The last thing you need to be worrying about when you’re playing online multiplayer games is game lag or a high ping rate. The speed of an internet connection is one of the factors that is tied to a gamer’s performance during the game. Because no matter how well-trained you are and how good is your muscle memory, if you have a connection that constantly lags, your performance in the game will suffer.
The minimum Broadband Internet Speed required for Online Multiplayer Gaming is 5 to 10 Mbps. However, other factors such as the number of devices connected to your home network and the type of game you’re playing also affect the internet speed required for a smooth gaming experience. So, make sure you consider all these factors when choosing an internet plan.
Before we get to the minimum broadband internet speed that is required for smooth online multiplayer gaming, let’s shed light on factors that play a role in getting a good internet speed for your online multiplayer games such as what an internet speed is, how much speed should be recommended for different types of games, etc.
Role of Internet Speeds in Online Multiplayer Gaming
The metrics used for measuring internet speed are megabits per second or Mbps, or rather it is used to measure the speed of information transfer from one place to another. More specifically, how many megabits can be transferred in a second.
The higher the Mbps, the more data is transferred in a second, and the quicker you can download or upload data. Downloading and uploading is an important process for heaving processes like streaming or playing online multiplayer games.
Most online multiplayer games only require around 5 to 10 Mbps for a smooth gaming experience.
But that doesn’t mean you should go for an internet connection of that particular speed. Rather, you also need to keep in mind the number of devices connected to your home network. For instance, if four or five people are sharing the home network, they would also need an internet connection for smooth browsing according to their online activities which can be playing online multiplayer games, streaming movies in 1080p, downloading/uploading heavy files, or simply internet browsing.
If all these devices share 10 Mbps and use the internet at the same time, then all these devices are sure to experience a lagged internet connection. This is why you need to choose an internet plan that is designed to meet the browsing needs of all the devices connected to your home network. You can check out CenturyLink, which has multiple plans with their designed internet speeds and pricing for you to choose from.
Factors affecting Internet Speeds
Apart from Mbps, other factors should be considered when deciding on the broadband internet speed required for online multiplayer gaming. They are:
Number of devices connected to your home network
As mentioned earlier, if more devices are sharing the same internet connection, then all these devices will have to compromise on speed.
So, if you want a smooth gaming experience, then make sure that only the devices that need a full-speed internet connection are connected to your home network.
Online Activities of other users on the same network
The type of online activities being carried out by other users on the same network as you also affect your gaming experience. If someone is downloading a movie or streaming a TV show, it will naturally affect the internet speed for all devices sharing that same connection. So, if you’re playing an online multiplayer game and other users are carrying out bandwidth-heavy activities, your gaming experience will suffer.
The type of game you’re playing
The type of game you’re playing also affects the internet speed required for a smooth gaming experience. Games that are graphics-heavy or require quick reactions are more likely to suffer from lags if you have a slow internet connection. So, if you want to play these types of games, you need to make sure that you have a good internet connection.
Download Speed
This is typically referred to as how quickly your device can pull data from the external server towards itself. Generally, download speeds are higher than the upload speeds since it all depends on your online activities that require downloading more than uploading. However, many game developers recommend a minimum of 3-6 Mbps which is enough for your online multiplayer gaming.
Upload Speed
It refers to the internet speed it takes for your device to send information to an external server. However, mostly you aren’t sending a large amount of data to an external server, which is why in internet packages, you’ll notice that upload speeds are usually lower than the download speeds. Assuming that you are the only one connected to the home network, 1 Mbps will be the minimum upload speed needed for online multiplayer gaming.
Latency/Ping
The latency or ping rate refers to measuring how many milliseconds it would take for your device or console to send a message to the server and receive a response back. If there is a higher latency or ping rate, then that means that it is taking longer for data to be transferred from one device to another.
Latency or ping rate is measured in milliseconds. 20 ms or less is considered an optimal latency or ping rate for any online multiplayer game to go smoothly. If the latency or ping rate is between 20-50 ms, then gamers should have a good online multiplayer gaming experience. 50-100 ms is an acceptable latency or ping rate where a player will experience some bouts of lag in-game. Latency or ping rate from 100-300 ms is considered poor, where the overall gaming experience will be affected and full of disruptions.
How To Reduce Game Lag?
Check Your Broadband Internet Plan
The first thing you should do is check your broadband internet plan and see what speed you are getting. If it’s anything below the minimum broadband internet speed required for online multiplayer gaming, then you need to upgrade your broadband internet plan.
Use A Wired Connection
If you’re using a wireless connection, then there is a higher chance that you will experience game lag. That’s because wireless connections are not as stable as wired connections. So, if you want to reduce game lag, then use a wired connection instead of a wireless connection.
Restart Your Router
If you’re still experiencing game lag even after upgrading your broadband internet plan and using a wired connection, then restart your router. By restarting your router, you will be able to clear any potential connection issues that might be causing game lag.
Upgrade Your Router
If you have an old router, then it might not be able to handle the minimum broadband internet speed required for online multiplayer gaming. So, if you’re still experiencing game lag, then upgrade your router to a newer model.
Conclusion
Summarizing from the above, the network speed and latency/ping rate play a significant role in your online multiplayer gaming experience. Keeping the number of devices and their online activities in view, you must consider the minimum broadband internet speed for a smooth online multiplayer gaming experience.
