Netflix Problems

My friend and I have been **unable to repeat** the very brief success we had one time with any of the three routers, despite hard resets, no wifi encryption, etc. It doesn't, in fact, work perfectly with routers other than mine.

Really, I didn't bother posting from mid-Oct to now because I've had my ATV2 plugged into the network direct and it works fine that way. The wifi thing bugs me, but I'm not going to waste any more time on it. Since then I got an Xbox and that streams everything perfectly, JUST LIKE ALL MY OTHER DEVICES except the ATV2.

<Edited by Host>

Ok Buster.

Obviously when talking to you I need to speak slowly and deliberately. The ping results are nominal. 0% packet loss; 3ms response time.

You don't "open a DMZ to the Apple TV" A DMZ, or perimeter network, is a physical/logical segmented network, in which you place untrusted hosts. So, no I have not placed my Apple TV, or any of my home network devices for that matter, into a DMZ as I do not want it unnecessarily exposed to attack given the sensitive account information stored on it.

Neither the Airport extreme or the DSL modem has any explicitly blocked TCP/ UDP ports for either the Apple TV or the (working) xbox 360. (or any other device for that matter) There has been no router or modem configuration changes in recent memory. (1+ years)

Let's not forget:
Apple TV + iOS 4.0 + Netflix = worked
Apple TV + iOS 4.1 + Netflix = busted

davepaisley wrote:
My friend and I have been **unable to repeat** the
very brief success we had one time with any of the
three routers, despite hard resets, no wifi encryption,
etc. It doesn't, in fact, work perfectly with routers
other than mine.

Do you honestly expect anyone to take you seriously after you were caught in a blatant lie?

How many more times is the story going to change?

Quit wasting everyone's time, Dave.

Eckdale wrote:
Obviously when talking to you I need to speak slowly and deliberately.

Obviously you can fix the problem yourself. Good luck.

Obviously you're not helping. Get lost.

The only reason for my original post was to log the issue...that has been accomplished.

Good luck yourself.

Hey guess what everyone, it's an AppleTV problem.

I really believe it is an issue with the new software update. I have been on the phone with Apple three times now. Prior to the update, any netflix show started within 15 seconds. After the update last Tuesday night, it takes about 10-15 minutes to start. Nothing else has changed. My DSL speed is timed at 2.54 mb/s. The Apple supervisor said that I need at least 5 mb/s to have netflix work, and they will not even bring the issue to the software engineers unless I had at least that speed, because I have not met the minimum specifications. When I told them it worked perfectly for three weeks prior to the update, but now it doesn't, they had no answer. I have a wii on the same network, and it will start streaming the exact same episode within 10 seconds that takes the Appletv 15 minutes to load.

My theory as to what has happened: I think netflix is no longer able to downgrade the transmission to fit with your particular download speed. On all my other devices, (wii, computer, laptop, etc) it seems that netflix first determines your speed and adjusts the video quality accordingly to match your speed so buffering does not take too long ( I assume this is through lower resolution or higher compression) The fact that the appletv still works, but takes forever to buffer and start, seems to indicate that netflix is sending a full hd resolution program regardless of my download speed. It may well be the case that I needed at least 5 mb/s to stream full hd resolution, and that is why my performance now seems so slow. If something in the new software update screwed up the netflix ability to determine your download speed, that could explain what has happened to me anyway.

I have just ordered a higher DSL speed which should be available to me in the next few days. If it starts working well with the 6 mb/s speed, I will be happy. If it doesn't work, I will call Apple back and finally be able to escalate the issue.

By the way, I did all of the usual checks of my network, router, dsl modem and did both a reset and restore, etc. prior to even getting to second level of support at Apple.

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.

Buster Blocker wrote:
Based on the information at hand, right now, from this thread and other sources of information, here is what I think to be an (unofficial!) "best practices" troubleshooting guide if your AppleTV will not play Netflix (or other) streaming video wirelessly as you expect it to :

Very nice summary. These are exactly the steps that I would take to try to resolve a problem of this nature, and the exact order in which I would take them.

Add me to the very long list of Apple TV users who are now having intermittent trouble accessing Netflix after the software upgrade. While I can occasionally watch a program, most of the time I get this message when I try to start or resume a program: "Sorry we could not reach the Netflix service. Please try again later. If the problem persists please visit the Netflix website." I've tried all of the various suggestions, to no avail. Rebooting the Apple TV used to work, but not anymore.

I am also getting the "Sorry... not reach Netflix service..." Spoke to both Apple and Netflix. Netflix said their services are up and running as expected. I did the power cycling, etc. Nothing worked. We have 12 mpbs service, so speeds aren't an issue... Perhaps it was the software upgrade? I purchased the Apple TV just so I could stream Netflix. I definitely will not be going to the "streaming only" netflix option...

I'm having intermittent problems as well. My daughter was watching Netflix fine today, then tried starting something new and got the error that it couldn't connect to the Netflix service. Tried rebooting it, tried changing the DNS server. No luck. Finally, 30 minutes later, it started working again. I'll see how the next week goes, but the level of reliability with Netflix streaming has been unacceptable thus far.

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 would like to chime in and say that I too am having Apple TV/ Netlix connection problems. Basically sometimes it connects, sometimes it doesn't—50/50. Not good enough. I have had a professional computer technician to come to my house, doing all the tests possible and $100 later it still doesn't work. I simply don't know what to do but take the whole thing back. Too bad. Wish it was a Plug and Play.