Stream Dropping or Unstable

If your stream is frequently disconnecting, buffering for viewers, or showing quality issues, the cause is almost always network-related.

Check your upload speed

Your internet upload speed must be at least 1.5x your streaming bitrate for a stable connection.

Bitrate Minimum upload needed
2500 kbps 4 Mbps
4500 kbps 7 Mbps
6000 kbps 9 Mbps

Test your upload speed at speedtest.net or fast.com. Test multiple times — consistency matters as much as peak speed.

Lower your bitrate

The most effective fix for stream instability is reducing the bitrate:

  1. Open Settings → Streaming
  2. Lower the bitrate (e.g., from 4500 kbps to 2500 kbps)
  3. Consider dropping to 720p resolution — this looks good at lower bitrates and reduces bandwidth demand

Wi-Fi vs wired

Wi-Fi is the most common cause of stream drops:

  • 5 GHz band — Always use 5 GHz, not 2.4 GHz
  • Signal strength — Keep the iPad close to the router
  • Interference — Other Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, and microwave ovens can interfere with 2.4 GHz and to a lesser extent 5 GHz
  • Wired connection — A USB-C Ethernet adapter on the iPad provides the most stable connection for streaming

Network congestion

Other devices on your network consuming bandwidth will affect your stream:

  • Other people streaming video (Netflix, YouTube)
  • Large file uploads or cloud backups
  • Other devices streaming from pMix’s production (multiple iPhone cameras)

Fix: Use a dedicated network for streaming, or ensure no other heavy traffic is running during your production.

Platform-specific issues

YouTube

  • YouTube requires a 2-second keyframe interval — incorrect settings can cause instability
  • YouTube’s ingest servers occasionally have issues — check YouTube Status or their status page

Twitch

  • Don’t exceed 6000 kbps — Twitch may reject or throttle higher bitrates
  • Try a different ingest server if your default server is having issues

General

  • Stream key — An incorrect or expired stream key will cause immediate disconnection
  • RTMP URL — Verify the URL matches your platform’s current ingest endpoints

pMix health indicators

Monitor the status bar during streaming:

  • Green — Healthy connection
  • Yellow — Warning (possible congestion or minor drops)
  • Red — Critical issues (high packet loss, disconnection imminent)

Open the Health Stats panel for detailed metrics including frame rate, bitrate, and network performance.

Still unstable

  1. Test with a lower bitrate and resolution (e.g., 720p at 2000 kbps) to establish a baseline
  2. Try a wired Ethernet connection to rule out Wi-Fi issues
  3. Try a different streaming platform to rule out platform-specific problems
  4. Test from a different network (e.g., phone hotspot) to determine if your ISP is the issue
  5. Check if the problem is time-dependent — peak internet usage hours (evening) often have more congestion