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How to Setup the Ideal Internet Connection for Gaming

March 24, 2025 by Timby No Comments

I’m not a professional gamer, but I’ve always played like one, especially with my friends. Although I have a decent record in Call of Duty against my friends, a spotty connection contributed greatly to my losses.

So, to ensure I never lose to my friends again, I decided to fix my internet once and for all. Making my internet connection ideal for gaming wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be because all I needed were some little tips that my gaming buddies shared with me.

Here, I’m going to share those tips with you so you can also have the best internet connectivity for gaming. But before that, let’s start by analyzing how much internet speed you need for gaming:

How Much Internet Speeds Are Enough for Gaming?

The below table indicates the minimum and recommended internet speeds required for gaming:

Factors	Minimum	Recommended
Upload Speeds	0.5-1Mbps	5Mbps
Download Speeds	3Mbps	15-25Mbps
Ping	Less than 150ms	Less than 50ms

Now, let’s see how much internet speeds different gaming genres require:

First-Person Shooter (FPS) Games:

Upload Speeds: 5Mbps
Download Speeds: 15-20Mbps
Ping: Less than 50ms

Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Games:

Upload Speeds: 3-5Mbps
Download Speeds: 10-15Mbps
Ping: Less than 100ms

Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Games:

Upload Speeds: 3Mpbs
Download Speeds: 10Mbps
Ping: Less than 100ms

Sports Games:

Upload Speeds: 5Mbps
Download Speeds: 10-15Mbps
Ping: Less than 50ms

Moving on, let’s see how you can set up the ideal internet connection for gaming:

How to Setup the Best Internet Connection for Gaming:

Use an Ethernet Connection:

Although you may have to sacrifice your mobility for gaming with an ethernet connection, I believe it’s the best option you have. It’s because the physically attached ethernet cable reduces or eliminates the data packet loss and offers more bandwidth. Consequently, more bandwidth may translate to low latency, which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience.

On the other hand, routers are responsible for transmitting the internet signals in WiFi connections. Although these signals may reach our devices in milliseconds, even the slightest delay can cause inconvenience while gaming.

Plus, the internet signals may be obstructed from their path by heavy furniture, electronic devices, or thick walls which can contribute to high packet loss.

Upgrade Your Internet Plan:

I know some people are not a big fan of ethernet cables or may want to play games on their home WiFi connection. And if that’s the case with you, then fret not because it’s possible to have the best gaming experience on a WiFi connection as well.

However, on a WiFi connection, you may need to watch out for the internet plan you’re subscribed to. It’s because multiple devices or users may connect to a home WiFi connection.

Consequently, the connection’s bandwidth may be distributed among different devices and users, leaving it thin for online gaming. Hence, to ensure that there is no lag or latency in online games on a WiFi connection, upgrade your internet plan.

Frankly speaking, I also play games on my home WiFi because I’m more into mobile gaming. For that reason, I’ve subscribed to one of the high-speed Spectrum Internet plans. Till now, my experience with Spectrum Internet has been superb as I’ve faced no lag, latency, or bandwidth issues whatsoever.

Fix Your Router:

As I mentioned above, routers distribute the internet signals among the connected devices to a WiFi connection. Also, the routers play a major role in defining the internet signals’ strength. Hence, it’s important that you optimize your router to have the best gaming experience.

To optimize your router, ensure you have placed it perfectly. A perfect placement for a route is away from heavy furniture, thick walls, or electronic devices. It’s because the internet signals may diverge from their paths when they hit thick walls or heavy furniture. Also, electronic devices emit radiation which may interfere with the internet signals.

The router technology is also important to consider. It’s because modern routers like WiFi 6 or WiFi 6E may have quality of service (QoS) features. With this feature, you can allocate bandwidth for specific online tasks, like online gaming.

Close Background Applications:

Closing down the background applications or disconnecting the idle devices from the internet can positively impact your internet connection. Most people might not know that idle devices connected to the internet still consume internet bandwidth. For instance, you may receive social media notifications even when you’re not on your phone.

Wrapping Up: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What do internet upload speeds indicate?

The internet upload speeds show how quickly your system or gaming console can send commands/data packets to the game’s server.

What do internet download speeds indicate?

The internet download speeds indicate how quickly your system or console can receive commands/data packets from the game’s server.

Which internet connection type is the best for gaming?

Fiber internet is the best internet connection type for gaming. Plus, you can get symmetrical internet speeds (similar upload and download speeds) with fiber internet.