Web surfing completely stops streaming video

[HoosierInFL]

I have a new SR MBP. I also have an Airport Extreme N router. A USB drive is connected to the Airport. My wireless link speed is 300mbps.

I stream Xvid AVI files from that hard drive to my MBP and watch them with VLC and Quicktime. As long as I am only watching the video, it plays perfectly. If I have a browser open and bring up a page, the video stops, waits for the page to load, then starts playing again. This happens each time I click on a page link. This happens with Firefox and Safari.

With wireless N I should have enough bandwidth to watch the video and browse pages without any stuttering. Why would this happen?

 

[edesignuk]

I have serious doubts that you're actually getting a 300mbps wireless connection, 802.11n or not, that's the first thing.

My only guess is that when you make a request for a webpage it's a sudden burst of data that takes priority over the streaming media data, causing the pause. Depending on your router you may be able to set some sort or streaming media QoS (quality of service) to try and stop this from happening.

 

[HoosierInFL]

Why do you doubt it? If you read other threads on this very forum you'll find people getting link speeds of 300 with the airport extreme n.

As I mentioned in my original post, it's an Airport Extreme N router, which you may know, does not have QOS options.

I can copy a 700mb file across the wireless network while at the same time streaming a video and have zero problems. If I browse web pages, which takes minimal bandwidth, the pauses begin.

 

[edesignuk]

Just because 802.11G is 54mbps doesn't mean you actually get that, regardless of it saying you are. Wireless is basically pretty shi**y. I'm sure you'll be getting a good connection with your N router, but it won't be 300mbps, probably no where near it.

I'm not really sure what the answer is to this one...

 

[HoosierInFL]

Link speed and throughput speed are two different things. The point I was trying to make was that I am getting the best possible wireless connection yet I'm still having trouble.

Last night I tried the D-Link 655 router that gets good reviews. I get the same problem with it, too. The 655 has QoS options but I don't know what port my streaming videos use from one drive to another on the local network. Anyone know how to figure that out?

 

[HoosierInFL]

Ok, after doing some tests I have determined that this is an OS X problem and not a connection or router problem.

I do not have the problem if I boot into Windows XP via Bootcamp. Everything works perfectly.

Now the question is, what the heck in OS X is causing it?