Why Does Peacock Buffer So Much? (Real Reasons & Fix!)
If you can’t help but wonder why does Peacock buffer so much, we can straightforwardly tell you that it’s either your internet connection or streaming device.
It’s one of these two possibilities!
However, there are many things involved, and this thorough guide will help you identify and fix the issue momentarily.
So, without further ado, let’s get into troubleshooting the buffering issue.
Why Does Peacock Buffer So Much – 8 Advanced Solutions!
📍Note: Have you tried rebooting your Peacock TV streaming device?
1. Test on Different Streaming Apps
A quick thing to begin with is to test whether other streaming apps, such as YouTube, Hulu, or Netflix, are also buffering on your device.
If yes, then this only signals that the problem is not with the Peacock application, but rather with something that affects your entire device, in most cases, your internet.
However, if other apps are not buffering in any way, this shows that the problem is down to your Peacock application.
If that’s so, jump to step #3–no need to troubleshoot your internet.
2. Optimize the Internet Connection
If you have identified that not only Peacock but also other apps on your device are buffering, the internet is your main suspect here.
There are a few ways to test and justify whether the problem comes from your internet connection, which is critical.
2.1 – Test Internet Speeds
To test your internet speed, it’s enough to look for a free internet speed test tool and measure the download and upload speeds.
You’re mainly interested in the download speeds.
If you see anything below 5 Mbps, this instantly shows the reason why your streaming apps are buffering.
📍Note: It’s important to note that measuring your internet speed must be done through the streaming device; otherwise, you can’t tell the speed that reaches the device.
2.2 – Test the Consistency
Another thing to test is your internet consistency.
This is important since potential drops in the packet flow can cause streaming to buffer constantly.
To identify this, you either need a Windows or a macOS computer:
- Windows: On Windows, open the Command Prompt (CMD) as administrator, type “ping 8.8.8.8 -t” and hit Enter.
- macOS: On a Mac, open the Terminal, type “ping -c 100 8.8.8.8” and press Enter to start pinging continuously.
We are now continuously sending internet packets to Google’s DNS and momentarily receiving responses.
Well, if you observe the pinging for about 5 minutes, you may notice drops in your connection that are typically shown as “Request Timed Out”.
📍Note: If your computer is connected to the router via Ethernet, you’re currently testing the speed of your broadband, while the problem could be in the Wi-Fi of your streaming device.
2.3 – Optimization Methods
If you identified that your broadband is dropping out, try the following:
- Reboot your router by disconnecting it from the outlet.
- Disconnect and reconnect the Ethernet or Optical wire.
If your broadband is intact, the Wi-Fi could be the culprit, so try these:
- Reconnect the Peacock streaming device to the Wi-Fi.
- Shorten the distance between your device and router.
- Stop downloading large files while streaming Peacock.
That’s it, for now.
If your Peacock is still buffering, there is more Wi-Fi troubleshooting later on!
3. Test Peacock on Another Device
If your internet is intact, and you’re confident that the buffering happens ONLY in your Peacock application, you need to test streaming on a different device.
This will instantly show you whether the problem is down to your specific streaming device or the Peacock application is currently experiencing issues.
You’ve got a few device options for streaming Peacock:
You definitely must have at least one of these devices or platforms you can use to get Peacock and test whether the buffering appears there as well.
💡Quick Tip: If possible, test whether Peacock will buffer when you’re on a different internet, whether it’s a guest Wi-Fi or your personal hotspot.
4. Disable Any VPN on Your Network
If you didn’t know, Peacock is US-only!
This means that if you have an enabled Virtual Private Network (VPN), your IP address could be rerouted from a location where the app is not supported.
In many cases, this either causes complete inaccessibility or severe buffering when the address is rerouted through the US, but has a very long distance path.
So, the best course of action here is to disable any VPN that might be causing the buffering.
A VPN could be:
If you find an app or feature called “VPN”, just disable it or uninstall it completely!
5. Switch from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
If your Peacock streaming device supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency, one of the biggest mistakes users make is connecting to it just because it’s faster.
To put this as concisely as possible, you don’t need speed for streaming, you need consistency!
Yes, the 5 GHz Wi-Fi is faster, but it’s no good when it constantly drops out.
