How To Use A Gaming VPN To Reduce Lag

Do you want to witness an efficient gaming experience? Then you are at the right place. If your gaming screen hangs a lot or you face connectivity issues, you might be curious about “How To Use A Gaming VPN” to overcome this lag. But firstly, it’s important to know the reasons behind this inconvenience. ISP throttling and overloaded servers can be a few of them.

Fortunately, a good gaming VPN can help you enjoy your favorite game without interruption. You’re probably wondering “How To Use A Gaming VPN?” Don’t worry! This ultimate guide is based on authentic information that aims to clear your confusion about gaming VPNs and how to use them effectively.

To enjoy a smooth gaming experience, you should connect your device to a nearby fast VPN server. There are a lot of other things to consider too. So, in this blog, you will learn a step-by-step method on “How To Use A Gaming VPN” to reduce gaming lag. We will also recommend high-value VPN services and prepare you for improved gaming sessions. So, stay tuned till the end!

Why Is My Game So Laggy?

Before digging into the reasons, it’s better to understand the meaning of game lag and how to use a gaming VPN. Lag represents a pause between a gamer’s activity and the reaction of the server. It can be of two types: latency lag caused by overcrowded servers or graphics lag caused by insufficient processing power of the PC (FPS lag).

A time slot of 40 to 60 ms is considered an average lag but a ping of more than 100 ms can be problematic. Don’t know why your game is so laggy? Using a gaming VPN might help. Here are some of the general reasons that can increase the lag time and tips on how to use a gaming VPN to mitigate it.

Limited Server Space

The faulty server can be jammed by excessive traffic which will decrease the network speed and ultimately result in game lag. Similarly, if you use a low-quality VPN with limited server space, it will lag during peak hours. The reason is that too many people are operating on the same network.

This spike of users is called Wan error, reminiscent of a traffic jam of data packets. The solution is understanding how to use a gaming VPN effectively. Choose a good gaming VPN that either limits traffic or has expansive servers to minimize lag. But how to use a gaming VPN to ensure zero lag? You’ll find out soon.

System Lag

The game you are playing should require less space and features on your device to run smoothly. If you use an outdated system, it will not fulfill the game requirements and you might face serious lag. Learning “How To Use A Gaming VPN” can also enhance your gaming experience. So, your windows should be upgraded and you should use the latest PC model to avoid game lagging.

Graphics Lag

If your game is featured with trendy graphics, then you should ensure that you use the latest graphics card drivers. Understanding “How To Use A Gaming VPN” can further optimize your connection. This is because the resolution and graphics setting of your game can lead to a heavy lag.

These features define how much function your graphics card has to perform to submit each framework. A high-resolution graphic can amplify your input lag. So, old-fashioned card drivers can be the main cause of game lag.

Network Lag

If your system and card drivers are fit for effective gaming, your network connection can be the problematic factor. If you use an average-speed network and it is overcrowded with traffic, it will reduce the activity of the server and in return lead to game lag. One solution is learning how to use a VPN for gaming. So, internet speed can also affect your game performance. Wondering how to use a VPN for gaming to reduce network lag? Continue reading to get your answer.

Old Encryption

Another reason for high latency is outdated encryption. Like all VPN services, gaming VPNs also use knotty encryption protocols. Wondering how to use a VPN for gaming to streamline encryption and avoid lag? Encryption protects your information as it moves in and out of your network.

Past encryption programs and outdated protocols can cause serious gaming lag. This is because every single piece of data information is encrypted at your end and then gradually decoded in the VPN server. Understanding how to use a VPN for gaming with the right encryption settings is crucial.

So, ensure that your respective VPN has advanced AES-256 encryption protocol standards. They aid in reducing lag on your PC.

Wrong Antivirus Software

The high latency of your gaming experience might be due to the selection of the wrong antivirus software. Many VPNs use antivirus software to protect your hard drive from malware influx. Unluckily, some programs perform this activity aimlessly.

It means that your VPN might trace each bit of incoming code for powerful viruses rather than collecting and safe-listing trusted resources. The delay caused by this inefficiency can frustrate the gamer and cause a serious lag that can be difficult to tackle with the VPN.

A simple alternative for this condition is to shift your gaming to reputable servers or to use a high-quality VPN that is optimized for gaming. But the gamers are mostly confused about how to use a gaming VPN. Your answer is in the content below.

ISP Throttling

If you perform high-bandwidth operations, your ISP might be inclined to restrict your connection and hinder your online activity.

If your Internet Service Provider is of low quality, it can cause gaming lag because it itself throttles your bandwidth. This is an annoying feature some ISPs own to save maintenance expenses or divert more traffic to their network in sync.

Geographical locations

Many online gamers don’t know about this but your geographical location has a vital contribution to your gaming network speed. Putting it another way, we can say you should always use the game servers that are located near your place.

For instance, if you are living in Europe and using Asian or US servers, you are more likely to face high latency than if you use the local European servers.

Tips to Fix Your Lag Problem

After going through the reasons, you can better understand why your game is lagging. Now, it’s time to look at a few tips that might help you solve your lagging problems. 

