Netflix Problems

I just got off the phone with Apple and Netflix. Apple troubleshooting did no good, and Netflix acknowledged it was a problem with them. They advised they were aware of the issue, and that patience was called for as they worked towards a solution.

Seems fair enough to me, as I can still access any children's movie by search.

Yo Yo, to all the people with the same problem i HAD it took a little but i figured out 3 ways to fix the problem.
1. go to netflix.com click on your account & help, then find manage netflix ready devices and computers midway on page. Make sure your device is configured there.
2. Go to same place in your account & help and click on problem watching instantly, when the next options come up click explanation of a streaming error code. Type the according code for your problem and go from there.
3. The fastest way is to simply restore apple tv to its factory settings not reset, also update and then enjoy all the luxuries or netflix once again!

I had the situation where I could get certain titles to stream but most would not. And this solution totally worked! I had talked to Apple, Netflix and my ISP and they were all stumped and (with the exception of my ISP) pointed fingers at each other. Wish Netflix would pass this solution on to Apple Support.

I was using OpenDNS and switched to Google just for the AppleTV since my Panasonic TV's Netflix app didn't encounter this issue.

I too was having issues streaming netflix tonight. I was getting this error:

"Sorry we could not configure your device. Please try again later. If the problem persists please visit the Netflix website. (114:500)"

So I tried reconnecting several times, same thing. Then I tried restoring the Apple TV 2, that didn't work. So I tried unplugging the Apple TV, waited 30 seconds, replugged it in and BAM! it worked.

davepaisley wrote:
So you owe me a steak dinner, as it has the exact same issues at my friend's house.

And does your friend use the exact same routing equipment and exact same ISP as you?

I should have added more clarity to that declaration, so I am sorry that was not as clear as it could have been. I am looking for a completely unblocked, un-firewalled connection to the internet. That is what setting up a DMZ pointing at the AppleTV would accomplish. My gut is still telling me there is something specifically about your internet connection that is either not routing the traffic correctly to the AppleTV or not supplying it with the bandwidth it needs.

Have you tried using one of your computers to ping the IP address of the Apple TV, and if so what were the results?

There is one thing for certain : adding connection testing to the iOS of the AppleTV would be a big help to tracking down any connection issues. I will suggest this to Apple and see what happens.

1) Marketed as plug and play, but it isn't.

There is no evidence backing this statement up. I am really, truly sorry you have had a bad experience, but the evidence is, for the vast majority of AppleTV users, AppleTV is plug and play exactly as Apple has claimed.

2) All other devices work fine with no fiddling/configuration or grief from asshats like you

And now that you have started calling names, the problem magically corrected itself, right? Look, I don't care what you or anyone else thinks of me. I care that we all take steps to find the cause of the problems which will ultimately offer up the solution, no matter what that solution is. If you don't want to be a part of that effort, then why go after those who are?

PeterinBC wrote:
So the question is, is it ATV2 not handling Netflix properly,
or is it that Netflix is not be delivered in a suitable format
to ATV2? I'm not a tech, but regardless, at the moment,
if I want to see a "more stable Netflix", I will use my WII.

If the ATV is playing local network video correctly, but not accepting streaming video from the internet, it points to a possible misconfiguration in the router. Have you tried connecting your AppleTV data cable directly to your cable modem or DSL router? It would be interesting to see what would happen if you were to connect the AppleTV data cable directly to the modem/router and rebooting both and observing the results.

Would you mind doing this and reporting back?

I just got off the phone with both netflix and apple, and I am even more convinced that my theory of what is going on is correct. According to netflix, my streaming speed to the appletv was being reported as 0 mb/s, even while I was streaming a show while on the phone. It seems that Netflix is no longer able to determine my download speed, which is necessary for their servers to select which resolution I am to receive. When it does start playing (about 15 minutes after I select play) the video seems to be in higher quality than I got before.

I really think something in the new software update is interfering with the Netflix servers ability to determine your download speed and adjust what they send accordingly. The person I spoke to at Netflix says there are 3 or 4 resolutions that can be sent based on determined speed. I was getting their "DVD quality" video before based on my 2.5 mb/s speed. I am betting they are sending the "HD quality" stream since the software update, and my network can't handle the size.

The apple person I spoke with today was very helpful and is going to escalate this to the software engineers as soon as possible.

Interstingly, I have 2 apple TVs (2nd gen) that worked flawlessly with netflix since day 1.
I updated one of them to the newest iOS, and now neither will get netflix. I have rebooted both, rebooted entire home network, etc. Deactivated/activated devices etc. Netflix works fine on iPhone, as well as iPad connected via wifi to same network. Netflix works fine on a mac mini via safari connected via ethernet to same network. Netflix works fine on an iMac via ethernet on same network.

One of my apple TVs is via ethernet one is via wifi. Since updating just the one, neither will now get any reliable Netflix connection. I was able to restart one movie that I had previously watched. Quit that and tried again and it would not work.

Certainly seems to me to be something with the iOS update 😟

I believe Netflix works differently on the Apple TV than any other Netflix device. They don't lower the quality based on your speed on the Apple TV. You will get the highest quality on the Apple TV no matter what your connection speed is, it will just take longer to play it if you don't have sufficient speed as it buffers into the internal 8GB flash storage. That's why it might start faster on your PS3. The PS3 actually downgrades to an inferior quality setting. I guess whether you prefer that or not depends on if you prefer quality over convenience. I find that if internet streams are not done at their highest quality (SD or blocky low bitrate HD), they are not good enough for my tastes and at that point I would prefer to use Blu Ray discs or even DVDs on my nice 60" Sony TV so I prefer Apple's way of doing it. Your tastes may vary.

