Probably not related but I've noticed increased buffering after I've switched to Google's Public DNS. Maybe you've a VPN or proxy in-place?
I'm no expert, but it could be a hundred different causes to this. The first thing you should do is try and isolate if it's indeed because of your Windows/System and not an outside source. Try on a different computer, or a phone/tablet, see if you get buffering problems. If no other device available, you could try a Linux live distro (no need to install) off an USB stick, etc. Try unplugging your router for 3-5 minutes, sometimes this helps. Also, if you're in the US, don't you guys have net-neutrality problems, maybe they're capping your speed? A bit extreme (and probably paranoid), but you never know.
I suggest a few things to check 1. Continuous ping your Router/Gateway, look for packet drops 2. Continuous ping to Google.com, look for packet drops 3. Check same video on another device 4. Check same video using a VPN
I'm not familiar with these things to be honest, what do you mean specifically when you say ping? And how would it help me to find packet drops (via winMTR?)? I know when a site isn't running video well since it has buffering issues, so I don't understand how it would help? The issue is only on my PC, there are no issues on laptop/tablets. I have started using my Playstation 3 for netflix without any problems at all. Netflix on my PC struggles with picture quality. Another thing I noticed is on PC whenever I run speed tests on speedtest.net the speed goes up and down way too much in a way that it didn't used to even if I do them one after the other, between 1 mbps and 9 mbps. But when I run speedtests on my laptop it stays at around 9mbps. Can't figure it out, if it's a problem with my PC why did it coincide with the heavy rain and my internet connection kept disconnecting that day...I realise it could just be a coincidence. But how do I fix it?
As the issue is only with PC it's too hard to identify what is wrong. I thought the issue occurs with all devices. Could you check for any windows update or software installations made just before a day the issue started?
Can you have a PC tehnician to help diagonize and fix the issue? Tech might have a spare ethernet card to check as well.
Is this ISP, ADSL2/2+? Sounds like my experience, seven years ago, from September 30, 2010 to February 8, 2011, when VTel was just ADSL2+. After above normal rain on September 30, 2010, IIRC, my DSL bandwidth and possibly my latency as well, went to bullplop! The normal download bandwidth, was 11 Mb or at least 10 Mb, without changing the DSL router's coding gain setting, on the BEC 7402TM router, which I had, when I had ADSL2+, the pre-FTTH years! But I was afraid to tweak the coding gain, until one day in October, 2011, where I for the first time saw a major download bandwidth jump, afterwards! The default BEC 7402TM coding gain setting, was like an engine with a restrictor plate, FFS! But that was of course after January 13, 2011, when I had the telephone service drop fixed. And still glitches afterwards, and finally on February 8, 2011, they fixed something on their end, suspected a failing DSLAM! When I had the breakage, the download speed would randomly drop to 1.5 Mbit and the like, sometimes 2 Mbit, and IIRC, sometimes 4 Mbit. I felt like someone wasn't telling the truth at first! Even Speedtest and whatever service VTel was using for their bandwidth test, on one of their web pages, failed! They would show the bandwidth drop, too!
Interesting. I'm not actually sure if mine is ADSL2 as in the UK it's simply advertised as 'broadband'. But the advertised average speed is 12MBPs. The difference here is that my other devices work fine, so I ruled out the ISP as being the cause. I'd be interested to learn if you had problem with all your devices?
12 Mbps download, sounds a lot like ADSL2+. Do you have a router with a telephone line being used for the input? If you do, that's DSL/ADSL/ADSL2/ADSL2+.
Every PC that was wired! I had zero wifi at the time! The version of the BEC 7402TM router that I had, contained ethernet ports only! (except for the little jack, which is for the telephone line)
Then that's the crucial difference, here the problem is only on my PC, not on laptop/wired/tablets wireless etc