What should we take into account to play online
Broadly speaking, three aspects that we must consider if we want to play over the internet in the most fluid and stable way possible, aspects that we show below and on which all the measures that we must take so that the gaming experience is optimal revolve.
connection latency
Latency in a game is the time that passes from when we interact with the keyboard, mouse or controller until the character moves, that is, the time that passes from when our computer receives the instruction until it is sent to the server and the server responds according to the instruction received.
This time is measured in milliseconds (ms). How much lower latency, the game will take more or less time to respond. Fortnite, to name one of the most popular multiplayer games, usually offers an average ping of 15 ms throughout Europe and the United States, being one of the titles that performs best in this regard.
Other titles, such as Apex Legends, offer an average ping of 60-70 ms throughout the European Union, however, in the United States, the latency is much lower, so the gaming experience is much more satisfactory in United States than in Europe.
internet speed
Although online games do not need high speeds of internet connection, since the games are not transmitted over the internet, only the instructions to move the character do, but it is important that our internet connection is as stable as possible.
Just as gaming latency is important, so is the latency of our internet connection. The lower the number of ms of our connection, online games will offer better performance when latency is high or varies continuously.
computer hardware
It is useless to use a state-of-the-art graphic on a computer that is not sufficiently capable of managing the large amount of information it processes. The same happens if the computer is of the latest generation and we use an old graphics card.
In both cases, a bottleneck is created which ends up affecting the performance of games. When buying a computer to play, you don’t have to invest much more money in the equipment or in the graphics, you have to try to find the right balance so that both can work hand in hand without generating bottlenecks.
How to measure the performance of our connection to play online
if we want measure the performance of our connection To check if the jerky problem that the games show is related to it, we have different options.
from Windows
Windows allows us to analyze the performance of our connection to play through Xbox Live. However, this option is perfectly valid to find out first-hand if our internet connection has any problems or if it is ideal for playing online, as long as we ignore the high latency that is shown, since it is related to the Internet servers. Xbox Live. This option is found within the configuration options, specifically in the section Games > Xbox Networks.
One of the problems that affects the operation of some online titles is the NAT type. If we have open NAT, our connection with the games will be much better than if it is set to strict, however, it can be a risk for our team, since open NAT means that we are using a fixed IP, so anyone that has access to that information can try to access our computer if we have not taken the proper precautions both in the router and in the Windows firewall.
speedtest.com
The fastest and easiest solution is to visit the website testdevelocidad.es, a website where we are not only going to check the upload and download speed of our internet connection, but we are also going to find information about latency.
Through the Speed Test website, we can check both the upload and download speed as well as the latency of our connection. It is recommended to use the meter using different servers to get an idea of what our ping is. The smaller that number is, it means that the time it takes for our connection to process the requests will be less.
Improve the performance of your connection with these tips
To enjoy the best online multiplayer experience, an average upload and download speed of 3 to 5 Mbps is more than enough. If we take into account that even ADSL lines offer this connection speed, we are going to check how to ensure that this speed reaches our equipment.
Improve performance of the Internet connection of our team and thus being able to enjoy online games without jerks and in the most fluid way possible is much simpler than we can imagine at first by following these tips.
Use the ethernet connection
Ethernet cable connections are much faster and less susceptible to interference than Wi-Fi connections. Whenever possible, to enjoy the best online gaming experience, it is recommended to use a cable connection, as long as it is within our reach, since in addition to improving speed, we will also reduce latency.
Connect to 5 GHz networks
If the option to use a cable is not available, as long as the router is close to our computer, it is recommended to use 5 GHz networks. 5 GHz networks offer higher connection speed and lower latency than traditional 2.4 GHz.
