How to Stop Lag Spikes: Easy Solutions 2023
Learning how to stop lag spikes on your PC can be a daunting task, especially for games. There are so many factors involved. This guide will show you how to fix that. Whether it's a game-related issue or a general network issue, reading all the points listed below should help you identify the cause.
What Is Lag Spikes
Before starting to learn how to stop lag spikes, let’s get to know what it is. The lag spike occurs when the game freezes and then unfreezes. Or if the FPS value in the game is low. Is it definitely a lag spike, or is it just a drop in FPS (frames per second)? You’d better find out exactly what you're getting to play the game to maintain your game experience. It may not be easy for casual gamers to tell the difference between spikes in lag and drops in FPS, but they are.
It's common for games to have spikes in PC lag due to high ping or packet loss, and FPS drops simply make the game run less smoothly and cause stuttering. Random lag spikes are a whole other issue and can be caused by a variety of causes. It could be a weak internet connection, network congestion from multiple devices, hardware limitations like outdated components, resource-heavy background processes, server issues, or software conflicts.
How to Stop Lag Spikes
Many solutions may take effect to fix lag spikes on your PC. Learn how to stop lag spikes using these proven methods below.
- Test internet speed
When troubleshooting latency spikes occur, you can test your internet speed in the first place. Internet speed is crucial as it determines how fast you can transfer data from your device to the game server and vice versa. If the speed is too slow, there will be delays. There are many tools to test your internet speed. Once the test is complete, your download and upload speeds will be displayed in Mbps.
- Restart the network
If you are still experiencing lag spikes during your gaming experience, your should restart your network. This includes routers, modems, and other devices connected to your network. To do this, unplug the power cords from each device, wait a few seconds, and plug them back in. Waiting a few seconds is important, as some devices can take up to a minute to fully reboot.
- Update your network driver
Another way to help you learn how to stop lag spikes is to update your network driver. A network driver is a software that allows your device to communicate with your router. If it is old, it may be delayed. To update your network drivers, you first need to determine what type of network card you have. To do this, open Device Manager and expand the Network Adapters section. Locate your network card in the list of devices and note the manufacturer and model number. When the driver is downloaded, you can install it on your device and restart your computer. After restarting your computer, try playing the game again to see if the lag spikes go away.
- Use a wired connection
Wired connections are much faster and more stable than wireless connections. This is because a wired connection uses an Ethernet cable that connects your device directly to your router. Additionally, wired connections are immune to interference from other devices using the same wireless network. To use a wired connection, you can simply connect an Ethernet cable from your device to your router. Once connected, play the game again to see if the lag spikes go away. If you don't have an Ethernet cable, you can purchase one at your local electronics store.
- Use a game booster
Game Booster gives you a better experience while gaming. A game booster can help you bypass congested routes and redirects route to special paths. As for the best effective game booster, GearUP Booster is highly recommended. It can bring you a superfast and smooth gaming experience. The program is compatible with both PC and mobile, allowing you to boost the network connection speed on various devices. Might well give it a try to fix the lag spikes issues.
Conclusion:
After scanning carefully, you may know how to stop lag spikes easily. We hope this guide will be beneficial for you to solve the lag spikes problem. If you always encounter network lag issues, you might as well try several network booster tools to improve your surfing and gaming speed.