Is a Gaming Router Worth It?

I’ll be the first one to tell you that we have the most standard internet plans you can get. Our college apartment is old and the last thing we want to spend too much money on is internet speed. It’s not common for a lot of people to think of “gaming routers” as something to complete their perfect PC set up. After doing some research, I’m a little skeptical of looking into a unit labeled as a “gaming router.” If you were to come up and say, is a gaming router worth it?

Based on the few hours of research I did, I found that gaming routers are no different than regular routers. It’s nothing more than a label. You have more than enough if you have within 50 to 100 mbps. These numbers also take into account if you have other family members or roommates that will be using the internet at the same time you are playing. My connection speed is around 70 mbps (mega bits per second) and I ran Arma III seamlessly while my two roommates were watching videos. 

In this article, I’ll break through all of the jargon that surrounds internet speeds what really matters for smooth online gaming. I’ll also help you find ways to increase your internet speed if you’re not trying to get a new modem/router.

 

Types of Connection

(Skip this if you already know about them).

There are 3 different types of connection:

• DSL (digital subscriber line). This is the type that connects to a telephone wire and based on where you live, it can provide you with up to 100 mgps (really good). The con is that your connection speed is at the mercy of where you’re located in reference to other nodes.

 

• Cables. These are faster than DSL and speed is less dependent on other people using the network in your area (neighbors etc). Depending on where you live determines how well your connection will be with certain companies.

 

• Wireless. The above two always have to be connected through a wall node but not with wireless. This is a better option than the two but only if you want a more expensive option and have cash to burn

 

• Fiber Optic and Ethernet. These offer the fastest connection speeds as they are also the most reliable. Plugging in an ethernet to your PC is the fastest way to boost connection speed. Most gamer enthusiasts have ethernet cables running into their PC 24/7. The more abundant Google Fiber becomes for all of us, the better our gaming experiences will be.

A quick note on pings: Pings are a measure of how far away you are from the multiplayer server. It’s okay if you have a high ping as long as it’s at least under 100. Sometimes your ping will fluctuate depending on how many players are in the match. Even someone with a high ping can run a smooth multiplayer match and people with a low ping can even experience some interruptions.

 

What Really Matters For Smooth Online Gaming

There’s a lot of factors that can affect how smooth an online gaming session works. Let’s clear some obvious points up first: Sometimes the multiplayer server just lags out and no one can do anything about it. The usage of neighbors and surrounding houses can also affect it. Some nights, there just might be a bunch of people on the web or in your multiplayer lobby from far away areas. At least everyone is in it together. Sometimes even poor game design causes lag. This applies to gaming consoles as well.

The general consensus from the gaming community is that you only need about 10 mgps of download speed and 2 for upload (upload doesn’t matter that much). That being said, make this number your primary goal! You should have no problem hitting this mark considering that even low quality routers can generate up to 20 mbps. I haven’t gamed on low mbps before, but also keep in mind that there are also optimum bandwidth benchmarks for each game that is preferred over the minimum 10 mgps. Physical obstructions, network range to the computer, and signal sharing all affect internet speed. Aim to utilize an ethernet plugin if you have a stationary gaming set up, as this can be this quickest fix for internet speed. 

 

Physical barriers or having multiple people on the network at once dramatically hinders an online gamer on the same network. But it’s likely you already knew that. One thing to easily solve this problem is to get a secondary wireless access point. This is just a device that expands the reach of your wifi throughout the house. You can use these if your internet is downstairs or if there are a lot of walls blocking you and the internet-rich room. These can also increase the speed of your internet and create a virtual bridge across dead zones in your house. Just do a quick search on Google to find out how these work.

 

NetGear XR500 A Real Gaming Router?

From the various reviews I’ve read about this thing, most people think it’s overhyped. Even if you search for “gaming routers” on Google, you’ll see that standard routers show up. So what does this mean? You can game on any regular, high-speed router. It doesn’t have to look fancy and have the word “gaming” slapped onto its title. Yes, the XR500 is an awesome product for people, but it has the same exact shortfalls as other routers. The only unique feature it offers is that it can more easily link you up to the fastest and nearest multiplayer server. Even then, most PCs do this by default.

I found that the people who liked this router the least were people who wanted to use this for their smart home and everyday use. As a searching customer, it seems to me that it’s almost too specialized for gaming efficiency. I’m skeptical that it can perform well unless my PC and other devices are right next to it. Still, if you don’t live with heavy users of media and want your internet mainly for gaming, you’ll likely be one of those people who give this a five star review. 

I think it’s more important to focus on the factors that are affecting your current internet settings. I was surprised to learn that online multiplayer gaming wasn’t as demanding to bandwidth as I thought. With that being said, I think most people will be able to improve their current settings to a level they are satisfied with. I’ve read forums where people were comfortable gaming with only 5 mbps!

 

Recommended Bandwith For Common Games

Take a look below at the following tables. I compiled a reliable list of the optimum bandwidth for some pretty demanding multiplayer games. Don’t forget that you can still have a smooth running match even if you’re internet is below these marks. All these stats are measured in megabits per second of download speed. Also note that these are the benchmarks you’ll want to have to assume you are the only person demanding the most from your internet. Your connection might be slowed if other users are on the network streaming Netflix or watching Youtube.

