I guess if you can stream 4K then it's not a bandwidth problem.

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Surely it's not a bandwith problem.
I have stable 24mbps connection, downloading stuff at 3MBps.

Draguen

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

i think that nuclearcat was meaning that it's throttled from the ISP side, not yours, and hence when there is low consumption on the ISP network, you might have a better download rate.

it might be an exemple of net neutrality not being implemented

nuclearcat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Draguen, exactly

Azachariou

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Offline download speeds are normal on my side. Ogero - VDSL

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Offline download speeds are normal on my side. Ogero - VDSL

You are in Lebanon right?

If yes, What device are you using?

Azachariou

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Oneplus 3t running OxygenOS 5.0.5 (Android 8.0.0)

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

It's weird how the download speed is normal on your side.

90% of the time its very slow and pathetic with me.

I wonder if it really is an ISP issue, if we use a proper paid VPN service, that maybe it would make a difference.
Anyone subscribed to a decent VPN service can test this out?

xazbrat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Oneplus 3t running OxygenOS 5.0.5 (Android 8.0.0)

It may have something to do with how it treats HDR---check out this link.  See if you can find someone or a phone from that list and see if you still have the same issues.  If you notice, oneplus phones aren't on the list.

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Don't think HDR is related.
Netflix automatically detects the device on which you're watching or downloading, and if it supports HDR it will show the content in 4k HDR, likewise if it's 4k but doesn't support HDR it will show the content with a 4k resolution, otherwise it will show HD.

I have Galaxy note 4 (which is not on the list as well) it doesn't support HDR and max resolution it can handle is HD.

So I doubt it's related.

xazbrat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Don't think HDR is related.
Netflix automatically detects the device on which you're watching or downloading, and if it supports HDR it will show the content in 4k HDR, likewise if it's 4k but doesn't support HDR it will show the content with a 4k resolution, otherwise it will show HD.

I have Galaxy note 4 (which is not on the list as well) it doesn't support HDR and max resolution it can handle is HD.

So I doubt it's related.

Well, if it is from the ISP side, try downloading a 10 min show on mobile network (preferably near the end of the billing cycle) or from another WiFi source at work, school or wherever and see if you still have a problem.  If the issue is solved, it is something from your isp and if you still have an issue, it may be from the app itself---reinstall it see if that helps.   Also, try it on another phone.  Maybe the phone has some sort of sort of unknown incompatible issue which is preventing it from downloading at full speed.

Anyhow, good luck.

(and jealous of 24 mbps speed)

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

It used to reach 28-30mbps, but now only at 24 max, I don't know what happened.

Anyway, does anyone successfully use a VPN server to watch Netflix US for example?

rolf

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

It used to reach 28-30mbps, but now only at 24 max, I don't know what happened.

Anyway, does anyone successfully use a VPN server to watch Netflix US for example?

"Too good to be true" is what happened! Anyway I hope for the best.
No for the VPN, Netflix are notoriously good at detecting VPNs.
However I came across providers that specifically claim to provide "netflix VPN".
I have not tried them and lost the link!

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

I tried it last time, with NordVPN (3 days trial) on my mobile, and it worked. I was watching Netflix US.
But didn't try to download stuff though.

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Update :
I tried downloading with VPN on, it didn't have a huge impact on download speed, maybe even it didn't have any impact.

But, I tired downloading on another device than my note 4, on a Huawei phone, the download speed was much much better, the lowest speed I saw was at 1MB/s and it reached until 2.9MB/s, whereas 1MB/s was the highest I was seeing on my note 4 and rarely.

It's really weird that on my device the download speed is slow and on another is acceptable.
Especially considering that my device is able to fully use my internet download speed everywhere else except Netflix.

xazbrat

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Update :
I tried downloading with VPN on, it didn't have a huge impact on download speed, maybe even it didn't have any impact.

But, I tired downloading on another device than my note 4, on a Huawei phone, the download speed was much much better, the lowest speed I saw was at 1MB/s and it reached until 2.9MB/s, whereas 1MB/s was the highest I was seeing on my note 4 and rarely.

It's really weird that on my device the download speed is slow and on another is acceptable.
Especially considering that my device is able to fully use my internet download speed everywhere else except Netflix.

Samsung has some great phones and their hardware is topnotch, however, their touchwiz (now experience) skin has created some problems which show up in random places. I guess you found on of them.  Even stranger,  is that you could probably find another Note 4 somewhere, clone yours and it may not have the same issue. 

Go figure.

Glad you found an answer to the slower download speed though--probably not what you wanted to hear.

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Update #2
I just discovered that when starting the downloads on Netflix and the pressing back repeatedly to go out of the application, somehow kills the app' permission to use full speed of your wifi.
Another proof of this, when after closing the Netflix app by tapping back to exit, and after a very long time of slow download speed, when a download finishes, I always see a notification of "a wifi connection is required to download xxxx", xxxx being the next episode in the download list.

On the other hand, if you start the download and stay in the application (specifically the downloads tab) the download speed used is significantly higher, as well as pressing directly the home button to go to the home screen (this will take you to the home screen without closing the Netflix task I presume).

Azachariou

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

Are you limiting background permissions by any chance?

AVOlio

Member

Re: Netflix in Lebanon

I don't think so,
I can only restrict data usage in background for mobile data only in the application settings, it says wifi will be used if available.