Insufficient Bandwidth - 1518 Message

[gpflepsen]

In the interest of keeping my unique issues in their own thread, I'm creating this thread to pull it out from being buried in others.

All of my receivers (two Hopper 3s and Joey 4) will not download a 4k/UHD PPV or OnDemand show from DISH. It always throws up the 1518 window that says "Your receiver currently has insufficient bandwidth to rent this event. Try again later". I have 1Gb/s fiber to the house that tests at every location at ~900Mb/s. All my locations are hardwired. Both H3s report speeds of ~400Mb/s when transmitting/receiving from the mothership's tech portal (Internet test screen).

I can download non-4k content with no issues.

Any ideas on why the system doesn't to want to download 4k programming? There are no issues when they d/l any other non-4k content?

In another thread, Bobby said he gets this message from time to time, so perhaps there is a Dish issue with this and not necessarily an issue specifically to me.

Post in thread 'Is This a Valid LNB Configuration for Two Hopper 3?'

Friday at 11:17 AM

Time to get that 1 gig speed plan.

Um, I have a 1 gig plan and I still get that message from time to time.

• Bobby

• 
• 

Here's more results from searching for this 1518 issue.

C

Thread 'insufficient bandwidth'

Jul 9, 2021

im having issues watching ondemand 4k content i have a good internet connection with speed test and get 650mbs wired and 300mbps wireless. I called Dish and they stated contact xfinity. Does Xfinity throttle streams from Dish?

• cfkillers
• Replies: 32
• Forum: DISH Network Support Forum

J

Thread '4k Insufficient Bandwidth?'

Mar 2, 2022

For some reason suddenly I cannot stream 4k On Demand through my Hopper 3. I have a Fios gigabyte connection and I am connected wirelessly on the 5g network on my router. I am getting around 600mpbs down and 500mbps up on my phone and laptop. For some reason it shows only 28mbps when I test the status on the hopper. I think this happened when the H3 was updated to the 316 update. Never had an issue prior. I have reset the Hopper twice and reset the router. Everything else streams no problem through the TV itself not using the Hopper 4k HDR, 4k Dolby Vision/Atmos sound, ect). Dish is the...

• jayiw
• Replies: 6
• Forum: DISH Network Support Forum

• 

As suggested previously, I've tried setting the Dish equipment to have static IPs on the LAN and went from wired to wireless. The network has been reset several times. Still no bueno.

Any further suggestions?

 

[telstar_1]

call to cancel

 

[gpflepsen]

call to cancel

Why would I?

 

[Juan]

Are you using a VPN?...it kinda sounds like the issue is with your router

 

[gpflepsen]

Are you using a VPN?...it kinda sounds like the issue is with your router

No VPN.

I removed the Dish stuff from the home network and connected through the cell phone Hotspot WiFi. Same issue; no 4k download but other programming will download.

 

[Juan]

No VPN.

I removed the Dish stuff from the home network and connected through the cell phone Hotspot WiFi. Same issue; no 4k download but other programming will download.

Did you connect the router to the hotspot? I would try a different router

 

[gpflepsen]

Did you connect the router to the hotspot? I would try a different router

No router in the hotspot connection.

Hotspot WiFi <------> Hopper is as simple as I can make it. No other devices present

How would the router be preventing the transmission of data under one specific circumstance (4k from Dish only)? None of my other connected devices has a connectivity or bandwidth issue.

 

[Juan]

No router in the hotspot connection.

Hotspot WiFi <------> Hopper is as simple as I can make it. No other devices present

How would the router be preventing the transmission of data under one specific circumstance (4k from Dish only)? None of my other connected devices has a connectivity or bandwidth issue.

Without knowing what kind of router you have...one possibility is that the CPU can't handle 4k streaming..it could be too old

Do you have another Hopper?..maybe your looking the wrong direction..

 

[gpflepsen]

Without knowing what kind of router you have...one possibility is that the CPU can't handle 4k streaming..it could be too old

Do you have another Hopper?..maybe your looking the wrong direction..

CPU of what, the router? I'd think it is just handling the throughput of a data stream, which it does with no problem at well above >250Mbps with other programs and applications (even the Joey 4 streams YouTube that fast). The router, an ASUS RT-N66U, is probably coming up on 12 years old, but it is up to date with the latest Merlin firmware developed. I'm not going to drop over $100 on a new router for what is a minor issue for me; that'd be throwing darts at it.

There are two H3s and a Joey 4 on the same Moca network. This existed prior to adding a 2nd H3.

 

[Juan]

CPU of what, the router? I'd think it is just handling the throughput of a data stream, which it does with no problem at well above >250Mbps with other programs and applications (even the Joey 4 streams YouTube that fast). The router, an ASUS RT-N66U, is probably coming up on 12 years old, but it is up to date with the latest Merlin firmware developed. I'm not going to drop over $100 on a new router for what is a minor issue for me; that'd be throwing darts at it.

There are two H3s and a Joey 4 on the same Moca network. This existed prior to adding a 2nd H3.

Try the new H3 by itself

 

[gpflepsen]

For and this is what Grok had to say.