In contrast, the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi is slower, but travels way further, through more solid objects, and is much more consistent and reliable for uninterrupted streaming.
So, on your streaming device, switch to the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and test streaming the Peacock app!
6. Configure the Wi-Fi Router Settings
The reason why your Peacock keeps buffering could be due to some of your router settings that are known to cause faults with streaming applications.
However, before you can configure these settings, we must learn how to access the router settings.
How to Access Router Settings:
To access the router settings, you should first try inserting these URLs into the web browser of a PC or Mac that is connected to your router (wired or wireless).
If neither works, check the sticker on the bottom of your router. Note the Default Gateway IP and insert it into the URL of your browser.
You should see a login page and use the admin/admin or admin/password login credentials!
#1 – Change the Wi-Fi Channel
The Wi-Fi channel of your network could be congested, which happens when you live in a block or near an office, where too many Wi-Fi routers are nearby.
So, changing the Wi-Fi channel to a less crowded one can easily fix the buffering of your streaming apps.
Once you’re inside your router, go to the “Wi-Fi”, “Wireless” or “Advanced Wireless” tab and look for the Wi-Fi channel drop-down menu of the Wi-Fi you’re using for Peacock.
Now change the Wi-Fi channel to a different one; it does not matter which one you choose.
You don’t need to restart your router!
💡Quick Tip: To discover an emptier Wi-Fi channel, you can download and use a Wi-Fi Analyzer app on your phone.
#2 – Disable the Band Steering
Another critical option you should disable in your Wi-Fi router settings is the “Band Steering” or “Smart Wi-Fi” that combines your dual-band threads into one single Wi-Fi.
Well, this is designed to help ALL your devices connect to one Wi-Fi, but in many cases, this option may cause buffering issues.
Hence, look through the options of your router to find this setting and disable it for good.
Then, make sure that the Peacock streaming device is connected to the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi of the network.
📍Note: This option exists only on dual-band routers.
7. Clear the Peacock Application Cache
One of the reasons for Peacock buffering issues is corrupt cache data.
When you are using apps, whether it’s on your smart TV, smartphone, or through a browser, cache data is being generated that contains your login details, in-app configurations, and other temporary files.
Those files can sometimes cause Peacock to buffer uncontrollably!
Here’s how to clear the cache data on different devices:
How to Clear Cache on Smart TV:
| Roku TV | Home (press 5x) → Up (press 1x) → Rewind (press 2x) → Fast Forward (press 2x) |
| Fire TV | Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications → Peacock TV → Clear Cache |
| Samsung TV | Settings → Support → Device Care → Manage Storage → Peacock TV → View Details → Clear Cache |
| VIZIO TV | Menu → System → Reset & Admin → Reboot TV or Clear Memory |
| Android TV | Settings → Apps → See All Apps → Peacock TV → Clear Cache |
How to Clear Cache on Phones:
| Android | Settings → Apps → Peacock TV → Storage → Clear Cache |
| iOS | Settings → General → iPhone Storage → Peacock TV → Offload App |
How to Clear Cache on Browser:
| Google Chrome | Menu (⋮) → Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear Browsing Data |
| Mozilla Firefox | Menu (☰) → Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data |
| Microsoft Edge | Menu (⋯) → Settings → Privacy, Search, and Services → Clear Browsing Data → Choose What to Clear |
📍Note: When ready, you’ll need to sign in to the app!
8. Remove & Reinstall the Peacock App
If nothing helps, and you can’t help but wonder why does Peacock buffer so much, it’s time to try uninstalling and reinstalling the app completely.
How to Uninstall Peacock on Smart TV:
| Roku TV | Home → go to Peacock → press * (Start button) → Remove Channel |
| Fire TV | Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications → Peacock TV → Uninstall |
| Samsung TV | Home → Apps → Settings → locate Peacock → Delete |
| Android TV | Settings → Apps → See All Apps → Peacock TV → Uninstall |
How to Uninstall Peacock on Phones:
| Android | Settings → Apps → Peacock TV → Uninstall |
| iOS | Long-press Peacock TV app icon → Remove App → Delete App |
When the Peacock TV app is removed from your device, download it from the official App Store for your device and test whether the buffering is there.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.