• Update your drivers, especially graphic card drivers. 
• Execute any latest system updates and security suggestions.
• Plug directly into your router instead of using wifi.
• Contact your ISP and overview its bandwidth strategy.
• Upgrade your network connection or only allow a few users to operate on a single network.
• Contact your game’s support team in case of any inconvenience.

If you still face issues after applying all these measures, we suggest you use a top-gaming VPN. Our trusted one is NordVPN. It is capable of solving any gaming issue but you don’t need to rely on only our recommendation. You must try it yourself. It can be easy as NordVPN provides a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Reduce Lag with a VPN

Does VPN reduce ping in games? A VPN can surely help you get rid of gaming lag but when using a VPN, reduce the number of devices connected to your WiFi network. It will help decrease the lag.

It will also be good if you prefer using an Ethernet cable. Using a virtual private network and a trustworthy game server will protect your data from hackers and enhance the speed of your gameplay.

How Can a VPN Reduce Game Lag?

If your ISP notices gaming activities that require a higher bandwidth, it will tend to hold up your connection. It will lead to serious game lag and retardation in other online activities. You can solve all these issues by connecting to a VPN. It will help you out in the following ways:

Reduces Throttling

Thanks to the VPN service! Now you can avoid bandwidth throttling easily. High latency is basically due to P2P sharing. But a VPN encrypts your whole online presence and your ISP is no longer able to predict which activity is high-bandwidth and which is not.

It also cannot predict which type of traffic you are up to. So, using a gaming VPN is the best way to remove throttling from your connection and get back to the fortune of high-speed gaming.

Reroutes Data

Overcrowded servers are not so good because famous games mostly have a lot of players playing on a single server. It reduces the gaming speed. A VPN can reduce this lag by paving a direct route between your PC and a better game server.

But the results are not the same every time. Some VPNs might elevate the lag by the extra engagement your data receives through the VPN server and the coding and decoding of that data.

Access Closer Servers

If your game server has a geographical limitation, a VPN will connect your device to a server near your specific location. Cracking the limitations of site-restricted content is the specialty of virtual private networks.

For instance, if you live in Europe, and choose to play on an American server, a VPN will connect your gaming device to a US-based server that comparatively gives less lag.

Protects From DDoS 

If you play games online, you must be aware of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). It’s a cause of heavy game lag and sometimes even disconnects the player from the game. VPN can protect you from such tragedies because it conceals your IP addresses to improve your online security.

Thus, it keeps you safe from DDoS and snoopers that target your connection. But how to use a gaming VPN? Your answer is in the next section.

How to Use a VPN for Gaming?

Installing a gaming VPN to your PC is not a hard nut to crack. It only requires a few easy steps to follow. 

• Choose a VPN that is best for gaming. NordVPN is our recommended one.
• Download and install the VPN on your device.
• Link it to a VPN server that is close to your game server. 
• Here you are all set to enjoy a lag-free gaming experience. 

However there are a few factors to consider that can improve the productivity of your VPN and ultimately help you with your gaming lag.

Choose the Right Location

So the question is, how to use a gaming VPN for the right location? Information only requires a fast connection. The speed of your network or the bandwidth of your server doesn’t matter at all. Your speed limit should be the speed of light. The material of wires used for signal transmission also affects the connection speed. Signals move slower over copper wires.

Do you know that even at a highly achievable speed, a signal requires 29 ms to travel from San Francisco to London? It’s almost 40 ms if transmitted through a fiber optic wire. But it’s not over here. It’s even slower on standard phone lines.

This time is not that much but the overall results are not so good when you transfer a signal from one server to another and then it returns through the network again. So, now the point is how to use a gaming VPN by changing the location.

The only method to overcome this issue is to reduce the distance for signal transmission. It can be done by installing a router near the gaming PC at home. You can also select a VPN server that is ecologically close to your place.

Many VPNs fix different servers around the globe to hide your location. You can also connect to overseas servers this way. But if you are struggling to reduce gaming lag, you should connect to a nearby server.

Optimize Your Gaming VPN Settings

How can a virtual private network reduce ping times while gaming? It’s not hard to increase your ping rate and reduce your gaming lag by practicing a few ordinary changes on your end. One way to do so is by blocking all unnecessary background processes and just letting the VPN and gaming programs work.

Background Internet-enabled apps also require a VPN to work. So, they are also involved in slowing down the speed. To play the game smoothly, disable as many of them as possible.

Best VPNs To Reduce Gaming Lag

Not all VPNs work best for gaming. So, we have found the three top-rated VPNs that are efficient in reducing game lag. Continue reading to explore what they are and what makes them best for enhancing game performance.

NordVPN

The most recommended VPN for reducing game lag is NordVPN. Its efficiency is due to its 5,800+ working in 60 countries. Top-notch features of NordVPN include unlimited bandwidth and installation on your router to shield gaming consoles.

But this is not over here. NordVPN has expanded security control, 6-device connection limit at a time, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It also owns the Meshnet feature for LAN multiplayer games. If you are an Android user, you can try it for free for 7 days while VPN.com is providing its subscription with a 54% discount on a 2-year deal.

