Server Version#: Version 1.42.2.10156
Player Version#: AppleTV 8.45
I have a completely inscrutable issue. My server is behind a symmetrical gigabit Verizon FiOS fiber network. I’m working with one of my users who has been unable to stream (connection to server not fast enough) for a long time. He has symmetrical 300 Ziply fiber. He’s been unable to stream on both his Apple TV (latest model, ethernet) and his new LG TV’s built in WebOS. Both are wired, plugged into a TP Link HB610 WiFi extender provided by the ISP (which is itself plugged into a MOCA adapter, as the living room is far from the ONT.)
I arrived recently and the troubleshooting steps leave me even more confused. I have genuinely no clue what could possibly be causing this issue. Here are some things we’ve tried:
First, using other streaming services (YouTube, Disney, etc) he can stream fine - even very high bitrate 4k HDR YouTube videos - with ethernet plugged in. Using my laptop, connected to the WiFi network, I can stream from my plex server just fine, even very high bitrate 25+mbit/s movies.
So, the next thing we tried was disconnecting the Apple TV from ethernet and trying it on WiFi. This, shockingly, works, for plex and other streaming services! So, we next tried some speedtests. An ookla speedtest on the Apple TV when connected to ethernet reads 75 down/300 up (so not getting full down, for some reason). When the Apple TV is on WiFi, the same speed test shows 300/300. However, my laptop gets 300/300 on both WiFi and plugged into the exact same ethernet cable that the Apple TV was plugged into.
As an additional note, we tried swapping cables, and plugging a switch into the extender and connecting the Apple TV to that switch instead of the HB610. That didn’t change anything.
So, all of this sounds pretty clear - there’s something wrong with the Apple TV’s ethernet port that results in it not being able to get full down speeds, and perhaps because the server is on the other side of the country Plex is more harshly affected by this than other streaming services.
BUT! The same thing is true with the TV’s built-in WebOS. Everything works on WiFi, everything but Plex works on Ethernet. This is where we’re at. We really have no idea what the hell could happen that would mean that there’s a problem with wired connections, but not wireless connections, but only affecting the Apple TV and the LG TV and not a laptop. Also, whatever the problem with wired connections is, it causes problems with speedtest.net and plex, but no other streaming services.
**TL;DR:
When connected to Ethernet, the Apple TV and LG TV have issue streaming plex and running speedtests, but no issues with other streaming services. A laptop connected to the same wired connection works just fine. The Apple TV works fine on a wireless connection.**
This isn’t strictly speaking begging for a solve, as currently everything works just fine with the Apple TV wireless. But I really cannot figure out what would cause this problem. It’s completely inscrutable to me.
