How to fix packet loss in online games
UPDATED
Packet loss means some of your game data never arrives. How to tell whether it is your Wi-Fi, your router, or your ISP, and what to do about each.
Packet loss means some of the data between you and the game server never arrives. Even 1 to 2% is enough to make shots not register, abilities fail and players teleport. Unlike high ping, the game can't compensate for data that is simply missing.
Step 1: find out where the loss happens
- Test on a cable. If the loss disappears, it was Wi-Fi. That is the most common cause by far.
- Test with nothing else online. If the loss only appears while others use the line, it is congestion in your router or line. See bufferbloat.
- Test at different times. Loss only in the evening points at your ISP's network being overloaded.
- Test different regions. Loss to only one region means a bad route between your ISP and that data center, not a problem with your line.
Rekt-al Net counts any request that fails or takes over 2 seconds as lost. Run the Rekt-al Net test a few times, including once in Long mode.
Step 2: fix it
- Wi-Fi: use a cable, or at least move to 5GHz and closer to the router.
- Cable and still loss: swap the cable, try a different router port, restart modem and router. Damaged cables cause loss constantly and are cheap to rule out.
- Loss on every test, even directly at the modem: call your ISP. Line problems (bad signal, faulty modem) are their job, and loss is a measurable fault they have to look at.
- Loss to one region only: report it to your ISP, or use a gaming VPN to route around the bad path.