What should I be looking for to maximize wireless local streaming performance?

Hello all,

First of all, I'll start by saying that I'll admit that although I'm savvy enough to build my own PC and install windows without all the connectively stuff, my actual knowledge of networking and system ops is limited to about what is shown on the average LTT NAS video.

I've reached the point where I really don't want to be keeping track of my growing collection to external hard drives and now I'm looking to spec a setup for a NAS.

One of my main goals for the system is to be able to access my content (mostly video content) wirelessly from anywhere in my home as opposed to being wired into the NAS. My question is, what does it actually mean in terms of spec-ing the system?

I figure that it probably won't be responsive as wired, but if I can get "better than youtube loading/buffering speeds" when scrolling the header through my content, then that's good enough for me.

Thanks!

4 comments

If anyone tried to replicate the antics of Linus, it would get most sysadmins fired

Now that's out of the way...

Wifi is a half-duplex medium, so it's a bit hard to do other high-bandwidth things and stream 8K video

It sounds like a Synology NAS is what you need as it's really easy to set up and can handle a Plex/Home Netflix type content library
The issue isn’t NAS to wireless device that causes buffering. It’s all the other wireless devices around. And it’s not just your own home network, live in a crowded apartment will cause issues. Move anything that can be wired to wired. Go with routers with high reliability. And that’s just having to read from other people experiences.

I run Amplifi HD mesh setup to a Synology NAS. Everything that can be wired is wired (2 desktops, 1 NAS, 1 printer and 2 Apple TV). Wireless network: 1 AppleTV, 1 Samsung TV, 5 wireless cameras, 3 iPads, a few iPhones, 3 laptops, a few Kindles.

I was having problem with 4K local streaming to the AppleTV on a WD MyCloud and desktop. Issues went away when I switched to a Synology.
You’ll just want to connect a NAS to your router (I highly recommend Synology). If you’re pretty good at navigating operating systems, you’ll be fine with Synology. Just go into the file sharing settings, then enable SMB or FTP (whichever you prefer, FTP is faster, but SMB is more likely to be supported across platforms). Then on your client device, enter the IP address of the Synology (you’ll see this on the Synology dashboard) along with the username/password that you set and you’ll be in! As long as you have a decent router with low interference from neighbors, your media should play wirelessly without buffering.
Basically nothing, it'll just work.

Basic local wifi is plenty fast for any local video streaming situation unless you're operating on the edge of signal range due to distance or problematic physical materials in the way.

I can literally stream UHD Blu-Ray Remux's over an Asus AC68U wireless access point to my unremarkable Wal-mart purchased Asus laptop or my Steam Deck.

Multiple concurrent clients could be an issue at some point of course, but for just 'you'? Nah, most stuff is more than enough.