How to get the best broadband for online gaming

How to get the best online gaming experience in Ireland

If you’re a keen gamer, you’ll know that lag is the last thing you want when you’re gaming online. A reliable, fast broadband connection is crucial to a great gaming experience.

Whether you’re gaming on a Playstation, Xbox, PC or your phone, these factors are all important:

• Broadband speed
• Data allowance
• Type of connection

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Choose the right internet speed

To have a reliable gaming experience, you will need a good connection with speeds of at least 10Mbps. The faster the better.

The quicker your connection, the lower your latency will be, which means that the motion shown in the game will be fast enough for you to respond and interact as appropriate.

Choose the right type of connection

If you want to ensure you get the fastest possible speeds and reduce the likelihood of lag, a wired network connection will be the best option.

If this isn’t possible, you can use WiFi, but check that your router isn’t encased in a cabinet, or near any devices that can interfere with the signal, such as a baby monitor.

What is the fastest broadband plan for online gaming?

Fibre broadband is the fastest and most reliable type of broadband for online gaming.

The fastest broadband plan available in Ireland is the 1Gb Broadband plan from Virgin Media.

If you can’t access fibre broadband in your area, there are plenty of providers offering plans with speeds of up to 100Mbps.

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How to check your current broadband speed

If you’re not happy with your current broadband performance, run a broadband speed test to see what download and upload speeds you’re actually getting.

If it’s lower than you expected, our tips on improving your broadband could help.

What else should you look out for?

While speed is probably the most important feature to look for when you’re comparing deals, you should also opt for a broadband plan with:

• No traffic management
• A high-performing modem
• Strong technical support
• A low contention ratio

How to improve your broadband speed for gaming

If you are not keen on switching your broadband provider, there are several things you can do to improve your broadband connection speed.

Our guide to slow broadband includes lots of tips depending for wired or wireless connections.