Latin woman looking disappointed at her laptopscreen, sitting behind her desk at the office.

Latin woman looking disappointed at her laptopscreen, sitting behind her desk at the office.Buffering is something that happens to everyone at some point and everyone likes to blame the service. Yet the issue may not be the streaming service, it may be your home network.

Here are three tips to fix buffering on your Roku, Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, Apple TV, and other devices.

Tip #1: Identify the Problem

Often the problem with buffering is your internet speed. It is not unusual to not get the speed you pay for. You can easily be paying for 100 down but only getting a fraction of that speed. Sometimes your ISP can have damage on their lines running to your house, so run a speed test to make sure you are getting the speed you are paying for.

I had this happen a few years ago. I had all kinds of streaming issues. I ran a test and found out it was my network giving me just a fraction of the speed I paid for. I called my ISP, and they came out and fixed something on the pole outside my house and my internet speed was faster than it had ever been.

Want to test your speed? Check out Fast.com for a quick and easy test. If you find your internet speed is often well below what you are paying for, contact your internet service provider.

Tip #2: Improve Your Wi-Fi

Even if your internet speed is ok, weak Wi-Fi is a common issue that causes buffering. A weak Wi-Fi signal can cause slow speeds that lead to constant buffering. Look to see if the Wi-Fi signal on your streaming player is weak.

If you have weak Wi-Fi you have a few options to fix it. First, move your Wi-Fi router closer to your streaming player. Next, look at a more powerful router or even one of the new mesh routers. Finally, some users have had success with range extenders or using an Ethernet power jack to hard wire their streaming player.

One tip for buying a range extender is to make sure you get one that is made by the same company as your router. If you have a Netgear router, buy a Netgear extender. I find that often reduces the number of issues you face.

#3 Update or Replace Your Router

If your Wi-Fi keeps dropping or you are still having Wi-Fi issues in one part of your house, consider looking into getting a new router that has a Wi-Fi AC standard. You will see a huge improvement going to AC from the old N standard. It is not unusual for routers to go bad. Just like phones and computers, at some point routers break down.

Also, if you have an older or cheaper Wi-Fi router, it may not be designed to handle all the devices on your network. Not all routers are made to handle the same load. Some max out at 10–15 devices. That may seem like a lot, but in today's world of doorbells and Echo devices you can quickly add up to over 15 devices on your home network.

I currently have a Nighthawk Router, but if you want something cheaper Amazon has many for under $100.

(One last tip before you buy a new router. Log into your current router and see if there is an update. It may not fix your issues but could help.)

We hope that helped you fix your issue. If this still has not fixed your issue and you do not have slow speeds, you do have a strong Wi-Fi signal, and you tested your router, then contact the service you are using for more help.

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