How to get in the game and stay on top of the leader board
Gaming, it’s an amazing way to lose yourself in fantasy wars, digital realms and become the sportsperson you thought you would in your childhood dreams. But, there’s nothing more frustrating than getting lost in the virtual world to then come crashing back to reality because of your unreliable broadband.
So, you’ve ordered the top service offered to you by one of the big broadband companies – a 67Mbps download speed that got your gaming control tingling with anticipation. You even ordered the service that promises to give you £100 off your bill if your connection drops. Not only that, you’ve invested in a new 4k, 65 inch TV to experience the best at home gaming there is to offer.
You have waited for the family to go to bed, have loaded that game and waited an hour for the latest update – which surely could be faster. You get into that first map and get ready to dominate the scoreboard and you start to wonder… “Why does my game keep lagging? I’m sure I have superfast connection from BT, TalkTalk, PlusNet, EE or Sky”.
It’s a first world problem but it’s a frustrating one for us avid gamers. It’s not your expensive TV and it’s certainly not the fact you are not quite the professional gamer you once thought you were…
It’s your connection. Why? Because you may have fibre to your local cabinet but you certainly don’t have it from there to your home. Unfortunately you’re stuck with the with hundreds of years old copper from the local cabinet to your house and the top of the range service you’re paying for is being shared with the rest of your street and town.
Internet speeds matter for gaming
Big games need great speeds to move data packages from your gaming room (or living room!), to the data centres located across the UK and then back to you again. This happens on repeat, so it’s no surprise connection can get lost which causes unreliability and lagging.
PlayStation or Xbox X’s, 4k streaming and HD files just to name a few, are infinitely larger so you will need more bandwidth in order for them to work exactly how you need them to.
The faster the internet connection, the lower risk of lag. Faster internet speeds ultimately widen your bandwidth, increasing the amount of data that can be processed through your broadband at the same time. So, the 69Mbps connection you’re paying a premium for isn’t going to cut it.
What is a good internet speed for gaming?
We are often asked what speeds are needed for gaming without interruptions. The estimated minimum will requirements for an upload speed of at least 1Mbps and a download speed of no less than 3Mbps.
However, if you go by these speeds, you are guaranteed that your games are going to continue to run very, very slowly, which will frequently buffer and lag.
There are no official hard and fast rules to the exact number of download and upload speed you need for gaming, however the type of connection you go for will have a significant impact on your bandwidth. So let’s give you the run down…
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
The most common form of broadband in the UK is called ADSL. This network uses copper cables that connect your home to the local telephone cabinet shared by many other homes. This setup makes up over 80% of the UK broadband infrastructure and by many of the main providers in the UK. It’s no wonder it can be so slow with so many households on the same line.
Fibre-optic broadband (FTTC)
FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet) connects your home by a copper wire to a street cabinet, which is then connected to the wider UK network by fibre-optic cable, taking an in-between approach between copper and Full Fibre. It sounds similar to Full Fibre, but it is not as fast, effective or reliable and your speed will be dependent on far from the cabinet you live
Full Fibre broadband (FTTP)
Fibre To The Premise (FTTP), is the cabling that Zzoomm uses, utilising fibre-optic cables all the way into the residential properties and businesses, with current speeds reaching as high as 10,000 Mbps. FTTP is also sometimes known as FTTH – Fibre To The Home. This is the preferred type of connection to optimise your gaming needs. There is also the benefit that FTTP can match the upload and download speeds.
How to reduce the dreaded lag
1. Turn off devices that aren’t in use
Try and reduce the amount of traffic on your home network. You can do this by turning off smart devices you have around the house and pause any automatic software updates while you’re playing. Also, check no one is streaming any 4k boxsets in the room next door!
2. Use a plug in ethernet
Of course, Wi-Fi is obviously a lot more convenient than an ethernet cable, but there are significant advantages to using an ethernet cable when gaming. A wired connection will always provide a more consistent speed with lower latency.
3. Relocate your router
If you just have one router, you can always try to see if you can move it closer to your gaming room. However, bear in mind that this may change the effectiveness of other devices in your house.
4. Avoid peak hours
Ok, we know this can be difficult to avoid, however if you have a broadband connection that isn’t Full Fibre, then download and upload speeds can be significantly lower than normal during peak hours. If you experience more lag during the evening, your local internet traffic might be to blame.
5. Switch to Full Fibre broadband – The sure-fire winner
If none of the above have helped and you have simply had enough of sharing your connection with the whole street and losing against your mates, it might be time to switch to Full Fibre.
A Full Fibre optic network, connected directly to your home is the only way to guarantee amazing broadband speeds. Full Fibre to the premise known as FTTP means the modern fibre optic cables that connect the cabinet along your road also connect your home.
For more information on just how different Full Fibre and standard Fibre broadband are click here.
Why Zzoomm?
We are proud to supply an incredible service to many towns in the UK. The need for powerful broadband is only growing as our increase in smart devices and staying connected shows no signs of slowing down.
At the moment only 18% of households in the UK currently have access to Full Fibre broadband. When you’re able to, investing in Full Fibre networks means you can future proof your home to reliably cater for your digital needs for decades to come. Win win!
We provide a service suited to everyone which include services like our Home 400 option that is ideal for gaming – even with a busy household with lots of ‘always on’ devices. Not only this, but Zzoomm’s services allow you to have epic upload speeds as well as download speeds which is pivotal for us gamers. For more information on upload speeds and why they’re so important when it comes to gaming, check out our article on why you shouldn’t sweep your upload speeds under the carpet.
As well as the technology we use, our service packages all come with two routers for optimum efficiency all round the house, no lengthy tie ins with 12 month contracts only and local & friendly customer support from the moment you enquire through to installation. Ok that was a lot, and breathe…
If you would like to speak with one of our Zzoomm experts about optimum gaming speeds and how Full Fibre Broadband can increase your chances of beating your friends on FIFA, they would be happy to help.