I'm no IT expert, but I have a decent grasp of how our home network operates. Right now, our internet service from Astound is down; the router indicates there's no internet connection, and all my devices confirm this even after a reboot. However, I can renew our IP address. My Vizio TV displays a 'no network detected' message and cannot access other apps, yet somehow, Netflix is functioning just fine. It streams, searches, and shows ads without a hitch, so I doubt it's just caching. My TV's status shows no Wi-Fi connection, and I don't see any nearby networks. What could be happening here?
4 Answers
Your TV must be connected to something, right? Are there any cables plugged in?
Based on your description, it seems like your connection is limited to Netflix servers. Some ISPs restrict internet access when an account has insufficient funds but allow access to specific online services, like banking or certain streaming platforms. It’s possible there's an issue with the ISP's equipment that's affecting all connections except for Netflix.
This seems to be a DNS issue. Netflix might be using a different DNS than your ISP, allowing it to function while your internet is down. You could try changing your DNS settings on your computer to Google's (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) and see if that brings your internet back. Also, do you have other devices connected to Wi-Fi but without internet access, or is your network not broadcasting at all?
Are you saying the Netflix app on my TV has its own dedicated DNS to connect? I thought it just cached the server addresses.
I tried changing the DNS on my computer, but I still can't load any web pages. Other devices are connected to Wi-Fi but have no internet, and the router indicates everything is working fine.
It’s possible that Netflix has caching servers that some ISPs use. So while your ISP connection to the internet is down, you might still be able to access Netflix. That's likely why you're able to stream it.
That makes sense. It could be that the ISP has a CDN locally.
Yeah, it’s plugged in with power, HDMI, and an Ethernet cable. There’s no external modem, though.