What internet speed do you need for live TV streaming?

The short answer

For live TV streaming with Aurix, plan on at least 10 Mbps per screen for HD and 25 Mbps per screen for 4K. That is the speed each screen needs while it is playing, on top of whatever else your household is doing online at the same time.

Many US home internet plans are fast enough for one or two HD screens. The questions that matter are how many screens will watch at once, what else is using the connection, and how strong the signal is where your TV actually sits.

How much speed for each screen

Add up the screens that will be watching at the same time:

Then leave some room for everything else: phones, video calls, game downloads and smart home devices all share the same connection. If your plan is only just above the number in the table, picture quality can drop when someone else in the house starts a big download.

Every Aurix plan includes 1 screen, and you can add more for $5 a month per extra screen. See plans and pricing.

HD or 4K: which one do you need?

HD looks sharp on most TVs and phones and needs much less speed. 4K is worth it on a large 4K TV if your connection can comfortably handle 25 Mbps for that screen. Aurix offers 4K on selected channels, so most viewing will be in HD either way.

If you are not sure, start with HD. You can always check how 4K looks on your own TV during the free trial.

How to test your real speed

The speed on your internet bill is the maximum. What reaches your TV can be lower, especially over Wi-Fi. To see what you really get:

• Test on the device you will watch on, or on a phone standing right next to it. A test on a laptop in another room tells you little about the TV.
• Test in the evening, when you usually watch. Home internet is often slower at peak hours.
• Use a free speed test such as fast.com or speedtest.net, and run it two or three times.
• Look at the download number. Upload speed matters very little for watching TV.

Wi-Fi tips for smoother live TV

Most buffering at home comes from a weak Wi-Fi signal, not from a slow plan. These simple steps fix most of it:

• Use a cable when you can. If your TV or streaming box has an Ethernet port, plugging it into the router gives the most stable picture.
• Connect to the 5 GHz network if your router offers one and the TV is not too far away. It is usually faster than 2.4 GHz.
• Move the router into the open. Walls, cabinets and the TV itself can block the signal. Higher and more central is better.
• Restart your router and your device once in a while. It clears temporary problems.
• Pause big downloads while you watch a live game or event.
• In a large home, a mesh Wi-Fi system or a Wi-Fi extender can bring a strong signal to the room with the TV.

When the problem is not your speed

If your speed test shows plenty of speed but the picture still stops, the cause is usually the device or the app setup, not your plan. Restart the app and the device first. If it keeps happening, email our team with your device model and a screenshot of your speed test, and we will help you find the cause.

Not sure your TV, Fire TV Stick, phone or computer works with Aurix? Check the supported devices list, or read the FAQ.

Try it on your own connection

The best test is a real one. Start a free 3-day trial with no card needed, watch on the screens you actually use, at the times you actually watch, and see how it runs on your home internet. Questions before you start? Contact our support team. We reply every day from 9am to 11pm ET.