Sports fans who frequently stream their favorite games know just how useful both free and paid streaming services are. Not only do you get access to sports that aren’t normally available on local television stations, but it’s far more affordable than paying for a cable subscription.
That said, streaming can have a few drawbacks, from geo-blocking restrictions to buffering and other factors, it sometimes feels like these common problems make streaming sports difficult. If that sounds familiar, keep reading as below we review the key issues and how to fix them.
Geo-blocking
Geo-blocking is a practice some streaming companies use to restrict user access according to geographic location. This is done for several reasons including copyright laws. But for users, it’s certainly pesky when your favorite service isn’t available while traveling, or you’re unable to access a certain service or match because of your location.
The solution: Stream with a VPN service
Virtual Private Networks (aka VPNs) are cybersecurity and privacy tools. In a streaming context, a VPN performs a very helpful task by hiding your device’s IP address, a unique digital signifier that also indicates the device’s physical location.
You adjust your IP address and therefore apparent location by changing VPN servers. For example, if you’d like to stream an Australian match, switch your VPN to an Australian server then open the platform.
VPNs can also help you access free to air channels in other nations. As an alternative solution you can buy rotating proxies to enjoy the restriction free sport streams.
Buffering
There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a crucial moment in a match when that dreaded white circle appears on your screen, causing you to miss out on the action. Buffering happens when the internet network isn’t capable of downloading the video fast enough, which causes stops and starts in the video you’re streaming. In an ideal world, we’d all have access to super fast internet, but that’s not the reality for most of us.
Here’s what to do:
The solution: Make adjustments
- Downgrade the video’s quality, on a very slow internet, it’s not possible to stream in 4K, even if you really want to!
- Stop other computing processes on your device, such as apps working in the background
- Pause the video for a while then start again (less useful for live streams)
- Tidy up your browser, clear the cache
- Switch to a wired ethernet connection
Don’t let these common issues keep you from your favorite matches. Follow the tips above and enjoy the game!