SmartStream

How Much Bandwidth Do You Need for Streaming Video?

Barb Gonzalez  |  Jul 16, 2012

For those who stream video from online sources, the speed at which data can be sent into their home is critical. If your connection isn't fast enough, streaming video can sometimes stall as it fills the buffer in the receiving device, or the content provider might send a lower-quality stream because it senses that your available speed can't handle anything more.

What many refer to as "Internet speed" is actually the bandwidth available to accept data from the Internet into your home. Measured in megabits per second (Mbps), it's the amount of data that can be transferred from "the cloud" to your connected devices in one second.

For years, I lived in a rural area. We were excited to get DSL with speeds over 1 Mbps. At that speed, a standard-definition Netflix movie would stall and buffer or freeze altogether. Now, I live in a town that has broadband cable with a ridiculously fast top Internet speed of 100 Mbps.

Currently, no video streaming requires anything close to 100 Mbps. But all of the Internet-connected computers and devices in your home network share the total bandwidth you're paying for. Some of the bandwidth might be used by others in your home who want to stream to their TV or play online games. Also, if your neighbors subscribe to the same cable provider or share your building's overall bandwidth, that can decrease the bandwidth you have available if they all want to stream at the same time.

As you'll see below, even a huge video file with 3D and 1080p resolution and Dolby Digital Plus audio requires less than 10 Mbps. Still, if you want to stream 3D or 1080p videos, I recommend opting for an Internet speed of at least 20 Mbps. This takes into account that others might use the Internet at the same time.

At 20 Mbps or more, video streaming of most content will usually run as smoothly as live TV. Yet, several factors could still cause the video to stall and buffer. Popular streaming services could have too many people trying to access the same video at the same time. Perhaps you're streaming in the evening when demand for bandwidth is high in your neighborhood, or others in your house might also be streaming HD content.

If you have an older router with limited bandwidth capabilities, your streaming device might not be receiving all the bandwidth it needs. This is especially true of WiFi connections, which can also be problematic because of interference from other wireless devices in the home. If router is more than three years old and want to stream video, consider investing in an AV router like Netgear's WNDR 4500, D-Link's Amplifi, or Western Digital's MyNet900.

Netflix, Hulu Plus, and many network-TV streaming sites will automatically test your Internet speed before a video begins streaming. Based on its determination of your speed, it will deliver the best video quality—from standard definition to 1080p—that it thinks will run smoothly on your computer or device.

Vudu gives you the option of manually testing your Internet speed before renting or buying a movie, as shown in the screen shot above. You don't want to pay more for a high-quality video only to have it stop because your Internet connection isn't fast enough. To test your network speed, go to the "My Vudu" tab and click on "Info & Settings." Choose the Network test and run the test to see what speed Vudu recommends for your player. If you do rent a high-quality movie and it repeatedly stops to buffer, a message will appear offering to downgrade the quality of the movie you are watching for smoother video streaming.

Here is a list of the Internet speeds recommended by several popular streaming services:

Netflix

  • 1 Mbps for viewing on a laptop computer
  • 2 Mbps for SD video on a TV
  • 4 Mbps for 720p HD video
  • 5 Mbps for "the best video and audio experience" (according to Netflix)
Hulu Plus

Note: If a TV show or movie repeatedly needs to buffer, Hulu Plus will stop streaming the video and recommend that you downgrade the video quality.

  • 1 Mbps for SD video
  • 2 Mbps for 720p video
  • Over 3.2 Mbps for best quality HD video and audio
Vudu

Note: All Vudu movies are streamed with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 audio.

  • 1.0 - 2.3 Mbps for SD video
  • 2.3 - 4.5 Mbps for 720p video
  • 4.5 - 9.0 Mbps for HDX 1080p video
  • Over 9 Mbps for 3D HD movies
One thing is certain: Our need for faster speeds will continue to grow. Perhaps we will be streaming 4K video sometime in the future, or we'll need more bandwidth for high-resolution audio formats. But just as dial-up speeds were less than a hundredth of the speed we need today, we will find uses for gigabit Internet speeds in the not-too-distant future.

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I don't know all the particulars of your situation, of course, and your service may just be terrible. But to anyone who is suffering from bandwidth issues, I would suggest making sure there is no bottleneck on your end. We were paying for 20mbps cable service, but the best I could ever measure was 10-12mbps. Well, once our old 'G' router died, and we bought a new 'N' router, we suddenly were getting all the speed we paid for. The router was a bottleneck. For seamless downloads, check out Big Win Downloader

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Submitted by Samir on March 19, 2025 - 12:27am

I live in a remote area myself so I know the struggle of slow internet speeds. I recently upgraded from 5 Mbps to 30 Mbps and the difference in streaming quality is huge - no more buffering during movie nights!

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The article recommends 20+ Mbps for household streaming and I totally agree, especially for families with multiple devices. I would add that speed tests are a must since actual speeds can vary greatly from the advertised speeds especially during peak hours.

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Submitted by lunamiaava on March 19, 2025 - 3:22pm

Streaming quality and bandwidth requirements are always a hot topic, especially with the increasing shift to 4K and even 8K content. The article makes a great point about how streaming platforms adjust bitrate dynamically, but many users overlook the impact of multiple devices streaming simultaneously. It’s not just about your Netflix session—smart home devices, gaming, and video calls all eat into your available bandwidth.

One challenge I’ve faced is buffering during peak hours, even with a high-speed plan. Could this be more of an ISP throttling issue rather than an actual bandwidth limitation? It would be interesting to hear how others manage their network to ensure smooth streaming.

For those looking to dive deeper into digital media trends and streaming optimizations, Izone-Media360.com explores how evolving technology shapes content delivery and user experience.

Curious—has anyone found a sweet spot for balancing multiple high-quality streams in a household without interruptions?

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