I recently signed up for a low-income tech access program called PCs for People, where I got a Quanta D53 hotspot (35 Mile). It seems to work well most of the time, but I'm having trouble streaming 4K videos on YouTube. I've streamed 4K with my FireCube and Samsung TV before, and I've had no issues with T-Mobile internet in the past, which is the network this hotspot uses.
Despite showing full signal and decent speed test results (103.1 Mbps download, 2.32 Mbps upload, 13 ms latency), YouTube just freezes for ages when I try to play anything in 4K. PCs for People suggested checking the hotspot settings via a specific IP, but I can't log in to adjust anything. I'm curious if there are other settings I should explore or different platforms I could test for 4K streaming. If the problem persists, should I consider asking for a replacement hotspot? Also, what general tips do you have to maximize speeds for my devices? I've heard VPNs might help, but are they worth it?
3 Answers
Honestly, it seems they may not want you to stream 4K on their hotspot. I've heard of other users having similar issues, and it’s like they have tricks to limit that kind of usage. Definitely check with them about this!
It sounds like your hotspot might be throttling certain types of streaming. Even if your speed tests look good, they often intentionally slow down streaming services. While a VPN could possibly bypass this by masking your traffic, it can be expensive and doesn’t always work. You could give a free VPN like Proton a shot just to test things out!
It's strange, right? Maybe the hotspot specifically prioritizes certain devices, or perhaps the FireCube has some compatibility issues!
If they’re acting like this is a new problem, it might be because T-Mobile changed something recently, or the new hotspot model is different from what they had before. Resetting the device and double-checking settings could be a good first step.
What does it mean if I can stream 4K on my laptop and cell but not my FireCube/TV setup? Do they throttle based on device type?