Have you heard a fellow gamer mention packet loss and wondered: What is packet loss in gaming? While it is a technical word, it is very common amongst pro gamers.
Packet loss in gaming is experienced when you play a game and notice the quality has suddenly reduced. It also causes your game to lag, disrupting your experience. All the games, irrespective of their modes, involve data transfer in the form of small packets. These packets can sometimes get lost due to interruption, causing jitters in your game.
This article will discuss what packet loss in gaming means and how we can reduce it.
What Is Packet Loss In Gaming?
Gaming is a type of network activity involving data transfer from one server to another. This data is transferred in the form of small packets. However, there are times when a packet fails to reach the server. This is what packet loss in gaming means.
Let’s take a simple analogy of a letter. Think about dividing a 7-page letter into different pages and then sending them out separately. This is how data is transferred. The network divides your digital data into multiple small packets and then sends it out from one point to another. Once you receive all the pages, you can assemble them and read the letter. The same happens with a digital packet.
However, there are times when a few pages of the letter are damaged or lost. The same happens with packets along their digital pathway. There is a probability that these packets will get damaged or get lost. This is what packet loss means in gaming.
When a packet is lost, it can lead to a poor gaming experience, and you may notice a few jitters. Packet loss in gaming is the primary reason your game lags at times. It usually occurs due to network congestion.
How To Reduce Packet Loss In Gaming?
While network congestion is the leading cause of packet loss, it can also occur due to software bugs or hardware issues.
Hence, before you can reduce your packet loss, you need to analyze the main reason your game is glitching. Here are a few ways to try and reduce packet loss in gaming.
1. Using A VPN
There is a chance that you’re experiencing packet loss due to your ISP limiting your connection. Before you start playing, you can log in to a trustworthy VPN service. The VPN will re-route your connection entirely. This helps you dodge network congestion from your end. However, a VPN would be useless if your gaming server is overloaded.
2. Getting Faster Internet
You can try upgrading your internet plan if you think you are experiencing packet loss in gaming due to network congestion. With a better internet connection speed, your console can connect faster with the server and experience less packet loss. This is typically helpful if your connection speed is less than 100mbps.
3. Using An Ethernet Cable
You might face packet loss due to a poor modem and WiFi connection. Even though WiFi technology has improved over the years, it is still not as good as the hardware connection. An ethernet cable can easily resolve issues between your router and the game.
Conclusion
Packet loss is a common phenomenon that we experience in our day-to-day lives. Since gaming is a more visual experience, players tend to notice it a little more than the general public. By improving your connection speed and using a VPN, you can reduce packet loss in gaming to some extent.
