How to fix packet loss error in VALORANT

Even if you’re the best Reyna in the business, a poor internet connection on VALORANT will be your downfall. Packet loss and high ping can impact players’ performance during matches, plaguing them with stutters or delays. The last thing you want is to fall further down the ranked ladder.

Say you’re destroying Haven. You’re tapping heads left and right, and suddenly, you’re dead without a sound. If you’re experiencing packet loss in VALORANT, you’re probably familiar with this occurrence. Players with packet loss will always play at a disadvantage versus others with smooth connections, meaning it’s an issue you should fix to have a better time in VALORANT.

What causes the Packet Loss error in Valorant?

Packet loss can occur for multiple reasons in the game and may even happen due to server outages on Riot Games’ side. If the servers are running normally, however, you’ll need to troubleshoot your home network since it could be caused by a local outage or error caused by your internet service provider (ISP).

Here’s how you can fix the packet loss error in VALORANT.

How to fix Packet Loss in VALORANT

Check VALORANT’s server status

Check VALORANT’s server status to see if your game isn’t the problem. Once they go down, players will likely start experiencing packet loss or struggle to make their way into a match. Your first move should be to check VALORANT’s server status since you’ll need to wait for Riot to fix the issue if they’re out of commission.

Suppose any recent issues are being reported on VALORANT’s server status webpage. In that case, you may also want to check out community hubs like Reddit to see if other VALORANT players are having problems.

VALORANT’s official Twitter page can also be a good source since developers often post updates regarding server-wide errors.

Restart your router

If the servers are running fine and you’re still experiencing issues, you’ll probably need to troubleshoot your home network. An outage on your ISP’s end or a routing error can cause problems; restarting your router will be the most straightforward fix. 

While restarting your router, you should do the same for your gaming device to cover both ends. A rogue background process hogging your bandwidth can also cause you to experience packet loss, and resetting your gaming device will allow you to get rid of it in most cases.

The classic “on-off” works a surprising number of times.

Run a speedtest

Connection quality and speed matter when providing a smooth gameplay experience. If your internet is unusually sluggish and you can feel web pages opening more slowly than usual, then there might be a problem with your internet speed.

One of the best ways to troubleshoot your internet speed will be running a speed test. If your internet speed is lower than its regular rates, you should check if any other background processes are clogging your bandwidth. Mobile devices downloading updates can also decrease your internet speed. You may also want to take your phone off Wi-Fi or see if other household members download updates.

If no one is downloading an update and you don’t have a background process using your bandwidth, you may call your ISP to see if they can spot anything off with your home network. Your ISP will have tools to detect any anomalies in your connection, and they may be able to fix it on their end.

Change your DNS

DNS servers can also go down like regular ones. When they do, they may cause your internet quality to suffer. Most players use the default DNS address es that their ISP often provides, and they may act up from time to time.

Troubleshooting your DNS is relatively simple, however, since you’ll need to swap it out with a commercially available one to see if it makes a difference. Google DNS is often the first choice of many players, and you may even see improvements in your connection speed depending on your location.

Don’t use a VPN

While watching Netflix from a different country may be a blast, online gaming with a VPN can cause some issues. Sure, your online presence is secure, but your ping and packet loss will cop a couple of blows if you pretend to be somewhere you’re not. A VPN adds another variable to the equation, increasing lag and ping.

If you can’t play VALORANT without using a VPN, your best bet is to find a VPN that can provide you with the best experience regarding ping and packet loss. Sign up for free trials and test out VPNs before subscribing to them.

Players experiencing high ping and packet loss may want to step back from attempting to climb the ranked ladder until they stabilize their connection. This will help preserve their rank and save them from getting a cooldown from the ranked mode, which can happen if they disconnect from one too many games.

Try a wired connection

This one is pretty straightforward. If you can get your hands on an ethernet cable, that will always benefit your connection and speed compared to Wi-Fi. Looking for a Cat 5 cable or higher will benefit your need for higher bandwidths. Simply having a better connection and better speeds can help prevent packet loss in VALORANT altogether.

Looking for gold-plated ethernet cables can benefit cables’ lifespans long term and even prevent corrosion of any metals.