There is so much information to retain about this famous VPN. You can visit VPN.com for an honest NordVPN review.

CyberGhost VPN

CyberGhost is famous for its high speed and top-quality security features. Its servers work on 10 GBps providing unlimited bandwidth and can bear heavy traffic to run the game smoothly. The vast server network of CyberGhost works in 94 countries.

So, you will always find a fast server near your place. With the help of CyberGhost, say goodbye to sluggish gaming sessions and welcome a lag-free gaming experience on CS:GO, League of Legends, Fortnite, Valorant,
Apex Legends and many more!

You can purchase an affordable CyberGhost subscription by VPN.com. If you want to learn more about this popular gaming VPN, all details are available at VPN.com

Surfshark VPN

Surfshark is another trusted gaming VPN. This fast VPN allows you to connect to its 3,200+ servers in 100 countries. It blocks unnecessary ads and malware, provides an unlimited bandwidth, and saves your device from DDoS attack by masking its IP address from your ISP.

Its lightning-fast speed and unlimited device connection make it stand out from the crowd. So, you can connect all of your favorite devices with this amazing VPN with a 60% off at purchase price by VPN.com.

Its free trial is available on Android, iOS, and macOS. The 30-day money-back guarantee makes it convenient for use. You can try it to see whether it’s good for your gaming experience or not. If you are not satisfied with the service, you can claim for a refund too.

ExpressVPN

Do you know about the famous ExpressVPN? It has 3,000 servers in 94 countries. Bypass throttling and streams with extremely high speed. It produces a very low latency of approximately 30 ms when linked to a nearby server which is quite acceptable.

This VPN is specially optimized to enhance the gaming experience. So, it not only works best on PCs but also shows effective results on mobile phones and consoles. Visit VPN.com for getting further information about ExpressVPN.

How can I Reduce Lag with a Free Gaming VPN?

When the main focus is lag-free gaming, we recommend using premium versions of VPNs rather than going for free ones. The reason is free VPNS are not guaranteed to provide the necessary speed and server connection for fast gaming performance.

But you don’t need to worry much. There are better options available that provide both security and performance.

To make a wise decision, go for free trials of premium VPNs or avail a subscription that offers a good money-back guarantee. Two VPNs that offer such amazing services are NordVPN and Surfshark.

VPN.com: A Trustworthy Gaming VPN Supplier

Are you looking for a VPN retailer that can help you enjoy gaming without any interruption? VPN.com is striving to bring ease to your life. We are providing affordable deals that not only protect your online performance from attackers but also reduce game lag effectively.

Just go to the VPN section on the top menu bar of the VPN.com homepage, click the Gaming link, and choose any of the mentioned VPNs that you think will work best for your gaming.

Using a VPN and Still Facing Game Lag

Before optimizing the VPN to reduce game lag, you have to make a few adjustments to avoid any inconvenience. Here are a few things to take care of.

Test other servers. Many premium VPNs provide thousands of servers. So, if your game speed is slow due to an overcrowded server. Simply, search for a new server in your VPN and connect to enjoy a lag-free gaming session. 

Connect to a server near your home. Another factor that can alter the VPN performance is geographical location. If you pick a VPN server that is fixed near your physical location, it will enhance your gaming performance. So, to avoid more ping, choose a VPN server closer to your current gaming location.

Shift to a premium service. Not all VPNs work best for gaming. If you want to be loyal to certain VPN services, they might not deliver your expected outcome. You should upgrade to premium VPN services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN which are proven to reduce lagging and are trusted by thousands of gamers worldwide. 

Update your device. Your VPN is more likely to work best on the latest operating system. If you have been continuously neglecting software updates or popping security alerts, you might face issues in gaming smoothly. So, install all updates and reconnect to your VPN for better performance. 

How Can I Enhance My Gaming Experience?

If you are still looking for an improvement after applying a VPN, it’s time to pay some extra heed to your network and system. Execute a few simple updates as follows:

When it comes to increasing the system output, the first thing to do is to run virus and malware scans. Close unnecessary programs running in the background and free up the space to enhance gaming speed. Don’t forget to upgrade your hardware. A new processor, graphics card, or even a cooler can make a huge difference.

If you are not satisfied with your internet speed, you should contact your ISP to know their bandwidth throttling policies. But a better option is to implement a reputable VPN because it will give you permanent relief. You can also adjust the location of your router to avoid interrupted gameplay.

Conclusion

If you are disappointed by game lag, a good-quality VPN is a better option to get rid of this uncertainty. It hinders the impact of ISP throttling, shifts your game to a new server, reduces the ping, and does whatever it can to improve your gaming performance.

We hope that now you better understand how to use a gaming VPN and how it helps you in the long run. VPN also keeps you safe from DDos attacks.

We encourage you to use NordVPN because its fast speed, vast range of servers working worldwide and amazing 30-day money-back guarantee will never leave you empty-handed. So, avail your NordVPN subscription from VPN.com and enjoy a hassle-free gaming experience!