Big issue with my fiber optics internet for Qobuz streaming


 

I just switched from cable to fiber optics for internet. Both download and upload speeds have been upgraded to over 600 Mbps, so speed should not be an issue at all. It came with a modem (AT&T BGW320 model), which handles the fiber-to-Ethernet conversion and also serves as a router.

For TV, video streaming, and cell phone access, the experience has been great—better than ever. However, when I stream Qobuz hi-res music, particularly 24/192, it continuously pauses, drops out, and/or skips tracks from time to time. Sometimes even lower-resolution music has similar issues.

I called AT&T support, and the technician performed a detailed diagnosis and reset from his end but found nothing he could address or offer to resolve the issue. He suggested raising the issue with Qobuz.

What could be the reason? Have you encountered such an issue? How did you resolve it?

lanx0003

Almost forgot, if your streamer allows adjustment of max MTU set it to 1300 as a test

I'd also bet money on it being an AT&T issue. When I first moved into my house a little over 2 years ago I was excited to finally be able to get fiber. There are actually several providers for fiber but I chose AT&T because I had some prior experience with them and they were obviously the biggest. Huge mistake. It was absolutely horrible and was out as much as it was on. They sent a tech who tried some things and then confided in me that they had a problem all over my little town that they had no idea how to solve. I told him that meant that I was going to have to go with someone else and he said he hated to hear it, but he didn't blame me a bit.

I switched to Xfinity, which, incidentally, was the only carrier available to me that didn't offer fiber but I'd had them for several trouble-free years at my old house. In over two years now it has been virtually flawless. I initially had 1 gig service but they recently bumped me to 2 gig. 

AT&T systematically destroyed DirecTv when they bought it and they appear to be losing their way on their core business, too. 

@rick_n  I used both native app and QC.  Both have same issue.

@erik_squires  Is MTU adjustment in fiber modem or router.  My Netgear router  I am going to try has a default MTU set in 1500.  Will it be too high or too low?  Anyway, I will try switching router first to see if it works first...

@shooter41  Oops, I switched service providers. Hopefully, after I install the new router, the issue will be resolved. Worst comes to worst, I can switch back to cable.  

OP : 

1500 is best case, but it may be constrained by upstream issues.  Leave your router alone if everything else is working, but check if your streamer has a setting for it.  Make sure it's equal to or less than whatever your router is using, and as an experiment, try 1,300 on the streamer, if possible, and if not, try lowering the max MTU on your router to 1,300.

Technically, 1,300 MTU is not "as good" as 1,500, but practically, the performance delta is negligible.  The issues arise when you try to use a larger MTU than your network actually supports.  

I did by the way find similar issues to yours: 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/streamingmusicmatters/posts/3840512299574313/

I still think you should try my recommendations.  Try the DNS route first, then try if possible to reduce MTU to 1300.  AT&T should support 1500, but it's always possible there's 1 network branch out there that is the offramp to Qobuz that doesn't.