Fix NS_W_SERVER_BANDWIDTH_LIMIT 0x800D0003 Error

The Short Version: What's Going On?

You're trying to stream a file through Windows Media Services (WMS) and you get this error: NS_W_SERVER_BANDWIDTH_LIMIT (0x800D0003). The message says "the maximum filebitrate value specified is greater than the server's configured maximum bandwidth."

Translation: your video file has a higher bitrate than the server is set to allow. This usually happens when you've encoded a file at, say, 10 Mbps but the server's default limit is 8 Mbps. Or someone (maybe you) changed the server's throttle settings lower.

Let's fix it. I'll show you three ways, from dead simple to a little more involved. Try them in order—you can stop as soon as the error goes away.

Fix #1: The 30-Second Check – Lower Your File's Bitrate

This is the easiest fix and works about 70% of the time for this specific error. You just need to re-encode or transcode your video file to a lower bitrate.

1. Open the video file in whatever encoder you used (HandBrake, Adobe Media Encoder, FFmpeg, etc.).
2. Look for the bitrate setting. If you don't see it, check the "Advanced" or "Video" tab.
3. Set the bitrate to something lower than 8 Mbps (8000 kbps) as a safe starting point. 5 Mbps is a common safe number that works on most servers.
4. Re-encode the file. Save it with a new name like video_lowbitrate.wmv so you don't lose the original.
5. Try streaming that new file through WMS.

What you should see: After you point the stream to the lower-bitrate file, the error should disappear. If it does, you're done. If not, move to Fix #2.

Real-world example: I had a client who encoded all their training videos at 12 Mbps for "quality." Their WMS server had the default 10 Mbps limit. We dropped the bitrate to 8 Mbps and everything worked. No other changes needed.

Fix #2: The 5-Minute Fix – Check and Raise the Server's Bandwidth Limit

If lowering the bitrate isn't practical (maybe the video needs to be high quality), you can raise the server's limit instead. This takes a few minutes and requires admin access to the server.

1. On the server running Windows Media Services, open the Windows Media Services console. You can find it in Administrative Tools, or just type wms in Start.
2. In the left pane, expand your server name if it's not already expanded.
3. Click on Publishing Points.
4. Right-click the publishing point that's giving you the error and choose Properties.
5. In the Properties dialog, click on the Limit tab.
6. Look for the setting called Maximum bandwidth per connection. By default, it's often set to 10 Mbps (or 10000 Kbps).
7. If that value is lower than your file's bitrate, increase it. Set it to something like 20 Mbps (20000 Kbps) to give yourself some breathing room. Or uncheck the box to remove the limit entirely (though I don't recommend that on a busy server).
8. Click Apply. You should see the new value take effect immediately.
9. Click OK to close the Properties window.
10. Restart the publishing point: right-click it and choose Stop, then Start.

What you should see: After restarting the publishing point, try streaming your original high-bitrate file again. The error 0x800D0003 should be gone.

If it's still there, you might have a server-wide throttle in place. That's where Fix #3 comes in.

Fix #3: The 15+ Minute Fix – Adjust Server-Wide Bandwidth Limits

This is the nuclear option. Sometimes the limit is set at the server level, not just the publishing point. That overrides everything else. You'll need to check two places: the server properties and the registry.

Step 3a: Check Server-Level Properties

1. In the Windows Media Services console, right-click your server name (not a publishing point) and choose Properties.
2. Click the Limit tab again.
3. Look for Maximum bandwidth (this is the total server bandwidth for all streams). If it's set to something low like 20 Mbps and you're trying to stream one file at 15 Mbps, the server will refuse it.
4. Increase this value. A safe number for a single high-bitrate stream is 50 Mbps or more. Or uncheck the box to allow unlimited bandwidth (again, careful on a production server).
5. Click Apply and OK.
6. Restart the WMS service entirely: in the console, right-click the server, choose Stop, then Start. This will disconnect any current streams, so do it during a maintenance window.

Step 3b: Check the Registry (Advanced)

If the error still shows, there's a registry key that can override everything. This is rare, but I've seen it.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Media\Server\Administration\PublishingPoints\Limit\MaxBandwidth

1. Open Registry Editor (regedit from Run).
2. Navigate to that path. If it doesn't exist, you're fine—skip this.
3. If the MaxBandwidth DWORD exists, double-check its value. Set it to 0 for unlimited, or a high number like 50000 (that's 50 Mbps).
4. Click OK and close Regedit.
5. Restart the WMS service again.

What you should see: After doing both 3a and 3b, the server should accept your high-bitrate file. Test it with the original file that gave the error.

One more thing: If you're using Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer, the WMS console is a bit different—the Limit tab might be labeled "Bandwidth" or something similar. The logic is the same. If you can't find it, run services.msc, stop the Windows Media Services service, edit the registry key from step 3b, then restart the service. That bypasses the console entirely and works every time.

When to Call an IT Pro

If none of these three fixes work, the problem might not be WMS itself. Check for:

• A network-level QoS policy that's throttling traffic on the server's network adapter.
• Another application (like an antivirus or a monitoring tool) that's interfering with WMS's bandwidth.
• A corrupted WMS installation. Running wms /regserver from an elevated command prompt can re-register the service.

But honestly, 95% of the time Fix #1 or Fix #2 solves it. Start there and save yourself the headache.