Watching Live Sports on IPTV: A Pre-Game Checklist

Few types of content punish streaming hiccups like live sports — freeze up at the wrong second and you could miss the play entirely. Work through this quick list before the game gets underway.

Double-check the channel and kickoff time

Pull up your program guide ahead of time to confirm the right channel and start time, instead of scrambling to find it once the match has already begun.

Run a speed test with time to spare

Test your connection roughly 15-20 minutes before the event starts so you've got a window to fix anything that looks off.

Plug in a cable if you can

Wi-Fi is more prone to mid-game buffering than a wired Ethernet connection, so for anything time-sensitive, plugging in is the safer bet. See our wired vs. wireless guide for more.

Free up bandwidth on the network

Shortly before and during the match, pause any downloads, extra streams, or video calls running on the same connection.

Keep a fallback ready

Line up a second device you can switch to quickly if your main setup acts up — and check our buffering guide for fast fixes if issues crop up mid-stream.