Ever since Disney launched their streaming service, people have flocked to watch all the popular titles, both old and new. One of the top selling points of the launch was The Mandalorian – a brand-new Star Wars TV show.
With so much hype, demand for the series’ premiere overwhelmed Disney’s server infrastructure. That’s when the first cases of the Error Code 42 appeared. As it later turned out, this wasn’t the only time this error caused problems for viewers. Fortunately, the solution is pretty simple.
What Is Error Code 42?
With Error 42 there’s not much doubt where the problem lies. This code basically tells you that your device can’t establish a connection to the Disney Plus service.
One of the reasons for this could be that Disney’s service is experiencing some server issues at the moment. On the other hand, your Internet connection may currently have some problems as well. Regardless of the reason, there are solutions for both issues.
Disney Servers Are Overloaded
At peak times, Disney servers may get overloaded. This would essentially prevent your device from connecting to Disney Plus, regardless of how fast your Internet connection is.
The only way to sort this out is to wait until the servers become available again. This could last anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours.
Your Internet Connection Has Issues
Another reason for not being able to connect to Disney Plus is when your Internet connection is experiencing issues. Depending on the reason behind this, you may or may not be able to do something about it.
It may be that your Internet operator is having some network issues at the moment. On the downside, there’s nothing you can do about that. On the plus side, it means your Internet equipment is working properly and you just have to wait until the connection goes live again.
If there’s an issue with your modem or a Wi-Fi router, there’s a couple of things you can do to restore the connection. Firstly, restart your Internet modem. To do so, simply unplug it from the power outlet, wait for approximately 20 seconds, and then plug it back in again. In most cases, this should resolve any issues you might have experienced with your Internet.
If you have a Wi-Fi router as a separate device, one that’s not integrated with your Internet modem, you should restart it as well. Repeat the power-off/power-on procedure as mentioned above.
Next, make sure that the device you’re using to watch Disney Plus has managed to connect to your Wi-Fi without any problems. Before you try logging into Disney Plus, make sure the connection is working properly. You can do that by starting another service on your device that requires the Internet. If it’s working without any issues, then it’s time to try connecting to Disney Plus.
If none of these recommendations helped, the only thing you can do is contact your Internet provider’s customer care service. Explain your problem and state everything you did up to this point. Hopefully, they’ll manage to solve any issues you have with your Internet connection.
Your Internet Is Slow
Like many other streaming services, Disney Plus also provides their content in 4K resolution. If you’re having trouble watching it this way, your Internet connection may simply not be fast enough. If there isn’t enough bandwidth for 4K, you might consider switching to a Full HD 1080p resolution. It consumes considerably less bandwidth than 4K does.
To make sure your Internet is fast enough, you can test its speed by using a popular online speed test like Ookla Speedtest. Also, you can simply type “speed test” in Google search and use their version of the test. Whichever you choose, just remember that the minimum speed for watching 4K content is 5Mbps.
Another thing you can do is ensure that there aren’t any other devices using the same Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. This includes your desktop computer, laptop, consoles, and any other mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. If any of them started updating its software, that could greatly impede your Disney Plus experience.
If you’re using a web browser to watch Disney Plus, consider clearing its cache. You can find this option in the browser settings menu. It’s usually in the privacy and security section.
One last thing you can try is updating the firmware on your Wi-Fi router. To do so, log in to the router and check if there are any recent firmware updates you can install. While you’re there, you can also change the router’s DNS settings to one of these options: OpenDNS, Google, or Cloudflare.
If none of these suggestions allowed you to reach 5Mbps or above, perhaps you should consider upgrading your home Internet plan to a faster one.
Getting Disney Plus Back Online
Once you re-establish the connection with Disney Plus, it’s time to kick back, relax, and enjoy your favorite TV show or movie. With so much content available, you’ve got hundreds of hours of entertainment available at your fingertips.
Have you managed to resolve the Error Code 42? What was the reason behind it? Please share your experiences in the comments section below.
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