The Amazon Fire TV Stick is sensitive to the type of WiFi router you can use. If you’re finding video streaming buffering or stopping unexpectedly (this is especially true when you are LIVE streaming UFC, etc), the first thing to check is that your WiFi router is fast enough (assuming you have one of course). The issue has to do with how quickly the Amazon Fire TV stick can stream the media from your WiFi router with the high resolution video options that the Amazon Fire TV stick is capable of.

The issue is usually your internet connection and/or WiFi router.

We have found that this mostly happens with customers who have TWC as their internet provider and use their cable modem and WiFi router (it is usually bundled into one device).     If you call TWC they will tell you to upgrade your internet package, however it is our experience that you will be paying for something that you don’t need and will not really help the situation.   What you really need is your own, dual band router.   Once you purchase and configure your router, you also won’t need to be paying TWC a $10-12 monthly charge for their WiFi service (saving you money in the long run).

Our favorite (as of this writing) is the ASUS dual band router Model: RT-AC1750.   There is also a PC magazine article that recommends the top routers for 2017 that you can read here.

Whatever router you get, make sure it has the following:

  • Dual band (you will need to connect  your fire stick to the 5GHz band on your router) -Wireless routers work on two different frequency bands — 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The 2.4GHz band is used by a large number of devices around your house and is more susceptible to interference and congestion. The newer 5GHz band is typically less cluttered and provides a faster connection. A dual-band router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, often using both bands simultaneously.
  • 802.11ac technology -The newest class of Wi-Fi routers use 802.11ac technology, which brings several improvements over previous protocols, including wider channel bandwidth.

The life span of a router

Keep in mind that networking hardware doesn’t last forever. Not only do the standards change fairly often, but networking hardware is put through a lot of stress on a daily basis. Your Wi-Fi connection is stretched across your computer, gaming console, smartphone, tablet and streaming devices. And with more devices being added to the mix, such as smart lights or thermostats, that load is only getting larger, and over time, a router’s performance can degrade.

If you’ve had the same router for a few years and can find no other explanation for a dip the reliability of your network, it may be time to consider replacing the router. (That, or it might be time to clean your router.)