Gaming is a lovely task when you have the best router for gaming. However, many things come along to make gaming efficient and effective. Spectrum routers are known as some of the best when it comes to gaming, but what settings optimize the gaming experience?
Apart from the choice of the router, some settings make the service stand out too. It demands having the best hardware and some optimization so that you don’t experience latency.
One thing you are likely to experience is extreme latency when you have devices that don’t deliver. In today’s article, we shall focus on having the best settings to make the spectrum router deliver outstanding performance in gaming.
Multiplayer gaming is quite demanding on your internet connection. Optimizing the settings enable you to achieve the following:
- Lower ping to the server
- Fewer pseudo-drops and plain drops
- Fewer disconnects from the server
For gaming, the best connection is determined by several factors such as ISP, hardware, distance from the router, router settings, number of devices among others.
We need to learn several things about Spectrum modem routers and standalone routers that will help us get the best settings for gaming.
Qualities of a good spectrum router for gaming
One of the things you will probably focus on is the compatibility of the device. Apart from working with the service, it should work with your devices without experiencing challenging moments. Some of the basic qualities are highlighted below.
Compatibility
It is very disgusting when you buy a router that you think will work, and then it ends up limiting other devices. Such a router may limit the use of Wi-Fi extenders and also some gaming machines.
Therefore, the first thing you have to focus on is compatibility with both wired and wireless devices.
In addition, the device should be able to work with the Spectrum modem for network creation at home. This means that you can’t pick a Spectrum router for gaming if it is not compatible with the internet service provider.
Internet speed
A good gaming router must have proper internet speeds. When you command the device, you should be capable of getting timely and reliable feedback. Such speeds make the gaming sessions more interesting.
If you are competing with another player, you will have real-time feedback that will make your moments remarkable.
It is hard to have a good game if there is latency or lag. This is easily affected by low-quality routers, inadequate ISP subscription, and the number of devices in use at your home.
Hardware
The hardware for gaming should be really good. If you have unreliable ones, there are very high chances that your sessions will be the most disgusting. Your router should first all have the durability factor. If it overheats, you will have the worst moments as the service it delivers won’t last long.
Serious gamers invest in the best hardware, including Ethernet cables to supply a stable internet connection. When cabling, CAT5e, CAT6 cables, and new technologies make the ideal choices depending on the distance they cover. CAT 6 makes the best choice if you are covering long distances.
Wi-Fi technology
You may not have a clear understanding id the Wi-Fi technology is an important factor. However, it is a basic thing when it comes to supporting gaming. The gaming devices and the router should have support to the 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 6 technology. Wi-Fi 6 compatible devices make great choices when you connect them to a Wi-Fi 6 router.
Such devices have a short time when communicating with the servers hence relaying a reliable performance. 802.11ac is the best technology for gaming.
The good news is that you can conveniently change the devices to meet the needs of the Wi-Fi 6 technology. The reason is that the Wi-Fi 6 technology in most routers is backward compatible. You can change the devices at the time of your convenience.
Bands
A dual-band or a triband router makes your Wi-Fi devices perform as expected. If you choose your router, you need to ensure that one of these two bands is available. The importance of ensuring such features are working is that the devices get channeled to the band that will serve them as expected.
A dual-band has a 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. The 2.4GHz band is very good at penetrating where are obstacles hence ensuring that there is signal stability. 5GHz band has very high speeds that also ensure that you can game conveniently.
When the band works with the Ethernet cable, you will have the easiest time doing your gaming activities. A triband has a combination of 5GHz+5GHz+2.4GHz bands hence high speeds and signal stability.
Performance technologies
Efficient gaming gets adequate support when the router has various performance technologies. When a router has the MU-MIMO technology, it will conveniently divide and prioritize the devices, delivering high and reliable speeds for each device.
Gaming machines will, in this case, get extra network supply so that they do not experience latency.
Beamforming technology, on the other hand, attempts to serve your wireless devices conveniently. It ensures that each device that is operating within the range has an adequate signal to work conveniently.
