How to fix packet loss error in VALORANT?

No matter how talented you are in VALORANT, odds are you’ll need your internet connection to be in top shape to climb the game’s ranked ladder. Packet loss and high ping can negatively affect players’ gameplay experience with stutters or delays.

If you’re experiencing packet loss while playing VALORANT, you may unexpectedly find yourself taken down without even hearing a shot. 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.

Packet loss can occur because of multiple reasons in VALORANT, and it may even happen due to server outages on Riot Games’ side. When that’s the case, most VALORANT players will experience packet loss, and it’ll be up to Riot to fix the issue. 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.

Check VALORANT’s server status

When VALORANT’s servers are down, players may start experiencing packet loss or they may not even be able to launch the game. Before trying out any of the fixes listed below, you should check VALORANT’s server status since you’ll need to wait for Riot to fix the servers if they’re out of commission.

If there are any recent issues being reported on VALORANT’s server status webpage, you may also want to check out community hubs like Reddit to see if other VALORANT players are having packet loss or login 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 packet loss, chances are you’ll need to troubleshoot your home network. An outage on your ISP’s end or a routing error can cause you to experience packet loss and restarting your router will be the simplest way to fix it. 

While you’re restarting your router, you should also 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.

Run a speedtest

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

One of the best ways to troubleshoot your internet speed will be running a speedtest. If you notice that 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, meaning you may also want to take your phone off Wi-Fi or see if any other members of your household are downloading updates.

If no one is downloading an update and you don’t have a background process using your bandwidth, you may want to consider calling 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 addresses that their ISP often provides and they may act up from time to time.

Troubleshooting your DNS is relatively simple, however, since you’ll just 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

VPNs work great when it comes to securing your online presence, but they can be a nightmare for online gaming. Ping and packet loss often depend on the connection route between your and VALORANT’s servers. Using a VPN adds one more variable to the equation, which can both increase lag and ping.

Unless you’re living in a dorm or share a connection with someone who has blocked everything related to gaming, you shouldn’t need to use a VPN while gaming. Turning on your VPN while playing VALORANT may also cause packet loss and may even get you kicked out of a game since you’ll be disconnected for a brief moment.

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

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Players experiencing high ping and packet loss may want to take a step back from ranked matches until they stabilize their connection. This’ll 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.