Handling Connection Drops and Lag Spikes
Connection drops (sudden disconnects) or lag spikes (temporary ping increases) are network issues causing gameplay problems. Disconnects usually mean your internet connection failed temporarily. Lag spikes mean temporary network congestion. Both ruin competitive matches and should be investigated.
Diagnose causes: run a ping test (ping 8.8.8.8 repeatedly) to check your internet stability. Consistent failed pings indicate ISP issues. Run Task Manager to check if other applications are consuming bandwidth (downloads, streaming, video calls). Disable these before gaming.
Try troubleshooting: restart your router (turn off for 30 seconds, turn back on), restart your computer, move closer to router if using WiFi (wired Ethernet preferred), update network drivers, check ISP status page for outages. Most connection issues resolve after router restart.
If issues persist despite troubleshooting, contact your ISP. Connection stability is their responsibility. If ISP claims everything is fine but you experience frequent issues, use their diagnostic tools to identify problems. Don't accept poor connection quality—competitive gaming requires stable internet.
Key Points
- Connection drops: internet failure
- Lag spikes: temporary network congestion
- Diagnose with ping tests
- Check bandwidth-consuming applications
- Restart router as primary solution
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not diagnosing root cause
- Assuming game servers are at fault
- Running bandwidth-heavy apps while gaming
- Using WiFi instead of Ethernet
- Not restarting router when issues occur