2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks have a greater range that reduces signal performance as we move away from the connection point. Most Wi-Fi routers installed by carriers are compatible with both types of networks. To differentiate it from the 2.4 GHz network, they include 5G at the end of the SSID (not to be confused with the 5G networks of mobile devices)
Change the Wi-Fi network channel
most routers use the same channels to send the signal. In places with many households, this can be an issue affecting connection performance. If we want to increase speed and reduce latency, we must access the router options and modify the channel they use for less common ones.
To find out which are the less common channels, we can use an application that analyzes all the networks in our environment and indicates what channels do you use. In this way, we can quickly find out which are the least saturated channels and place our Wi-Fi connection there.
One of the best applications to analyze the networks in our environment is WiFi Analyzeran application that we can download for free through the Microsoft Store by clicking on the following link.
Change the DNS of the router
All routers use the DNS of the internet provider’s servers. If we have latency issues, we can test with Google or Cloudfare servers. We can change the DNS from the router directly or from our PC so that they only affect the operation of the connection of our computer and not the entire set of devices.
To change the DNS in Windows, we must access the Control Panel from the Windows search box, click on Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. Next, click on the name of the network to which we are connected (either Wi-Fi or ethernet) and in the window that appears, click Properties.
Next, click on Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and in properties.
Next, we check the box Use the following DNS server addresses and we establish those of Google or Cloudfare that we show you below.
- Google: Preferred DNS 8.8.8.8 – Alternate DNS 8.8.4.4
- Cloudfare: Preferred DNS 1.1.1.1 Alternate DNS 1.0.0.1
Finally click on accept and We restart our computer.
Change the router location or use Wi-Fi repeaters
Most likely to change the router not be an option unless we call our operator to change it, since we must extend the fiber optic connection to the place where we want to use it.
To extend the coverage of the Wi-Fi signal in our home, we can opt for Wi-Fi repeaters, devices that are very cheap but they are not ideal if we need a stable internet connection. The best solution is to use PLCs, which we will talk about in the next section.
If we plan to change provider, next time we should try to place the router in the central area of the home, so that all the devices that connect do not have connection problems.
Try a PLC
PLCs are devices that use electrical installation to share the internet connection and is made up of two elements. The first is connected to the router through the ethernet cable and then connected to a nearby outlet. The second, we connect it near the computer where we want to enjoy a cable connection and connect it to the computer using the ethernet cable.
These types of devices are the best option to expand the internet connection in a home, not only to other computers, but also to other devices, since some of these models also include Wi-Fi support, so they replicate the signal from the plug where we have connected it and not the signal that it carries from the router as if the Wi-Fi repeaters do, a signal that, in most cases, is of very low quality.
Use nearby servers
Leaving aside our internet connection, assuming that it works correctly and that it is not the cause of the problems that our equipment presents, another important point that we must take into account is use nearby servers.
In other words, if we are in Europe, we will find the best user experience as long as we connect to European servers, since the latency will be as low as possible. But, if we connect to servers that are on other continents, the latency is high and the possibility of playing decently will disappear.
In the image above, we can see the latency from Europe if we want to play Fortnite using a server from one of the coasts of the United States, Oceania, Brazil, Asia and the Middle East. As it is further away from Europe, the response time (ms) is increased.
Close background apps
If we are downloading content from the internet, uploading files to our storage unit or NAS, we must temporarily stop paralyzing these services since they are using bandwidth that online games need in order to offer the best possible user experience, to speak of the resources that also reduce the performance of the computer.
Also, if before playing, we had applications open that take up a lot of memory, we must close them in order to free the memory so that only the game can use it. If we are playing, we are playing, we are not editing photos with Photoshop or editing videos.
Activate the QoS function of the router
The QoS function incorporated in many routers allows prioritize what type of devices have priority when connecting to the internet, so that they enjoy a greater bandwidth than the rest of the connected devices.
This function is available both via Wi-Fi and through the ethernet connection and we must configure it by doing device IP usage within the router configuration options. If our router is old, it is most likely that it does not have this type of connection, so we will have to adapt to the functions mentioned above.
