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Aleck
Founder
Founder

Unstable Connection, with Secondary Stream

Everything generally runs very smoothly when I'm the only one streaming on the network on chromecast ultra ethernet connected, BUT when another person on the network begins a secondary stream, simultaneously with me playing, everything suddenly gets very choppy with pretty agressive frame skipping. Plus I get the unstable connection message.

My network description:

The source is a simple DSL connection - 100 mbps down / 20 up.

From source to chromecast: Source -> ISP modem -> Google Nest Wifi router -> chromecast ultra (connected with ethernet cable, CAT 6)

 

With the two streams, the total download is on average 55 mbps down.

So I wouldn't think it's a bandwidth limitation.

I have game streaming priority turned on in the google nest wifi router app and I have tried manually prioritizing the chromecast I'm playing on. Didn't work.

 

Do you have any advice?

1 Kudo
4 Replies
JohnZoidberg
Gold Stadia Guide
Gold Stadia Guide

Hello @Aleck 

It looks like you have your CCU connected directly to your Nest WiFi Router's LAN port via Ethernet. There is a known issue with that, though it has typically been reported as happening all the time, not just when another stream is sharing the internet connection. The workaround is to put an inexpensive (unmanaged) Ethernet switch in between the Nest WiFi Router and the CCU. Since a switch like that should be $15 or $20 dollars for a 5-port unit, it would be worth trying just to see if it improves things.

That said, sharing an internet connection with a bursty video stream (e.g., YouTube, Netflix, etc.) can be challenging under the best conditions. You might try dropping your Stadia stream quality to 1080 or even 720 when you know you're sharing the internet connection just to see if that gives you a little more headroom.

Why not Zoidberg?
1 Kudo
Aleck
Founder
Founder

Thank you for the response. I have tried to use a switch, sadly it made no difference.

This is truly a mystery to me, and it's sad because I can't truly commit to stadia until this is solved :disappointed_face:

1 Kudo
ChrisFromGoogle
Community Specialist
Community Specialist

Hi @Aleck, it sounds a bit like there is a problem somewhere in the traffic pipeline. It seems safe to assume that you have already performed internet speed tests independently of what your ISP says you should be receiving, but try once more and post the screenshots here.

 

Stadia relies almost entirely on a stable connection. We should also rule out that you are not dropping a lot of packets. There are a number of ways to test this -- take a look online and find one which works for you and run the test.

 

Given the information you provided, it sounds like the issue may be bandwidth, but it may also be a connection quality issue which could be either in your local network or your ISP.

0 Kudos
Koast
Founder
Founder

My observation with Stadia on my DSL line with ~43Mbits/s downstream, all connected through Ethernet cables, and having my CCU prioritized in the Fritz box 7490 menu: it runs smoothly all the time, mostly even in 4k. On my second TV which is a FullHD only, it runs even smoothly when someone on the same network is watching some VOD stuff on YouTube, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video or Sky. The only OTT service that heavily impacts the performance of Stadia is Netflix. I don't know what they do differently, maybe the Fritzbox router thinks this is also a real-time video application and thus doesn't throttle it down to save bandwidth for Stadia. Anybody else observing the same? 

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