How to Fix Laggy Online Gaming Experiences Caused By Network Issues

Few others take gaming more seriously than Brits. The UK is currently home to Europe’s biggest gamer population, which is expected to be nearly 40 million strong by the end of the decade. The majority of these gamers now prefer to engage online, with roughly 70% preferring this due to its social and competitive nature.

However, online gaming is becoming increasingly difficult to do because of lag. Though you can also experience sluggish gameplay if you use outdated software or devices, lag primarily occurs due to network issues—which happen to be especially common in the UK. A recent report suggests that with an average broadband speed of 110.99Mbps, the country currently has the 11th slowest internet in Europe. Connections are even poorer outside cities like London, meaning gamers in rural areas may experience worse lag. 

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do if you experience laggy online gaming experiences caused by network issues.

Restart or reposition your modem and router

Today’s most popular multiplayer games rely on a stable internet connection to keep you active during matches. If yours drops, the easiest thing you can do is to restart your modem and router, which is why we’ve noted it as the very first thing you can try if you want to fix Valorant stuck on loading screen. The proper way to do this is by unplugging your modem and router, waiting for 30 seconds, then plugging your modem back in and turning it on. After a minute, do the same for your router, then wait for two more minutes before re-launching your game. 

If that doesn’t work, you may want to rethink where your router is placed. According to a 2022 Censuswide surveycommissioned by internet service provider (ISP) Zen Internet, over 99% of British users aged 16 and up weren’t aware that positioning can significantly impact network performance. That includes the fact that your fridge can drown out your Wi-Fi connections. Another 54% didn’t realise that simply elevating their router could improve internet speed. That said, try repositioning your router in a high area, like on top of a bookshelf and away from the kitchen. You’ll also want to make sure it’s in a place where walls or doors don’t interfere with the signals it sends to your console or PC, so avoid putting it somewhere like in a cabinet. 

Switch to a faster ISP

Network issues may also stem from issues out of your control. When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released in 2023, for example, it attracted so many players that ISPs like EE, BT and Virgin Media O2 hit record traffic numbers—but it also overloaded their networks, causing lag for the franchise’s UK fans. You may also live outside urban centres. With the internet in Shropshire and other areas in the countryside currently at risk of becoming ‘digital deserts,’ where you live can significantly contribute to laggy gameplay. 

In these cases, it may be worth considering switching to a new broadband plan. Zzoomm’s broadband plan uses more modern full fibre connections for buffer- and limit-free speeds even during peak usage times, such as during the release of a new game. Its dedicated full fibre Herefordpackages (that are being offered in similar regions across the country, too) provide connections ranging from 150Mbps to 10,000Mbps, speeds that can facilitate low-latency gaming experiences that improve your response time as you play and give you a competitive edge. The plans have been particularly helpful for the town, which the Hereford Times notes has among the worst network issues in the country and previously experienced downtime using other ISPs like Sky and Community Fibre. As a result, over one in five Hereford properties now use Zzoomm. Carefully considering a new ISP in this way can help you make a switch that significantly improves your online gaming experience. 

Consider using a VPN

Over 47% of Brits currently use a VPN extension because of its ability to create a private connection to the internet, making it a useful tool for staying safe and secure on the web. Online gamers can similarly leverage VPNs to protect themselves from cyberattacks that target gaming servers, as well as to access geo-restricted titles. However, they can also be particularly beneficial for solving network issues caused by bandwidth throttling. 

Throttling occurs when an ISP intentionally slows your internet speed when you use too much data, which allows it to prevent network congestion and ensure consistent internet speeds across all its users. Those who play popular online titles like Dota 2 and League of Legends, which require you to send and receive large amounts of data related to graphics, player actions, and game updates, often experience bandwidth throttling. With a VPN’s private connection, you can hide your data usage from your ISP to prevent network issues. For your purposes, you may find NordVPN’s features to be the most useful. Currently the most popular UK VPN—YouGov finds that it’s used by a full quarter of Brits—it’s compatible with PC, mobile, and dedicated consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, which can help you avoid throttling regardless of what you’re using to play online.