Troubleshooting A Bad Internet Connection When Playing Online

We are gone accustomed to having our internet work for us 24/7. However, even the best internet connections can end up having a bad day. When you play online games, you want to have a stable internet connection as there's nothing worse than having your internet connection breakdown in the middle of an interesting gaming session.

Many users tend to immediately ring their internet service provider to fix the issue. However, we suggest first checking at your end if something is wrong. Follow these steps to see if you can fix things quickly.

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Change Your Device or Web Browser

Sometimes, the obvious works the best. Try to find out if you are encountering a problem only when you try to surf on a particular device, or is it the case with all your devices? If a website isn't showing on your PC, try surfing it on your smartphone or ask a family member to see if their device is able to connect.

Sometimes, a particular website might be troublesome to load. In that case, you should try surfing another website. If other websites are loading smoothly, the issue is with the specific website you wish to visit.

A bad internet connection could be especially serious if you were for instance in the middle of playing a hand of blackjack at your favourite casino site. The loss of connection will cost you your hand.

You can try free to use tools like to detect a service outage if you suspect it. If the outcome is clean, try deleting all the cache and cookies from your browser. You can also try another browser to surf the net or visit the site in a private browsing window.

Scan Your Device for Malware

If your internet connection is lagging too frequently, you should run a scan for any malware, trojans, or viruses on your device. Malicious codes can fudge up your internet connection in ways unknown.

If you have noticed that websites are loading slow on your console, immediately run a scan from your antivirus. Usually, Windows Defender can do a decent job by placing a Firewall and detecting any threats. However, you can avail the services of numerous free or paid antivirus providers.

Run a Speed Test

An internet connection that lags is a massive crick in the neck. If the connection is working but is extremely slow, run a speed test to determine if you would need to upgrade to a faster and better alternative.

Sites like Speedtest can help you examine how fast the connection is working. After looking at a short report on the screen displaying the megabits per second, check your bill on your Internet Service Provider's website.

If your bill tallies with the speed test report, there is no issue with the connection- but that you simply require a faster one. If the reports are mismatched, you should go on with troubleshooting the errors at your end.

Check Wi-Fi Settings

It is quite possible that a weak Wi-Fi signal is causing the lag. You should check your Wi-Fi Settings by clicking on the Signal icon on the top-right corner in macOS, or if you are using Windows, it will be on the bottom right. After that, check if you are connected to the correct SSID.

If this is not the case, you can change your connection priorities if you have connected by default to the wrong network. Click on the Windows symbol, right-click on Network, and select Forget to solve the issue.

Mac Users can open System Preferences, then go to the Network banner, click on Advanced and then visit the Auto-Join column to check for unwanted networks. If the problem persists despite being connected to the right network, right-click on the Network icon to access the System Tray. Then click on Troubleshoot Problems.

Clicking the option will activate Windows Network Diagnostics that can set things right.

Aside from that, if those Wi-Fi bars are running low, you should move to a new location within the house or use a Wi-Fi extender. Try connecting your computer to the router via an Ethernet cable to solve the issue.

Upgrade the Router

If you use multiple devices that demand a larger bandwidth, you must check your router and ensure that it is an upgraded model. Powerful routers with new technology will be able to sustain your demands for a smooth internet connection in a better way. You can use a dual-band router if you have heavier demands like online gaming and streaming content.

If these tips don't solve the problem, then go ahead and get in touch with your internet service provider.

Jessica Tanner

Update 16 November 2021