The thing is, if you have a 5 or 6mbps connection or more, Netflix streams should start almost immediately on the Apple TV and at the highest quality setting. If not, there is either a problem between Apple and Netflix, your router/firewall/network is blocking packets, or you are not actually getting the download speed you think you are getting meaning either your ISP is at fault or someone or something in your home is downloading something or otherwise using up your allotted bandwidth while you are attempting to stream.

I have a similiar issue as well. When my Apply TV stops streaming Netflix (saying it cant connect, yet I can see the previews and navigate the menus), I unplug the Apple TV and have it reboot. Once this is done, it works fine. Probably an interface issue with Netflix on this device. I plan to open a ticket with Apple.

First of all Markus, you should generally NOT use the Google DNS servers. If you are using 8.8.8.8 you should remove it and add the ones your ISP gives you to use. Google's Public DNS is usually much slower than the DNS servers your ISP gives you unless you live in countries with ISPs that aren't as capable as what are are usually found in countries like the U.S. and other more developed countries.

Secondly, have you tried connecting with ethernet yet? That should be the first thing you try even if only doing it temporarily to narrow down the problem. The fact is the majority of people (the hundreds of thousands that aren't posting on this thread and aren't using the forum for help) are not having problems with Netflix. Even still, I am not saying that Apple could not be at fault. It's just people who basically declare that it is impossible that Apple is NOT at fault (because their other device was working) that my post was aimed at.

You have people here claiming their other devices are working but there are all sorts of reasons that could be the case. Your other device might be on ethernet while your Apple TV is using Wifi. Your other device might be streaming Netflix in a lower quality that the connection is able to handle. Your other device might be in a different location or on another tv in the house which means the wifi signal may not be as strong where the Apple TV is located. Your other device might be connecting to your wireless N network while the Apple TV might be connecting to your wireless G network. Netflix themselves might not be streaming to Apple's device correctly.

There are a multitude of possibilities and reason enough not to conclude that it positively MUST be Apple. Especially since so many people are NOT having problems with Netflix. I can understand a little more with the people having trouble streaming iTunes content because at least on that issue Apple is the one doing the streaming and it seems to be a more general problem. But the people having Netflix problems seems to be more of a local issue that needs to be resolved as shown by the many people who have reported changing things on their end that fixed the issue for them.

Message was edited by: newagemac

MLB146 wrote:
I have a fast 24 Mb/s network, measuring a consistent 16 Mb/s
at the location of the ATV2 so bandwidth was not an issue.

And yet, as we learn in the next paragraph, bandwidth WAS the issue

Essentially, I turned off the n protocol on the router.
I'm no techie, so I have no idea why this worked, but it did.

Fortunately, I am. Apple Certified, no less. So, naturally, that means I have no idea what I am talking about.

With wireless networking you can have stability and range OR speed. It is always an inverse relationship. the faster you go, the less stability and range AND the greater probability interference is going to screw with your signal.

If you live in Iowa you need not pay attention. If you live in a major metropolitan area, listen up : you simply CANNOT put 50 or 100 base stations in the same building and not have trouble. The allocation of frequencies for 802.11x just won't allow it without stepping on toes.

So in this situation, if you have anyone living within 100 feet of you with a wireless network, in all probability you are fine and your neighbor has now gone downhill because of your slower, stronger signal. Lordy, have I ever been in the middle of that arms race too many times.

One more time : if you don't live within a block of anyone else then this doesn't apply to you. If you live in an apartment building or condo where nearly everyone has a wi-fi rig running please do everyone a favor and crank your transmitter power DOWN. Tune it to the point where it barely covers your needs, spatially speaking. If you don't then someone will be on the short end of the stick, and sooner or later that someone will be you.

TeeMax I disagree with you, yes let's say the Netflix hubs are changing, but the upgrade did have something to do.
They either changed the list of servers that iOS 4.1.1 is able to connect or they hardcoded something different than on 4.0.

I can put an AppleTV with 4.0 and another one with 4.1.1 on exactly the same network and the 4.0 one streams everything from Netflix perfect, while the other one keeps loading.

I understand networking well, that is part of why I do in my work, so isolating any router/firewall/isp configuration, this update DID something for the streaming, and now is not working well.

I'm not talking that one in while it works well after 4.1.1, I'm saying it constantly fails to stream. On the iOS 4.0 box there are no issues with Netflix.

After another round of stimulating chats with tech support at Apple, Netflix and AT&T, the Netflix tech ran tests on my four devices that are authorized to stream Netflix. All but one showed more than adequate bandwidth to support streaming movies. The ATV, however, showed zero at the time she checked it. She suggested I connect my ATV directly to my dsl modem and see what happened. That would of course eliminate any possible conflict with my Time Capsule, either wireless or ethernet. Still no joy. Sometimes the ATV works. After I restart it. Mostly it doesn't. And I repeat, it did work perfectly until the 4.2 and 4.2.1 updates.

I'm running: DD-WRT v24-sp2 (07/28/10) std-usb-ftp (SVN revision 14853M NEWD-2 K2.6 Eko)

Just for fun I pulled out an old Linksys Router (BEFW11s4 running 1.44.2z, Dec 13 2002) and Netflix works through it! I connected the BEFW11 to the new "Internet" switch I put in.

My original theory was something to do with NAT/PAT, but this might put a wrench in that. Prior to trying BEFW11 I setup Internet sharing on my Mac and was able to capture a few attempts (when it wasn't working). After the BEFW11 router was working I again shared my Internet connection from my Mac (now connected to the BEFW11) and had the ATV connect to my Mac shared wifi. It worked! This is going through two NAT/PATs. My Mac was on a 192.168.1.x network, and was sharing a 10.0.2.0 network (ATV was 10.0.2.11).

I'll start looking through the Wireshark captures and see if I can find what's going on. Now that I have a good one and a bad I might be able to make some sense of it.