This $17 Fire TV accessory will save you the headache of endless buffering

If you prefer to binge TV shows and movies without the constant buffering, this Fire TV accessory is about to be your new best friend.

Long-term cord-cutters know that Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks offer a whole lot more than you could ever get with just cable— like 15,000+ channels and apps. Plus, all the major streaming services are featured, including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Showtime, Starz, and of course, Prime Video.

With all that content to choose from, putting up with incessant buffering isn’t something you exactly signed up for. Put an end to all the buffering (and your suffering) with this UGREEN adapter.

The UGREEN ethernet adapter has a wide range of compatibility. It works with Amazon Fire TV and newer Fire TV Sticks, as well as select Chromecast and Google Home devices. So, it actually can serve multiple purposes: swift streaming, and improved communication among your devices leading to a better experience, overall.

Why is my Amazon Fire TV buffering?

Whenever you stream something, your Fire TV downloads it chunk by chunk, temporarily storing it in a local cache. When this process is done right, you’ll be able to stream your choice of entertainment seamlessly—even if your internet is spotty. Witnessing some buffering isn’t unusual, but if it occurs for lengthy periods of time or every time you use your Fire TV, there may be some deeper issues that need addressing, like your sluggish internet connection.

If your Amazon Fire Stick is running slow, you’re not alone. The Fire TV stick is not the most powerful streaming device, so the performance can degrade over time if you just let it run all the time without ever cleaning up memory. For power users, especially those who install the multi-platform home-theater program Kodi, this can result in buffering, lags, app crashes, and other annoying issues that prevent you from seamless binge-watching.

READ MORE:

• How to install Kodi on Amazon Fire
• The Amazon Fire Stick can help you finally cut the cord
• Is Amazon Prime really worth the cost of membership?

How to fix your Fire TV Stick buffering issues

Whether your WiFi is congested, you have a poor signal or your router is outdated, this ethernet adapter is the solution. It optimizes your performance for faster streaming and internet speeds. All you have to do to make it work is plug it in. Yes, we realize the irony in a cable fixing your cord-cutting streaming device woes. It’s well worth it to get through Stranger Things uninterrupted.

The UGREEN adapter is available on Amazon for just $16.99, meaning if you’re a Prime member you can take advantage of faster internet speeds by the weekend.

Additionally, you can try a few other tricks to get your Amazon Fire Stick running even faster

1) Restart your device.

Think of the streaming stick like your laptop, phone, or any other device. If you leave it running all the time without ever rebooting and checking for updates, eventually, the performance is going to catch up with you. The simple way to restart your Amazon Fire TV Stick is to simply unplug the device and plug it back in. If you want to restart the Fire OS, hold down the home button on the remote, then select Settings > Device > Restart.

2) Get rid of apps and features you don’t use.

Amazon has included a lot of apps and features that you most likely don’t use, especially if your main activity is streaming shows and movies. Assuming that is the case, you can disable Prime Photos and toggle off GameCircle and Whispersync. To do so, hold down the home button on the remote, then select Settings > Applications > Collect App Usage Data > Turn Off. From there, you can select which items make the most sense to remove, depending on your preferred usage.

3) Disable automatic updates in the Appstore.

Keep in mind that this is a bit of a last resort in terms of options. You should update apps and software regularly for important updates on potential bugs and security issues. Not updating will have the opposite desired effects to performance over time. However, in a quick pinch, disabling in-app purchases and notifications can temporarily give you a little more speed.