The placement of the antennas is also very important as it ensures that most devices have access to the connection. When they combine with beamforming technology, they will cover an extended range and ensure that each device operates within a connection channel.
If you have a spectrum router with these technologies, you can be sure that the service you will enjoy is unforgettable.
Quality of service (QoS)
Quality of service is another factor that makes the performance of the device outstanding. As much as we have several devices struggling for the same connection, you need a method that will help in managing the traffic. Without this service of technology, almost all the devices will not perform as you expect.
QoS is essential as it assesses all the connected devices and then prioritizes those that need more traffic. If other activities are idle, they end up delivering an unreliable performance to all the devices. The work of QoS, in this case, is to ensure that the sensitive performers get prioritized hence delivering a remarkable performance.
CPU
Finally, the CPU is the determinant of if the router will deliver as you expect or not. All the features we have highlighted get controlled by the processor. It facilitates the speed and the functioning of the devices with regard to the demands of the connection.
A dual-core processor or one that has adequate RAM will deliver a remarkable performance. If it is weak, then the features above become useless as the router will not have the capacity to manage them.
Spectrum router settings for gaming
Various settings will make your router perform to meet your expectations. Although most basic routers come with features that support gaming, it has no meaning if you do not play around with the settings.
Some of the settings you need to optimize on your Spectrum modem router or standalone router for the best gaming experience are as follows.
Activate the quality of service
The dynamic QoS is essential as it ensures that the data packages get optimized for specific devices. When you activate this feature, it will balance services and offer more allocation to the gaming section.
The best QOS settings on your Spectrum router can be set by prioritizing by the device.
The outcome of such prioritization is that the router will first have to manage the commands from the gaming section before handling the others.
When this feature is active, you will not experience delays and poor performances when your gaming session is at its peak. Therefore, as you get a Spectrum router for gaming, you should ensure that it has QoS where you can easily configure the settings.
Automatic firmware updates
Another challenge that will quickly upset you is operating with a device whose firmware is outdated. It does not take long before it begins to create lags and latency. When the device gets slow, the first thing we always think of is troubleshooting the challenge.
In addition., firmware update enhances the privacy and security of your connection. It will enable you to enjoy the best gaming without a worry about security and privacy.
Setting your router to have automatic reboots is one of the best things. You will have an easy time because the router will update at its convenience, hence ensuring that the service you get is adequate.
Some routers come with the feature already built-in, while some do not. If it is not existing, you can consider using the web interface or app to update the router’s firmware on the Spectrum router settings for improved security, privacy and performance while gaming.
Use of Ethernet ports
For gaming purposes, gigabit Ethernet ports make the best choices. One good thing with Ethernet ports is that they improve the speeds and the performance. The challenge you encounter in wireless connections, such as fluctuation of the connection and obstacles, is eliminated.
Ethernet cables are good because they maintain the signal quality and speeds making your devices deliver a reliable performance meeting your specific needs. They also allow you to use the connection at any point so long as the cable can manage the distance.
In case the distance is too far, you can try the powerline adapters as they make great choices for gaming. What these devices do is that use the power cables to transmit signals.
Therefore, you will connect the Ethernet ports to the powerline adapter from the router and from the other powerline adapter to the connected device. They may not be very reliable, but you can be sure to serve the intended purpose.
Apply the performance technologies
You may have a router that does not have the latest Wi-Fi performance technologies. To have reliable performance, you may need to have them active. MU-MIMO technology is something you should not miss as it is responsible for device prioritization.
The MU-MIMO is one thing that will make your gaming sessions more convenient. The amount of speeds will be high as the quality of gaming gets maintained.
Beamforming technology, on the other hand, is essential. If your router has internal or external antennas, you will be sure that it will enjoy the most outstanding service. Focusing on a single device will make the device serve your needs as you expect.
Work on the bands
The dual and triband also need some work to ensure that they perform. It is essential to set them so that, when gaming, they will serve the exact purpose. You can always do one good thing to ensure that you set the router to automatically connect the higher bands to the high-performing devices.
