Troubleshooting guides
Every guide follows the same order: measure, rule out your own network, then decide whether a paid tool is the right answer — including when it is not.
Ping and latency
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High ping in Valorant: is it you, your ISP or the server region?
A step-by-step way to tell an unstable local connection apart from a distant server region, using free tools first and paid ones only when the evidence supports it.
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Fortnite ping spikes: why the number jumps and what actually fixes it
Ping spikes need a different fix from a high-but-steady ping. Here is how to tell them apart and what to check in order.
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Apex Legends high ping: region choice beats almost everything else
Apex lets you pick a data centre, which makes it the best game to test whether your problem is the region or the connection.
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World of Warcraft high ping: realms, layers and the parts you control
WoW ping depends on your realm, the layer you are in and the route to that data centre. Here is how to tell which of them is the problem.
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AION 2 high ping for overseas players: server regions and the 200 ms problem
Playing a Korean MMO from outside the region means a distance problem first and a routing problem second. Here is how to tell them apart.
Packet loss and desync
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Rubber-banding and packet loss in Marvel Rivals: what to check first
Rubber-banding is usually a lost-packet problem, and the cause is usually local. Here is the order to check things in, and how to prove where the loss is.
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Call of Duty lag and packet loss: the checks that actually matter
CoD combines regional matchmaking, relay servers and a busy netcode. Here is how to work out whether your lag is local, regional or on the server.
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Escape from Tarkov desync: separating network loss from server load
Tarkov desync has two very different causes. This guide shows how to find out which one is hitting you before spending money.
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Diablo IV rubber-banding and lag: what to check before blaming the servers
Rubber-banding in Diablo IV is usually packet loss on your side. Here is how to confirm it in a few minutes.
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Valheim lag and desync on a dedicated server: a checklist that finds the cause
Valheim lag is usually the server host connection, not the game. Here is how to find out whose link is the problem.
Consoles and mobile
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PUBG Mobile high ping: what mobile players can actually control
Mobile has fewer knobs than PC, but the ones that exist matter more. A short, honest checklist for PUBG Mobile latency.
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Lower ping on Xbox: what you can do without installing anything
Consoles give you fewer options than a PC — but the ones that matter are the same, plus one console-specific trick with a router.
Myths and buying advice
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How to judge a latency tool before you buy one
A checklist for evaluating game boosters and route optimisers: what they can fix, what they cannot, what to test during the trial, and the marketing claims that should make you close the tab.
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Wired vs Wi-Fi for gaming: when the cable is worth it, and when it is not
The cable is not always the answer, but it is always the cheapest test. Here is what actually changes and what stays the same.
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Does changing your DNS reduce ping? No — here is what actually does
Google DNS, Cloudflare DNS and "gaming DNS" are sold as latency fixes. Here is what DNS does, what it cannot do, and what to look at instead.