How to Increase Your Internet Speed for Online Gaming

Online gaming is one of the most popular pastimes for people all over the world. The hobby serves as a great way of unwinding, passing the time, and connecting with others. Unfortunately, online gaming is often limited by the speed of a player’s internet connection. Too slow, and the game may lag or stop altogether, resulting in an overall frustrating experience. There are a few things that can affect your speeds, including your internet service provider and the actual hardware you have. To prevent these things from ruining your gaming session, you can increase your internet speed with these tips:

• Check your internet package
• Close extra programs
• Move closer to your router
• Use a wired connection
• Play on a local server
• Upgrade your router
• Try a VPN

Check Your Internet Package

If you’re having trouble gaming because of your internet speed, one of the first things you should check is your internet package. In some cases, gamers simply don’t have a robust enough plan for the speeds needed for easy gaming. This is especially true if your network has a lot of users, who may be streaming, browsing, and video chatting at the same time, which could strain any network’s speed. By upgrading your package, you can help avoid lag and frustration.

Close Extra Programs

If you (or others on your network) have extra programs or websites running online, that might slow your internet speed. For example, sites like Netflix and YouTube can steal away some of the power of your connection. By closing extra programs where possible, or removing extra wi-fi connected devices from your network, you may manage to increase your internet speed.

Move Closer to Your Router

You would think that by 2020 we’d have increased the signal strength of our wi-fi connections. However, things like walls, furniture, and flooring can still interrupt your wireless signal, slowing down your gaming. You can possibly increase your internet speed by physically moving closer to your router (or moving your router closer to you, if at all possible).

Use a Wired Connection

Wi-fi is one of the most convenient gaming options. You can set up your computer or laptop wherever is comfortable, and move around freely. However, sometimes wi-fi just isn’t strong enough for a fast and stable gaming connection. By using a wired connection through an Ethernet cable, you avoid the hassle of a cluttered wi-fi connection and can game without the hassle.

Play on a Local Server

Many online games allow you to choose from different servers for playing. The farther the server of your choice is, the more likely your connection will be slow. Choose a server closer to home for better speeds.

Upgrade Your Router

The quality of your equipment can play a role in the quality of your internet connection. If your speeds are slow and your router is old, consider upgrading to a newer model that can handle more traffic and offer better speeds. Routers designed specifically for gaming are available on the market, if you want something dedicated!

Try a VPN

In some cases, your internet speed is slow because your internet service provider deliberately slowed it down. ISPs may promise fast speeds to all users but the simple truth is that it’s cheaper to provide slower speeds to all customers, especially at peak times. In addition, ISPs that see you conducting internet-heavy activities (like gaming) may also slow your speeds to save them money. 

By using a high-speed VPN service, you can actually mask your activity from your ISP AND connect to a server owned by the VPN for higher speeds. Bonus: VPNs can also protect your privacy from trolls in the gaming world.

If you’re in need of a VPN for high-quality, high-speed gaming, look no further than HotBot VPN, available today on the Play Store.