 

*A lot of people recommend running Arma III on a minimum of 80 to 100, but I capped it at 70 because that’s what I play on and experience very little interruption*

As you can see from the chart, most games don’t require such an insane amount of download speed. I wouldn’t even hesitate to run Arma III if you don’t have good enough connection. If you still don’t feel you have a fast enough internet connection then it brings us to the next question; What do I do about slow internet speed?

 

7 Immediate Ways to Improve Internet Speed For Gaming

1. Download Wifi Sweetspots or Network Analyzer if you have an iOS (Wifi Signal Strength or Wifi Analyzer for Android). Either of these apps can help you find the fastest connection speeds in your house.
2. Move your router away from the floor. If your router is on the floor, the signal is going straight into the ground and isn’t dispersing the signal as well as if could be.
3. Close applications using the internet. If you have a competitive match coming up, turn off your phone and all browsers open in your pc or other ones (putting them in airplane mode).
4. Face antennas sideways so that they are not both sticking up and parallel to each other. I’m not a technical expert on why this works but this has actually made a difference in my internet speed. It has something to do with evenly dispersing the signal in multiple directions.
5. Find the right wifi channel. There are 11 wifi channels and if you’re on the same channel as one of your neighbors, you’re internet might not work at all. Set your router to “automatic” so it can detect other router channels or run an app on your phone to find out which channel is best to use.
6. Get rid of interference. If your router is surrounded by your Olympic gaming medals, the material makeup of these medals can actually hinder the signal going to devices. Anything that emits or disrupts radio waves should be avoided.
7. Set your router to reboot on a schedule. If your router isn’t running as fast as it’s supposed to be, it’s likely that it just needs to be rebooted. Every router has the ability to be put on a reboot schedule. Just set it to 3am every day and it will keep connections running fresh.

As always, don’t forget the secret step number 0: get an ethernet cable 🙂

 

Related Questions

Is 100 Mbps a fast internet speed? This is a very good speed. Streaming and downloading will be seamless in HD and the same can be true about gaming. This would be a good speed to have if you have a lot of people in one household who use the internet a lot (especially if you have two gaming setups in use at the same time).

What does Fast Broadband mean? Steam network requirements often display the recommended settings as “fast broadband.” This simply means they recommend having around 10 megabits per second or faster for their game. An easy mark to hit.

What’s the difference between 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz? These are the frequencies and ranges that can be reached from a wireless router. 5Ghz provides faster data rates at shorter distances and 2.4 offers way further ones but may perform at slower speeds. This should help you answer which one you prefer based on your setup. 5Ghz can help mitigate the effects of interference if you know that is the main reason for slow internet.

Does surrounding the router with aluminum foil help connection speed? A lot of people attest to it working. I’ve never tried it but based on what I’ve read about it, it only helps a little bit. I still think the best practice is to elevate the router off the ground and make sure the antennas are angled.

 

What Makes a Router Good?

Reliability. Hands down. There were a ton of reviews of the XR500 on Amazon that complained about its reliability. Not sure if these people were hardcore gamers but even recreational gamers don’t want spotty connection during a match.

Good return policy and support. Even good name companies have some sketchy products that may not work as advertised. Plus, everyone will have their own unique circumstances that affect what type of router they should buy. People with bigger houses and more people will want a 2.4 Ghz so they can have a greater range. Others only need fast speed for themselves so they should get a 5 Ghz router. Even the location of your home can determine which type of connection is best for you. My college apartment works best on a cable line and doesn’t offer Google Fiber.

Dual-band or more. One antenna sticking out of a router can work, but having the flexibility to add further upgrades the efficiency of your router. I wouldn’t recommend getting a router that has internal antennas since you can’t angle them in different directions.

Smartphone app readability. I put this one on the list because it’s easier to solve technical problems if you can see an interface of what’s going on. It’s hard to stare at a blinking light and figure out what the issue is. Plus, waiting for tech support on the phone is time-consuming. This would help alleviate that process and control network security settings. Whether you use this or not, it’s there if you need it (light a fire extinguisher).

 

Verdict

I really don’t think that gaming routers are that special. There are other “dedicated” gaming routers other than the XR500 such as the Asus AC1300 and Linksys WRT32X. A lot of them seem overpriced and don’t do anything unique to other, high quality routers. If you don’t understand all the technical specs when searching through routers then it’s best to go by the reviews of people who are already using what you want.

I personally use the Netgear Nighthawk and I didn’t even purchase it with the intent to game on it. It’s a great system that can also be used for gaming. Upgrading your plan with XFINITY to get more mbps is the best way to increase your internet speeds. My roommates and I are on an “up to 80 mbps” plan and our internets speeds are usually in the 70 range. This is even when all three of us are on the network watching videos.

Buying a “gaming router” specific to gaming isn’t necessary. If you want a good internet speed, invest in a quality, all-around router that can handle the demands of gaming (which aren’t that high in the first place). I found that a lot of routers specific to gaming weren’t good at multitasking other user demands. Ultimately, a good router is worth it, but it doesn’t have to be specific to just gaming. If I missed anything feel free to leave a comment or reach out at entertainmentden.ns@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to respond. Thanks for reading!