One of the most common causes of problems while trying to watch videos on Study Gateway is weak or intermittent Internet connectivity. Frequent rebuffering or loading, problems starting the Study Gateway application, or trouble starting playback of a video when you're trying to stream on your device generally indicates a slow or interrupted Internet connection.
Fortunately, we've got some great steps below that resolve most Internet connectivity problems.
Note: If you complete the steps below and are still having issues connecting to Study Gateway, we highly suggest you reach out to your Internet Service Provider. They will be able to help you determine if your router is properly set up to communicate with the other devices on your home network.
If your network meets our Minimum Streaming Requirements, completing the steps below will resolve most connection issues.
Restart your home network
For this step, make sure to leave your computer powered off and ALL of your home network equipment unplugged as a group for about a minute before plugging each device back in one by one.
- Turn off your computer.
- Unplug your modem (AND your wireless router, if it's a separate device) from power for no less than 30 seconds.
- Plug in your modem and wait until no new indicator lights are blinking on. If your router is separate from your modem, plug it in and wait until no new indicator lights are blinking on.
- Turn your computer back on and attempt to stream Study Gateway again.
Connect your computer directly to your modem
If you're connecting through a wireless router that's connected to your modem, and still can't connect after restarting your network, try bypassing the router and connecting directly to the modem with an Ethernet cable. This will help identify what's causing the problem by eliminating the router or wireless connectivity problems as a possible cause.
- Turn off your computer.
- Plug your computer directly into your modem using an Ethernet cable.
- Unplug your modem from power for at least 30 seconds, then plug it back in and wait until no new indicator lights are blinking on.
- Turn on your computer and attempt to stream again.
If this step gets you streaming again:
- If you've bypassed your router and successfully connected to Study Gateway directly through your modem, it's likely that the router itself is the source of the problem.
- Bypassing the router will allow you to stream for now, but if this configuration isn't a perfect solution, you may want to contact whoever set up your home network for help resetting or re-configuring your router settings.
If you're still not able to stream:
- If you're connected directly to your modem and still can't stream on Study Gateway, you may want to check with your equipment provider to make sure your modem and Internet service are functioning as intended.
If you were unable to complete this step:
- We strongly recommend attempting to connect your computer directly to your modem if you can--it will allow you to absolutely rule out your wireless router as the cause of any network connection issues. However, if there's no way for you to directly connect your device to your modem, it's okay to skip to Step 3.
Improve your Wi-Fi signal
If you're connecting over Wi-Fi and the above steps didn't help, try some or all of these steps to improve your wireless connectivity:
- Move your router to a new location to improve signal strength--you'll usually see better reception throughout your home if the router is in a central location.
- Wireless interference can cause big problems when trying to connect over Wi-Fi. Cordless phones, microwave ovens, or other wireless devices near your router can all cause wireless interference, so move them away from your wireless router.
- Elevate your router off the floor. A router on top of a bookshelf or desk will give you better reception than one that's hidden behind it.
If you're having network connection issues while trying to stream on Study Gateway, the steps above are a great place to start. If you've tried all of our suggestions, and you're still having connection problems, you will want to contact the person that set up your home network. They should be able to help you determine if your router is properly set up to communicate with the other devices on your home network.