When the connection is struggling, the devices that don’t require too much bandwidth can use the stable 2.4GHz band. For gaming machines, however, the 5GHz bands should run the show. Optimization of the bands helps in lowering latency making the devices perform as you expect.
Change the DNS server
This is one of the settings that you can change on your router for the best performance. However, some ISPs will not allow you to change the DNS server. You can check the DNS servers in your area that are the best in your area.
To change these, you can use a free software DNS benchmark on your computer. Use only the Major and well-known DNS servers for reliability. The best-known ones include Google DNS servers, Cloudflare DNS servers, OpenDNS, Cloud9 among others.
Port forwarding
I recommend using port forwarding instead of port triggering. It is more effective for port utilization in your home.
You can do port forwarding by IP or Mac Address. Mac address is easier since you don’t have to set up the static IP address. For gaming, I recommend using Mac Address. Other routers will only allow the setting up of a static IP address for port forwarding.
Please disable UPMP (Universal plugging player) for multiplayer gaming.
IPV6
The current generation gaming machines have IPV6 capabilities. These include Xbox One, PS4, and others. I expect the future generation gaming consoles to all have IPV6 capabilities.
For IPV6, I recommend auto-config or auto-detect for IPV6. You can learn more about IPV6 and IPV4 in this article.
Placement of the router
The placement of the router against that of your devices is another essential thing. You need to ensure that it is in an optimal position.
An optimal placement will minimize the chances of using a Spectrum Wi-Fi extender and repeater hence making the quality or service great. If you intend to use the wireless connection for gaming, you need to ensure that your device is assessable.
How to implement the spectrum router settings for gaming and other activities
A solution is never effective until you have some understanding of how it is done. Having some clue about how you will do the settings on your router is essential. Kindly note that I used the Netgear Nighthawk R7000 router for my reference. The step to step process of setting up the router is as follows.
Log in to the user dashboard
You will begin by using the user dashboard on the web or using the mobile app. When using a mobile app, you will quickly log in to have access to the settings. If you choose the web interface, you will search the service provider and log in area.
The password and username are on the side of the router. You can also find the details in the manual that comes with the router. Alternatively, you can find out these details from the manufacturer’s website.
Go to settings and pick the advanced options
You will then get to the advanced settings and select the gaming option. The rest of the process is just clicking. You will focus on the settings that we have highlighted in the article to function as you expect.
Once done, you will restart the router so that the functions you have set begin to work. For better implementation of settings, you should start by resetting the router first.
Enjoy the connection
Once all the settings are complete, you should begin to enjoy the moments as you game. Speeds should improve, the signal should be stable, and no lags should exist in the connection. You can change the settings depending on your needs.
Is spectrum good for gaming?
The answer to this question is yes! If you are a gamer, then this question may arise in your mind. You will be surprised to know that it is the best ISP for gaming. The reason behind this is their internet speed and unlimited bandwidth service.
Spectrum has a great connection that helps you in gaming and also other things like streaming videos, downloading among others. It doesn’t matter whether you are playing online or offline games, they will work perfectly fine with your device as long as it supports that particular game type.
They provide high-speed internet services at an affordable price with great customer support. So if you are looking for a fast internet connection, then Spectrum is the best option for you!
We tested their speed by playing some of our favorite online multiplayer games like Fortnite and Overwatch on different servers across the country. We found out that Spectrum does deliver fast download speeds in most locations nationwide.
Their customer support was also great when we had questions about their services and packages. Overall we were pleased with our experience using Spectrum as an ISP for gaming purposes.
Conclusion
Having the best router settings when gaming is essential as it makes the moments remarkable. After identifying the settings that will make the gaming performance reliable on a Spectrum router, you will implement them.
There are many ISPs available but not all of them provide an excellent speed to their users, so if you want a fast connection then go for spectrum because they will never disappoint you and your needs. Spectrum service is reliable as it delivers the most outstanding service.
