Fix and Troubleshoot Nvidia GeForce Now network delay and input lagNvidia GeForce Now is hosted from 20 data centers all across the globe letting you access the one that is closest to you when you are streaming the game. GeForce Now differs from its competitors in that it does not have its own curated library of game titles to choose and play from. It links you with your Steam, Epic Games Store, or UPlay accounts where you can play the games you buy or already own.
The Nvidia GeForce Now comes with three membership plans and the best part is one of them is absolutely free! With the free membership plan, you can play your favorite compatible games for up to an hour at a time. There is a slight inconvenience to this plan, though. Sometimes you may have to wait in queue for the slots to become available as paid members to get priority. The members under the Priority plan get up to 6 hours of gameplay, and priority access to games and also, and the games are played using RTX cards.
The third plan, RTX 3080, offers 8 hours of gameplay with the best graphics settings currently available. One downside to GeForce Now is that some game publishers block the use of their games through GeForce Now and that’s definitely a bummer!
Who can access it?
The GeForce Now subscription service is accessible through Shield TV set-top boxes and is also supported as desktop apps for PC, Mac, and Google Chromebooks. Android devices with version 5.0 and 2GB storage can be used to access the service but you will need a separate controller. iOS users can access GeForce Now through the Safari browser. (https://play.geforcenow.com./)
Another cool feature with GeForce Now is that it also lets you play multiplayer games! Every cloud gaming service is definitely not without its flaws but there’s always a workaround or solution that can easily solve our problems. First, let us understand what actually causes these network delay and lag issues.
Let’s look at other non-gaming cloud-based services such as Netflix and Spotify. Users can stream 1080p or even 4K videos from Netflix over an internet connection with an average speed without having to deal with any buffering issues or delays. But, this is not the scenario when it comes to video games. When you are playing a game you will be pressing buttons on your controller to control the actions happening in the game. The input that you are giving to your gaming controller by pressing a button will be sent to a GeForce Now server and the game video you see on your console or device is a direct response to this input. This is where the lag happens. The time that is required for the input signal to reach the destination server is called propagation delay and a high propagation delay could be one of the reasons why you are facing this issue. The time difference between sending the input via your controller and receiving a response from the GeForce Now server is termed the ping which plays an inevitable role in determining your gaming experience. The higher the ping value, the more you will experience a lag when you are trying to play your game on GeForce Now. Due to this, cloud-based gaming services are frequently facing lag issues.
But, what do we do to fix this issue?
Switch to a wired connection
One of the best things that you can do to try and reduce lag issues is to switch to a cabled internet connection if you are trying to play your game using a Wifi connection. This fix has a higher chance of working and allows you to play glitch-free games. Because sometimes your Wifi signals can become prone to disturbances due to external factors and might become weak before they carry the input signal to the destination game server. So, it’s better to switch to a wired connection for playing your favorite video games online.
Limit network traffic
While you are playing games on GeForce Now, try limiting the network traffic in your home. These days it’s no miracle to say that almost every device in a person’s household is a smart device that is actively using the internet connection. This could degrade your game performance severely. If there are downloads running in the background on the other device or video streaming, this will impact the bandwidth of your internet connection. Try disconnecting the other device from your network while you are using GeForce Now.
Restart your router
Every technical device needs a restart from time to time. If it’s been a while since you have turned off your router or restarted it, now would be the perfect time to do it! Turn off your router and switch it back on after a couple of minutes. Try streaming your GeForce Now games to see if the issue is resolved.
What are the minimum internet requirements for a lag-free gaming experience?
The minimum internet requirement for streaming a game at 720p is 15 Mbps and 25 Mbps for streaming a game at 1080p. Keep in mind that Nvidia GeForce Now is heavily reliant on a strong and stable network connection if you want to enjoy a smooth, glitch-free game streaming experience.
GeForce Now is now available in 30 countries across the globe including the US, UK, and Central Europe. If the traditional gameplay no longer interests you, give cloud gaming a try! You can play your favorite games anytime, anywhere, and on any of your devices! One of the major plus points of cloud gaming is that you don’t have to download or install the games on your console in order to play. All you need is compatible hardware and a stable internet connection so that the game you are trying to stream on your local device works without any disturbances. A lot of the cloud gaming services available today do not require you to acquire any expensive hardware.
With GeForce Now, you can only play the games that you already own by installing them on a remote server and with a reliable internet connection. Hoping the fixes mentioned in this article help you with what you are looking for!