Settings Network

Settings: Network

⋯ → Settings → Network (Ctrl+P; the header reads Network Connections & Security). How much VLC buffers before it plays, the proxy it goes through, and how it checks encrypted connections. No row of this page is reserved to Developer mode. See how the Settings window works.

Buffering

Option	Choices / default	What it does	VLC option
Buffering	Dropdown: Lowest latency / Low / Normal / High / Custom. Default: Normal.	How much of a media VLC reads ahead before it starts to play, for the four kinds of source below at once. More buffering plays more smoothly on a slow or unsteady connection or drive; less starts and seeks faster and keeps live streams closer to real time. Each preset sets the four delays (table below); Custom lets you type them, and delays that match no preset show as Custom.	none: it writes the four rows below
Local files	Number field, in ms, 0 to 60000. Default: 1000. Dimmed and empty unless Buffering is Custom.	Buffering of files on the computer, and of shared folders opened as files (\\server\share).	file-caching
Discs	Number field, in ms, 0 to 60000. Default: 300. Dimmed and empty unless Custom.	Buffering of optical discs (DVD, Blu-ray, audio CD, VCD).	disc-caching
Network streams	Number field, in ms, 0 to 60000. Default: 1000. Dimmed and empty unless Custom.	Buffering of network resources: web streams (HTTP, HLS, DASH), RTSP and the other network protocols.	network-caching
Live capture	Number field, in ms, 0 to 60000. Default: 300. Dimmed and empty unless Custom.	Buffering of capture devices: cameras, microphones, capture cards, the screen.	live-caching

The presets, in milliseconds:

Preset	Local files	Discs	Network streams	Live capture
Lowest latency	100	100	150	100
Low	300	150	500	150
Normal (VLC's defaults)	1000	300	1000	300
High	3000	1000	3000	1000

Proxy

(This section appears on Windows only: VLC has these options only there.)

Option	Choices / default	What it does	VLC option
HTTP proxy	Text field. Default: empty; the field then reads System proxy.	The proxy VLC connects through for HTTP and HTTPS, in the form http://[user@]myproxy.mydomain:myport/. Set it when the proxy is one Windows does not know. Empty, VLC uses the proxy of Windows (below). Changed in 0.3.1: before, an empty field meant no proxy.	http-proxy
HTTP proxy password	Password field. Default: empty.	The password of the proxy set above, if it asks for one. It is added to the proxy address when the address does not hold one already. It is not used with the proxy of Windows.	http-proxy-pwd

The proxy of Windows. While HTTP proxy is empty, VLC reads the manual proxy of Windows (Settings → Network & internet → Proxy → Manual proxy setup, the same as Internet Options → Connections → LAN settings) each time it opens an HTTP or HTTPS connection, so a change in Windows applies without restarting VLC.

• One proxy for all protocols is used for everything. A list per protocol (http=proxy1:8080;https=proxy2:8443) gives HTTPS addresses the https= entry and the others the http= entry (HTTPS takes the http= entry too when there is no https= one). An address without a scheme gets http:// in front of it.
• The addresses that go without the proxy (Windows' Use the proxy server except for addresses that start with the following entries list) are honoured for exact host names, for entries starting with * (*.example.com: any host ending so), and for <local> (Don't use the proxy server for local (intranet) addresses: a host name without a dot). An entry with a * elsewhere (192.168.*) is not matched by VLC.
• Automatic configuration is not followed: Automatically detect settings and Use setup script (a PAC file) are ignored; VLC uses only the manual proxy. If your network needs a setup script, type the proxy it gives you in HTTP proxy.

Security

Option	Choices / default	What it does	VLC option
Verify certificates against the system trust store	Toggle. Default: on.	Trusts the root certificates of the certificate authorities stored in Windows to authenticate encrypted (TLS) connections, such as HTTPS streams. Off, only the certificates of Trusted certificates folder are trusted, so most HTTPS addresses fail. Needs the GnuTLS module.	gnutls-system-trust
Cipher preference	Dropdown: Fastest / Balanced / Secure (128-bit) / Most secure (256-bit). Default: Balanced.	Which ciphers, key exchange methods and hash functions VLC offers on encrypted connections. Fastest puts the faster ciphers first; Secure (128-bit) asks for 128-bit or stronger; Most secure (256-bit) leaves out the 128-bit ciphers. A stricter choice can fail with servers that do not offer it. Needs the GnuTLS module.	gnutls-priorities (PERFORMANCE / NORMAL / SECURE128 / SECURE256)

Advanced Options

Option	Choices / default	What it does	VLC option
Connection timeout	Number field, in ms, 0 or more. Default: 5000.	How long VLC waits for a network (TCP) connection to open before it gives up. Raise it for slow or distant servers.	ipv4-timeout
HTTP user agent	Text field. Default: empty (VLC sends its own name and version).	Replaces the application name and version VLC sends to HTTP servers (the HTTP User-Agent). Name and version are separated by a forward slash, for example FooBar/1.2.3. Some servers only answer certain players.	http-user-agent
Trusted certificates folder	Text field (a folder path). Default: empty.	A folder of root certificates of certificate authorities that VLC trusts as well for encrypted (TLS) connections, for example the private authority of a company. Needs the GnuTLS module.	gnutls-dir-trust

Good to know

• A network stream stutters or stops to buffer: choose High, or Custom with a larger Network streams value (3000 to 10000 ms). A live stream then runs that much behind real time.
• A file on a slow USB drive or a network share stutters: raise Local files.
• Seeking feels slow on a fast drive or network: Low starts and seeks faster.
• Behind a company proxy, leaving HTTP proxy empty is usually enough, as VLC follows Windows. The (i) text of the row comes from VLC and mentions the http_proxy environment variable; this Windows build uses the proxy of Windows instead.
• HTTPS fails with a certificate error: keep Verify certificates against the system trust store on; for a server with a private certificate authority, put its root certificate in a folder and set Trusted certificates folder.
• Casting has its own local server, not these settings: its port is in Recording, and the firewall question is answered in Casting troubleshooting.

Related pages: Library: Network (network shares and servers) · Casting · Troubleshooting and FAQ

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