Netflix Problems

This problem is with NETFLIX for apple tv exclusively

I have a 25MBPS broadband fios conection

iphone netflix ok
Mac netflix ok
ipod netflix ok

ONLY on
apple tv netflix - GLITCHES stops then continues - occasional spinning circle and occasional message

there i more frequency DURING BUSIER HOURS but this syncin problem is happening at all hours and not very consistently during the day (but very consostent during prime time)

gain no such problem on other ios or mac devices.

No issies with other ATV services for that matter!

I had this problem where netflix would freeze on me about 10-15 times durring a 40 minute TV show and this solution actually worked for me. I changed the DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 4.2.2.2 on my router and they both worked! Thanks a lot!

I've been having some issues with ATV and Netflix - but it's only affecting one of my ATVs (I have two).

The one that works fine is actually two rooms away from the one I get the wheel and "cannot reach Netflix" messages on. I also know it's not signal strength since I can stream from the blu-ray player next to the device.

I keep trying to figure out what the problem is but so far nothing has helped other than restarting ATV and hoping I can get it to work that time. I prefer using ATV to stream since the interface is so much better.

Same problem as everyone else. Not on Xbox or wii etc. Ethernet directly into a relatively new airport extreme. Still happens when apple tv has network to itself. 20 Meg down time Warner connection or verizon dsl. Standard and different DNS servers. Problem persists.

Is it time everyone took their device back to an Apple store?

Pop! There it goes again. Back to the Xbox.

I will jump in here now too and say my Netflix does not work despite all these counter measures.
I got the Apple TV when it came out and from the start Netflix has been sketchy with what it would actually play. Now it is to the point where it will not even load and error out right away.
YouTube works fine on it. Unit is hard wired to the airport with Plenty o' Bandwidth.
Wii plays netflix just great, as well as streaming on my iPod Touch and the wife's iPhone, and that iPhone even does it over the cell network.
So something is wrong with the Apple TV and Netflix. Watching Netflix with it is 80% of the reason why I got it!
I am just frustrated and sick of waiting for either or both companies to turn out a permanent fix so I can use the products they sold me.

Was really helpful for finding movies on Mac and saving them to watch
on TV later anyone else having this problem is happening on Apple TV
in both rooms.

Thanks Dennis

Okay I'm ready to knock on wood, but here go's!

I was having a problem with my Netflix video stopping after a few minutes, then consistently 15-30 seconds after. However I also discovered a strange problem with artwork not appearing with a lot of the podcasts I subscribed to. I was also behind on many of them so the number totals were getting pretty high. Now here's the weird thing, I un-subscribed and then re-subscribed to all of the podcasts with missing artwork. Their number totals changed and the artwork re-appeared. I figured that was a heck of a stretch and I still don't see what that had to do with anything other than it possibly being a caching issue. Well anywho, I went back into Netflix and restarted an HD movie I was initially having problems with. So far it has played for 12 minutes without stopping on it's own. There was one point the audio quit though. I skipped back then hit play and the audio returned.

I do have a theory that watched and partially watched podcasts may be clogging up the cache which could cause problems for Netflix streaming. Try un-subscribing then re-subscribing to your watched / listened to podcasts and see if this gets you going again.

Like most others here, I was having problems with the Apple TV2 being able to stream everything except for Netflix. My specific problem was upon selection of a movie to play, the device would return to the screen after blacking out for a few seconds with the spinning wheel.

I also found that using 8.8.8.8 for DNS fixed my problem.

So I swapped out the DNS address with my local ISP and again no problem. Switching back to using my local router as the DNS server returned me to the original issue.

I run DD-WRT on my router, so had the ability to narrow this down more. I found that when I turned off DNSMASQ for DNS, the Apple TV2 worked. Of course, this is because the router was now feeding the external DNS servers.

So I think there is an issue with AppleTV and it's compatibility with DNSMASQ. Since many routers ship with DNSMASQ enabled, this may be a root cause.

Anyone else able to manually turn off DNSMASQ on their routers using stock firmware?

Use Google’s Public DNS Server To Fix Apple TV 2 Streaming Problems

1. Start your Apple TV 2 and navigate to Settings => General => Network and click on Configure TCP/IP.

2. Select “Manually” next to Configure IP.

3. Click “Done” on the IP Address screen and do the same for both the Subnet Mask and Router Address screens.

4. Configure the DNS Address screen with the following IP address: 008.008.008.008 and click “Done.”

You should now be able to stream Netflix on your Apple TV 2.

Summary

What we did here (in network admin speak) was to set the Apple TV 2 to use a static IP address. Instead of using OpenDNS or the ISP’s DNS servers, which would be “handed out” by DHCP, we specified that the Apple TV 2 should use Google’s Public DNS server (8.8.8.8) which fixed our Netflix streaming problem on the Apple TV 2. On a business network you would never configure a static IP address within a dynamic range, but in a home this shouldn’t create a problem. I would also like to point out that this fix should also be tried even if you are not using OpenDNS because some ISP’s DNS servers might not be as reliable as they should be.

Update: March 2nd, 2011

I just setup an Apple TV 2 for a friend who uses Time Warner Cable Road Runner for his ISP. Netflix streaming didn’t work properly right out of the box and my friend did not have his router configured to use OpenDNS. Setting the Apple TV 2 DNS address to 8.8.8.8 immediately fixed the problem with Netflix streaming!

Setting the DNS to 8.8.8.8 worked for me. Thanks!

I can confirm that turning off DNSMasq in DD-WRT seems to have fixed my streaming problems. All other suggested fixes did not address the problem (setting to ISP DNS, Google DNS, static IP, wifi vs. wired), and my ISP connection is 45Mbps, provable with speedtest.net.

I will do some more experimenting, but I think you found the source of the problem.

It's been a while since I've posted, but unfortunately my Netflix problems have persisted. It doesn't affect every title, and TV shows seem to be more susceptible.

I have an ATV2, Time Capsule acting as the main router, and 5Mbps AT&T DSL.

Here's what I tried doing. Everything has failed.

* Split network into two: 802.11n and 802.11g. Let ATV connect to the N network.
* Total reset of router, modem, ATV, both independently and together in all combinations.
* DNS change to Google DNS.
* DNS change to OpenDNS (Namebench-informed.)
* DNS change to ISP defaults.
* Hardwire connection to Time Capsule.
* Hardwire connection to modem.

Also of note: movie trailers are slow to download. This was true on wired and wireless; even 2 1/2 minute previews took at least double that time to load up. Streaming video from my Mac or iPad works flawlessly.

In contrast, my iPad and MacBook stream Netflix just fine.

I'm at wit's end here. I love AirPlay and I love the ATV UI, but if this thing won't work with Netflix, it's not worth as much to me.

Not sure about others, but all the problems with Netflix streaming have disappeared with the new iOS 4.3 update (4.2 for Apple TV). After going through 2 units, spending countless hours w/ technicians and engineers... I'm glad to see they were able to get the fix pushed into this update.

Message was edited by: Meynstey

So far so good here, too. I'm cautiously optimistic.

I had a number of TV shows which simply would not work yesterday sitting in my Instant Queue. All of them worked today. All of them!

After 4.3, still having the same stall/buffer problem, but only with certain titles.

Swamp Thing worked fine. Swimming Pool failed intermittently. GI Joe movie worked fine. IT Crowd failed intermittently. The intermittent stall did not happen with iTunes rentals of IT Crowd, which I find suspiciously convenient for the iTunes store.

All other devices worked fine, including PS3, XBox 360, Wii, Sony blu ray, Insignia blu ray, Sharp blu ray, iPad, iPod touch, and desktop.