You have spotted your opponent before they have, you have prepared your weapons and your spells, you have pulled the trigger, and then something happens. The ability you cast passes by, yet you were so sure that you would catch him.
And then you give away your plan as well. Your opponent, whom you are looking for an opportunity to take out in one move, turns around, beats you good, and continues on his way.
Many of us have experienced this and similar situations because of ping and lag, the two words esport enthusiasts fear the most. To summarize, ping is the delay between the system you are playing the game on and the game server. For example, if the ping is 20 milliseconds, when you press the trigger or shoot a skill, it takes about 20 milliseconds, almost a fiftieth of a second, for the move to be processed by the server.
The longer that period is, the more delayed the response to the game is, and if it's even longer, it turns into what we call as lag. In other words, it gets to the point where you do not even realize that the enemy has already turned the corner while you think you are shooting directly at him.
Lag is such a damn thing, it's a nightmare for online gaming and esports. Generally a ping value over 70 is unacceptable.
So how can you lower the ping and protect yourself from lag when playing online games on the Internet? We would like to share a few tips with you.
1- Get the service of a good internet provider
The first rule is to choose a good Internet provider, both in terms of service and infrastructure. This can be different providers using the same infrastructure, such as ADSL, or choosing different infrastructures leading to your house. If you have fiber infrastructure that extends to your front door, that should be your first choice. If not, the cable might be a good alternative. If you prefer ADSL, you should choose a provider that has a proven track record for quality of service and that you can easily reach in case of problems.
2- Keep your upload speed high
This point is often overlooked, but especially if you have a large number of devices in your home that are fed from the same network, you should choose a connection tariff that not only has a high download speed, but also a high upload speed. Otherwise, every device that connects to the Internet from TV to the phone via the same wireless network will be loaded into the modem for data and when someone at home starts downloading something, it leads to a serious lag issue.
3- Choose a good modem
In recent years, new modems have appeared on the market, aimed at gamers and containing many antennas like hedgehog spines. They have the preferred electronic components in their manufacture, antennas with high range and the ability to optimize the bandwidth for more simultaneous wireless connections. Their prices are a bit high compared to standard devices, but it can work.
4- Connect with cable if possible
The ideal way to minimize latency between the modem and the system you are gaming on is to choose a direct wired connection. If possible, you can pull an Ethernet line directly between the computer you are gaming with and your modem. If the conditions are not suitable for such a configuration and you have problems with wireless connection, you can resort to solutions called Powerline, which distribute the Internet to the house through the existing power line.
5- Keep your computer up to date
By equipping your computer with up-to-date components, you can not only enhance your gaming experience but also overcome performance-related connectivity issues. Just like a good modem, a good wireless receiver on your computer can make all the difference in esports, where milliseconds matter.
6- Connect to the right server
Some games have different servers for different regions. You may even find that multiple servers are hosted in the same country or region. In general, try to choose the game server that is geographically closest to you. This way you'll not only reduce latency but also increase your chances of meeting players who share your language and culture. Sure, if that's what you prefer.
By taking the above recommendations into account as much as possible, you'll be able to keep the enjoyment of challenging games at the highest level.
Speaking of esports, you can find the best esports events from all over the world and place your bets on Luckbox.