"The Dish Network error message 1518 ("insufficient bandwidth") typically appears when attempting to download or rent 4K on-demand content or pay-per-view events on Hopper receivers, even in setups with high-speed internet like yours. Based on official Dish documentation and user reports from similar configurations, here's a breakdown of likely causes and troubleshooting steps:

Key Context on Requirements

• Dish's official bandwidth recommendation for 4K on-demand (IPVOD) downloads directly on the receiver is at least 25 Mbps sustained download speed. This is higher than for HD (8 Mbps) or SD (4 Mbps) content.
• Your setup exceeds this significantly (900+ Mbps overall, 300+ Mbps reported on receivers), and the ability to stream 4K YouTube without issues suggests general network capability isn't the root problem. However, the check for Dish's 4K content specifically evaluates the connection to their servers/CDNs at the moment of the request, not a general speed test.

Potential Causes

1. Inaccurate or Fluctuating Bandwidth Detection on the Hopper:
   • The Hopper 3 performs an internal speed test to Dish's servers when initiating 4K downloads. This can report lower speeds (e.g., as low as 28 Mbps in some cases) than your actual connection due to momentary network variability, peering issues between your ISP and Dish's content providers, or congestion on Dish's end. Users with gigabit fiber have reported this mismatch frequently.
   • MoCA networking (used for bridging your Hoppers and Joey) can introduce overhead or interference, potentially causing the Hopper to underestimate available bandwidth during the check, even if overall speeds are fine.
2. Dish-Side or Server Issues:
   • This error is often intermittent and tied to Dish's system rather than user networks. Forums like SatelliteGuys and DBSTalk show it's a common complaint for 4K content, sometimes resolving on its own after retries or during off-peak hours. It may stem from high demand on Dish's 4K servers, regional CDN limitations, or software bugs in the Hopper firmware.
3. Router or Network Configuration Factors:
   • Your ASUS RT-N66U is an older model (from ~2012) with a slower processor that might struggle with sustained high-bandwidth tasks like 4K downloads, even if speed tests pass. Issues could include NAT session limits, packet loss, or inefficient handling of multiple connections—especially since the Hopper is hardwired through it.
   • Bridged MoCA setups with multiple receivers can sometimes allocate bandwidth unevenly or cause minor latency spikes that trigger the error during Dish's check.
4. Content-Specific Differences:
   • Dish's 4K on-demand bitrates can be higher (up to 25-35 Mbps sustained) than YouTube's (typically 15-20 Mbps for 4K), requiring a more stable connection. If there's any brief dip below 25 Mbps to Dish's servers, it fails—even if HD or YouTube works fine.

Troubleshooting Steps

• Retry and Monitor Timing: Attempt the download again later or during non-peak hours (e.g., early morning). Users report success after multiple tries without changes.
• Run Hopper Diagnostics: On the affected Hopper 3, go to Menu > Settings > Diagnostics > Connection (or Broadband). Run the speed test there and note the results to Dish's servers. If it's below 25 Mbps despite your setup, that's likely the trigger.
• Reset Equipment:
  • Power cycle the Hopper(s) and Joey (unplug for 10 seconds, then replug).
  • Reset the router and modem. Ensure no VPN, QoS settings, or firewalls are interfering.
• Test Direct Connection: Temporarily connect one Hopper directly to your fiber modem (bypassing the router) to isolate if the RT-N66U is the culprit. If it works, consider upgrading to a modern gigabit router (e.g., something with a faster CPU like an ASUS RT-AX series).
• Check for Updates: Ensure your Hoppers are on the latest firmware (Menu > Settings > Diagnostics > Version). Dish occasionally pushes fixes for bandwidth detection.
• Isolate MoCA: Test downloading on the hardwired Hopper alone (temporarily disconnect others from the network) to rule out bridging issues.
• Contact Dish Support: Provide your setup details, speed test results, and error code. They may run remote diagnostics, reset your account's bandwidth profile, or send a tech (some users resolved it via receiver replacement if hardware is faulty).
• Alternative Workarounds: If it's a specific 4K event, check if it's available via Dish Anywhere on another device (though it may not support full 4K). For general 4K, live channels like 5401-5409 often work without this check.

If none of this resolves it, the issue may be on Dish's end—persistent reports suggest it's not uncommon, and escalating to tech support often leads to a fix. If you provide more details (e.g., exact Hopper speed test results or when the error occurs), I can refine this further."

Next is to bypass the router and go direct from the fiber modem to the solo Hopper. I knew I should have labeled as I went.

 

[gpflepsen]

Try the new H3 by itself

Same result, no bueno.

 

[Juan]

Same result, no bueno.

Another thought is to change the WI-FI channel...might be some kind of interference around

 

[gpflepsen]

Another thought is to change the WI-FI channel...might be some kind of interference around

It's all hardwired via CAT5e cable. Hoppers have been set to an assigned IP address, too.

 

[Juan]

One more dumb question

What is your router port speed set to and check your qos settings

That's it for me

 

[gpflepsen]

One more dumb question

What is your router port speed set to and check your qos settings

That's it for me

Thanks for giving input.

I don't have any settings to set port speed, at least I can't find any. Port speeds are reported as 1Gbps for WAN and LAN.

I've set Firewall OFF/ON, DOS ON/OFF, QOS ON/OFF (what is Dish's PPV server, HTTPS?) and did even more than what I was comfortable with. No change observed.

 

[Juan]

What's the port speed on the Hopper?

 

[gpflepsen]

What's the port speed on the Hopper?

The one 1Gbps port feeds an unmanaged switch that has all house devices on it.

• Fiber Modem/ONT → Router (WAN port)
• Router (one LAN port) → Switch
• Switch → ~12 wired devices (with spare ports)
• Router also provides 2.4GHz WiFi

 

[navychop]

Hubs are cheap.

 

[Juan]

Unplug everything but 1 Hopper and see what happens..bypass the switch if possible