Do you lag when playing games online? 4 ways to reduce lag and lower ping

When you’re playing games online, does it ever feel like you’re lagging?

For games where reaction time is important like FPS games or fighting games, even small delays and lag spikes can be stressful and cost you the game!

This article will discuss the 5 largest causes of lag when gaming and the best ways to fix it.

If you live in Japan or are curious about how internet in Japan works, make sure to keep reading!

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

• Top 3 causes of lag when gaming
1. Slow internet speed
2. High ping
3. Problems with the game server
• 4 ways to reduce lag
1. Change your internet provider
2. Connect to a LAN cable
3. Shorten your LAN cable
4. Review your PC specs
• If you are looking for high-speed internet with English support

Top 3 causes of lag when gaming

When you lag in games, usually it’s probably because of one of the following 3 things.

Let’s take a look at each of the causes carefully.

1. Slow internet speed

When you lag in games, it’s almost always caused by slow internet speeds!

It is said that internet speeds of at least 25 Mbps are required if you want to enjoy most gaming comfortably.

However, the internet speed that you need varies based on each game. You’ll want speeds of 100 Mbps or higher to game stress-free.

You can check the communication speed easily at speedtest.net. If you are interested, check it out below.

• speedtest.net

Even if you have fast speeds during the day, make sure to check at night. Your speed might slow down in the evening when the fiber-optic communication lines are busy as more people use it.

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2. High ping

If you feel lag when playing online games even though your internet connection speed is higher than 100 Mbps. You may have a high ping value.

Your ping value is a number that represents the response speed of an Internet connection. Ping is measured in milliseconds (ms). The smaller the number, the better and faster the response speed.

If you want to play online games comfortably, it’s best to keep the ping value under 50 ms.

In competitive games where your response time is critical for winning, the ideal ping is 15 ms. (if you live in a rural area, you should aim for 25 ms)

You can check how much ping you have at the site from earlier.

• speedtest.net

※1Gbps is the maximum network service capability speed for this service. Actual customer speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on several factors.

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3. Problems with the game server

There are times when glitches in the gaming company’s servers cause lag in online games.

In the worst cases, their server may be temporarily shut down and you may not be able to play their game until they fix the problem.

If there are problems with the game’s servers, there is nothing you can do. Shoot the game company a tweet or two while you wait for the server to recover.

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4 ways to reduce lag

As introduced so far, to solve the lag that you’re experiencing, internet speed and ping value must be improved.

Below are 4 basic things that you can do to reduce your lag.

Below they’ll be introduced one by one in more detail.

1. Change your internet provider

The most effective way to improve your internet speeds and ping values is to switch internet providers.

For most, this will probably solve the lag that you’ve been experiencing.

It takes about a month from applying to using the internet because of the installation work that needs to be done.

It takes time, but there is sadly no better way.

If you want to enjoy online games crisply and comfortably, consider signing up for high-speed internet service.

We recommend Sakura Fiber Internet.

※1Gbps is the maximum network service capability speed for this service. Actual customer speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on several factors.

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2. Connect to a LAN cable

If you are using a wireless router, try switching to a LAN cable (wired connection).

Wireless connections are much slower and more unstable than wired connections. In addition, if you are using an older type of wireless router, your processing speed may be slower.

If you want a wireless connection, you should invest in a high-performance router dedicated to gaming.

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3. Shorten your LAN cable

Shortening LAN cables may improve connection speeds.

If LAN cables are too long and are wrapped around and bundled together, consider replacing them with shorter cables.

LAN cables also have specifications and are classified by standards called categories. If you want to use it for gaming, there should be no problem if you choose Category 6 (CAT. 6) or higher.

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4. Review your PC specs

If you are playing games on a PC, you may experience lag due to insufficient PC specs.

Games are becoming more sophisticated every day, and the minimum PC specs required to enjoy new games are getting higher with them.

Check to see what your current PC specs are and compare them to the specs recommended by the game company, usually on their website.

If the specs on your PC are insufficient, consider upgrading the specs or purchasing a new PC!

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If you are looking for high-speed internet with English support

After reading our article, have you decided to change internet providers?

If you’re looking for high-speed fiber optic internet with English customer support, consider Sakura Fiber Internet!

※1Gbps is the maximum network service capability speed for this service. Actual customer speeds are not guaranteed and may vary based on several factors.

Sakura Fiber Internet’s monthly fees are 6,480 JPY/month, which is not the cheapest in the market. However, you will have access to English customer support 365 days a year and high speeds. Unlike other providers, you won’t be locked into a two-year contract with high penalty fees for canceling if you decided to go with Sakura Mobile.

During the installation process for fiber-optic internet, you will need to make explanations to your landlord or talk with the installation team; this is where many people who cannot speak Japanese struggle. However, with Sakura Fiber Internet, our bilingual staff will help you translate all the necessary information.

Check it out below

• Sakura Fiber Internet

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