Streaming Media Troubleshooting Guide

There are many factors that can contribute to your Windows Media Player not working properly and this list can help you resolve them.
Problem: Your Windows Media Player shows errors when trying to open streaming media files.
Possible causes and solutions:

Problem: Streaming media files open and play, but stop frequently for buffering.
Possible causes and solutions:
  • You are trying to view a file that is a higher bandwidth than your Internet connection can support - You should click on the bandwidth that is equal to or lower than your connection speed to view streaming media files. For example, do not view the 100k streaming media file if you are using a 56k modem.
  • Web congestion - This is a frequent problem with slower connections. Try viewing streaming media files at low web congestion times like late at night or in the early morning.

Problem: Sound doesn't work, but media does.
Possible causes and solutions:
  • Your volume is turned off or muted - Check to see if your sound is turned on loud enough to hear it.
  • Your sound card is not configured correctly - Read the instructions for your computer's sound card and test to see if it works in another application. If your audio continues to not work, consult technical support for your sound card.

Problem: My computer won't read any streaming media files.
Possible causes and solutions: