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It is no secret that the world runs on high-speed internet today. Whether it is work, study, entertainment, or anything else, the internet plays a rather important part in our life. It supports gaming, streaming, and a whole bunch of other things that make life fun and enjoyable.
Gaming is an elite form of entertainment where you get to use your instincts and strategic thinking skills to take swift action. However, your gaming experience can quickly fall short of expectations if the internet connection at your home lags or slows down. Which we can understand is not a pleasant thing to go through. In this article, we present some foolproof tips on how you can boost your internet speed to get a smooth gaming experience.
A good internet speed can be a very relative term to use because it varies from person to person, depending upon their usage pattern. For gaming, however, the term is much more straightforward. Most of the console manufacturers in the industry recommend an internet download speed of at least 3 Mbps but for heavier multiplayer games, you may need internet speeds of over 20 Mbps to run smoothly. You will also need to know about your upload speed because that too will affect your online gaming. A minimum of 0.5 Mbps or 1 Mbps is considered a decent upload speed
Your internet performance will depend upon the type of online game you play and the number of devices connected to the network. Also, you may need to run a speed test to estimate your need and use.
Down below, we have compiled some of the best ways to enhance your gaming internet speed. Some methods may not work for you, but most of these tips are worth a shot. After all, why pay for an upgrade when you can get it for free?
It is important to know what internet speed you are paying for and what you are actually getting at the end of the day. Whatever your internet plan is, your speed should fall within the range of it. For fiber internet plans, look for symmetrical upload and download speeds. There are plenty of free online speed test tools that will help you check your internet speed.
The point is, that you should know what you are working with before you start optimizing your internet connection. If your speeds are good but your game lags, you may be able to get the performance up. But if you are getting a low internet speed or high latency, it might be time to upgrade your plan or look for another internet service provider.
Your router is responsible for distributing the internet across your home. But if you are gaming far from the router, especially with walls and floors between you and the router, you are bound to get slower internet. Try to place your gaming devices as close as possible to your router to get a better internet speed.
It would of course be preferable if you can move your router to a more central location and eliminate interferences. This way everyone will get much higher internet signals and a more enjoyable experience. Placing your router in your living room and away from home appliances would affect your internet connection positively, reducing lag and increasing the network speed.
If your router is in a place where it cannot be physically moved, consider the use of Wi-Fi extenders. These will help enhance your Wi-Fi signals throughout your home without the need to move your router. Wi-Fi extenders are not very expensive and are a great way to increase the Wi-Fi signals within your house.
More often than not, you might be able to rent out a few Wi-Fi extenders from your internet service provider. For instance, with Xfinity you can get one or two xFi Pods, depending upon the size of your home, for a small monthly charge. If you are looking for something more permanent, you can purchase these Wi-Fi extenders yourself. They usually plug into the wall outlets and work like a dream.
For a strong internet connection, wired is the best way to go. While Ethernet cables do seem like a great deal of work, they work a lot better in comparison to wireless internet connections. Simply plug an Ethernet cable into your gaming console and see how the performance of your internet perks up.
Nothing replaces the good old charm of a wired connection. Whether it is an Xbox, other gaming consoles, or a PC, connecting to the internet via a cable will give you much higher speeds than a wireless connection would. This is because an Ethernet cable gets you a direct connection to the internet without any interference or lags.
An Ethernet cable is a great addition to your gaming setup, but remember to keep it at an optimal length. The longer the Ethernet cable, the slower the internet speed will get. This is why a short Ethernet cable is much more effective at increasing speeds.
Also, consider upgrading your Ethernet cable type. Ethernet cables come in several types and generations. While it does not affect your performance all too much, your internet may lag if it is running on one of the older cables.
Too many users on a single network can quickly exhaust your bandwidth and lead to slower internet speeds. This often happens when the same internet service provider is supplying all or most houses in a neighborhood. To increase your internet speeds under such circumstances, declutter your home internet network.
You can do so in two ways. Either game late at night when fewer people are online or ask your family members to disconnect unused devices on the home network. While it may raise some eyebrows, this is a foolproof way to help boost internet speed for your gaming experience.
When you game on a local server, you reduce the ping of your internet speed. This way, your game does not lag and the internet speed supports it all the way through. One great way of making the most out of your internet speed is to play on local servers rather than international ones. This will reduce lags on your network and give you a better chance of winning.
Last but not least, consider upgrading your network for a better internet speed. You can start with something as simple as upgrading your router. A newer version will definitely be better for your internet network.
However, if the need arises, do not shy away from upgrading your internet service too. You can do so by either getting a higher speed tier with your current provider or going all out and switching your service completely. Either way, do your research in-depth and make sure you know what you are getting into before you do so. Many internet service providers offer promotional pricing and other benefits for new customers signing up with them. Look for the best possible deals in your area and choose something that fits your needs perfectly.
These were some tips to create the best internet for gaming. Most of these are simple things that you can do without much effort, like getting Ethernet cables of the latest kind to help boost internet speed. Do put these little tips to practice and see if your internet connection is optimized well enough to play online games smoothly.
While it is a bit of a controversial question, there are definitely some favorites when it comes to internet services for gaming. Some of our top picks for gaming internet include Xfinity, AT&T, Spectrum, and Suddenlink.
With download speeds ranging between 50 and 3000 Mbps, Xfinity Internet is one of the best gaming internet providers on the US map. Average low latency of 23ms with Xfinity means that your online games are always in real-time with little to no lags. Note that this is an average number, the latency range varies across locations. The best part about Xfinity is that there is a load of internet plans to choose from depending upon your budget and speed needs.
AT&T Internet is also one of the top services in the U.S for gaming. It has great fiber speeds reaching up to a whopping 5000 Mbps. An average low latency almost matching Xfinity at 24ms means that the connection is just as good if not better. AT&T is a good service provider with market-competitive plans and even high-speed IPBB and fixed wireless for remote and distant areas.
Spectrum Internet is a breath of fresh air with its high-speed plans and unlimited data allowance. The modem comes free with internet plans too. Internet speeds between 200 and 1000 Mbps are a given plus, but the average latency at 33ms is a bit high. Gig speeds do come at a slightly greater price but with its great coverage and high internet speeds, Spectrum is definitely an all-time favorite for new gamers.
As low a latency as Spectrum, Suddenlink Internet offers good internet speeds for gaming. Best budget plans with Suddenlink mean that gaming is easier and more affordable than ever. Plus the internet speeds are quite decent up to 1000 Mbps for the highest tier plans. Suddenlink also has good coverage in far-off areas and is hence a top choice for many.
The best internet for gaming is one that not only gets you high internet speeds, but also a good amount of data allowance. It should have low latency and high bandwidth so as to not let your connection lag. All you have to do is look for these few things in an internet provider and choose it on this basis.
Online gaming is a one-of-a-kind experience and needs a good internet service to help you live through all the action and drama. It is incredibly frustrating to have slow internet speeds while playing a game, especially when it lags uncontrollably and gets you killed every few minutes.
Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to optimize your internet speed and connection. These include upgrading your router, using an Ethernet cable, saving bandwidth, and things like that. However, do bear in mind that any permanent upgrade in your speed can only come if you get a higher speed plan or switch your internet service provider.
To find out about the best internet service providers for gaming in your area, call 1-855-349-9328.
Online gaming requires an internet speed of at least 20 Mbps. Anything lower than that could lag and affect the performance of your game.
DSL internet is usually not a good candidate for online gaming because it has slower speeds and high latency. However, some providers do offer high-speed DSL internet, which is good enough for some games.
Fiber internet is a great choice for online gaming because it offers symmetrical upload and download speeds along with high bandwidth. Most providers also give you unlimited data with their fiber plans.
Working closely with AT&T and DIRECTV over the years, Nathan has provided readers with insightful and informative content that allowed them to make informed choices for themselves. He has years of experience with content marketing, creating valuable content for internet users. He has worked for other major telecom service providers in the country, including Mediacom, Optimum, and Spectrum. His keen interest to stay atop all the provider news updates allows our readers to find quick and easy fixes for their internet, TV, and phone needs.