Poor Signal for new TV .. would an ethernet cable help

WLM21

We got a new TV 2 or 3 months ago for the bedroom.
At times YouTube works perfectly, but recently the signal seems to be suffering, which means the buffering symbol is shown for a while and then the YouTube app shuts down. Using the internet option for YouTube doesn't work either. It's possible that everything is fine an hour or so later, but as you would guess it can be a bit annoying.
Are all the other channels coming via the wifi .. they are not affected in any way at all, even Netflix
Would a long ethernet cable big the answer to my YouTube problem, to join the router to the TV directly, or maybe one of those plugs that send the signal through the house wiring
We have Virgin media

thank you

Sandtree

Assuming it is a wifi problem then moving to wired connection will help.

Different apps approach buffering and adjusting bitrates depending on connection speed differently, even across different systems. Out Netflix in our LG frequently has problems despite the TV being fairly close to the wifi router and us having a very fast broadband speed. Netflix on our AppleTV which is only 30cm from the TV and technically in a worse spot for wifi however plays back UHD content without ever having a single issue. 

Mickey666

As above, a long ethernet cable is a handy thing to have to help diagnose these sorts of problems.  Even if it is only used temporarily to move a router around to find the optimum positions for wifi coverage within the house or to verify that the wifi performance is, in fact, the problem to deal with.

In this case, intermittent problems as described could be wifi interference (perhaps a neighbour sometimes uses something that interferes with your wifi signal - in which case a cable will solve this) but it could also be a provider contention problem in which case there's little you can do at your end. 

In cases where there are a number of possible problems the best approach is to try one change at a time and see if it makes any difference, then progress from there.  I've no experience of Virgin Media so don't know how reliable the service normally is.

WLM21

OP here
I already had a long ethernet cable so decided to try it ... works brilliantly.
Don't know why I didn't do that before .. although to be fair, YouTube has been working fine until the last few days only.
Thanks for the replies

Mickey666

How long have you been using the cable?   I ask because if it's an intermittent problem it's only fair to give it enough time to re-occur.  If the problem doesn't re-occur over 2-3 weeks the it might well point to the wifi connection being the problem, perhaps because of the usual speed drop-off issues or other interference issues.

Anyway, glad to hear the cable has made an improvement.  Would be helpful to post an update in 2-3 weeks.

fred246

If you would prefer not to have cables running all over the house you could just use powerline adapters instead.

Mickey666

Certainly worth a try, especially when there's the 'test cable' option to compared them against.  The speed drop-off probably won't matter for just streaming TV.

grumpycrab

And a cheap powerline option (some may say too cheap and/or too slow) but if they don't work - send them back.
£27 passthrough (you don't lose a socket).
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-PA4010PKIT-Passthrough-Powerline-Configuration-Required/dp/B01G5Q9E0O/

mgfvvc

fred246 said:

If you would prefer not to have cables running all over the house you could just use powerline adapters instead.

Powerline can be a good option. Just bear in mind that it doesn't work for everyone.

fred246

Oh yes, obviously it won't work for those who aren't yet connected to electricity.

onomatopoeia99

fred246 said:

If you would prefer not to have cables running all over the house you could just use powerline adapters instead.

Or you could do proper structured cabling, rather than replacing one bodge (wifi) with another bodge (powerline).