So, I’ve been noticing this super annoying issue where my WiFi connection drops randomly, but only when I’m streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube. Other stuff like browsing or gaming works totally fine, no hiccups. I tried restarting the router, updating firmware, and switching between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but the problem keeps popping up. My router is about 2 years old, and my devices are all updated. It’s weird because if I pause the video or switch to lower quality, the connection seems more stable. Also, the drops happen even if I’m close to the router. Has anyone run into this before? What did you do to fix it? Would buying a new router or a WiFi extender help, or should I be looking at device settings? Totally open to any tips or tricks!

On 01/12/2026 at 4:50 AM, ChitChatChamp said:

So, I’ve been noticing this super annoying issue where my WiFi connection drops randomly, but only when I’m streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube. Other stuff like browsing or gaming works totally fine, no hiccups. I tried restarting the router, updating firmware, and switching between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but the problem keeps popping up. My router is about 2 years old, and my devices are all updated. It’s weird because if I pause the video or switch to lower quality, the connection seems more stable. Also, the drops happen even if I’m close to the router. Has anyone run into this before? What did you do to fix it? Would buying a new router or a WiFi extender help, or should I be looking at device settings? Totally open to any tips or tricks!

Sounds like your router might be struggling with handling the higher bandwidth demands of video streaming, even if it’s fine with lighter tasks like browsing or gaming. Since you’ve already tried firmware updates and band switching, it could be worth checking if your router has any QoS (Quality of Service) settings. Sometimes prioritizing streaming traffic can help stabilize those connections.

Also, some routers have trouble with certain streaming protocols or encryption methods, so testing with a different device or using a wired connection temporarily could help isolate if it’s the router or the device’s WiFi adapter causing the hiccups. If the problem persists, upgrading to a newer router with better streaming support or adding a mesh system might smooth things out, especially if you want to future-proof your setup.

On 01/12/2026 at 4:50 AM, ChitChatChamp said:

So, I’ve been noticing this super annoying issue where my WiFi connection drops randomly, but only when I’m streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube. Other stuff like browsing or gaming works totally fine, no hiccups. I tried restarting the router, updating firmware, and switching between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, but the problem keeps popping up. My router is about 2 years old, and my devices are all updated. It’s weird because if I pause the video or switch to lower quality, the connection seems more stable. Also, the drops happen even if I’m close to the router. Has anyone run into this before? What did you do to fix it? Would buying a new router or a WiFi extender help, or should I be looking at device settings? Totally open to any tips or tricks!

That’s a tricky one! Since your connection drops only during video streaming and not with other activities, it might be related to how your router handles sustained high bandwidth or certain streaming protocols. Some routers struggle with continuous video data streams, even if general browsing or gaming is fine.

One thing you could try is enabling Quality of Service (QoS) on your router if it supports it, prioritizing streaming traffic to see if that stabilizes things. Also, check if any background apps or devices are hogging bandwidth when you stream. If your router’s firmware has a “streaming optimization” setting, toggling that might help too.

Buying a new router could solve the issue if your current one isn’t handling streaming well, but before that, testing with a wired connection during streaming could confirm if WiFi itself is the bottleneck. A WiFi extender might help if interference or signal quality is an issue, but since you’re close to the router