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What is packet loss and can you stop it?
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That lag you’re experiencing when you’re gaming might be caused by packet loss. Here’s everything you need to know about packet loss, including what it is, how it impacts gaming, and what you can do to fix it
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- 23 May 2025
What is packet loss?
Packet loss happens when some of the small chunks of data traveling through a network, called packets, don’t make it to your device. Packets travel across different network paths to reach your pc, laptop or game console, and if any of them are dropped or disappear along the way, you experience packet loss.
When you use the internet to browse, game or stream, all these packets need to reach their destination safely and in the right order to make everything feel and run as it should. So, when packet loss happens, it can lead to you experiencing problems with your connection, like lag when you’re gaming online, buffering when you’re streaming videos, or poor sound or video quality in calls.
What causes packet loss?
There are several different reasons packet loss can happen. Some causes are related to your equipment at home, while others come from issues with your internet provider or the internet itself.
Here are some most common causes:
A Weak WiFi signal is one of the most common causes of packet loss. If you're using WiFi rather than a wired connection and the signal is weak — maybe because you're far from the router or there are walls and obstacles in the way — data may not travel properly from the router to your device. Weak signals can cause interference in your connection, which means some packets get lost before they get to your device. This is why your internet might work fine in one room but have issues in another.
Network congestion is another common causes of packet loss. When too many devices or people are using the internet at the same time — like in a crowded home or busy office — the network can get overwhelmed if you don’t have enough bandwidth. When this happens, some data packets are dropped to make space for the rest, leading to you experiencing issues with your internet speed.
If you don't have enough bandwidth with your broadband package, it may be time for a speed boost. Be sure to check out all of our broadband deals to see all of the speeds we've got on offer and enter your postcode to see what speed you can get in your area.
Sometimes, the problem is with your equipment, like an old router or a modem that can’t keep up with high internet speeds. If your devices are overheating or not working properly, they might start dropping packets and start causing you internet issues. Even cables and network ports that are damaged or loosely connected can lead to packet loss, so it’s worth making sure all of your equipment is working as it should to eliminate them from the potential culprit of your packet loss.
Software on your computer or router may also be the problem behind your packet loss.. If the programs that manage your internet connection have bugs, or if drivers (the software that helps hardware talk to your system) are outdated, your network might not handle data correctly. This can cause some of the packets to be lost along the way.
The internet is made up of many different paths that data can take to reach its destination. If one of those paths is broken, slow, or unstable, packets may be lost while trying to get through. This isn’t something you can usually see, but it can happen if there are issues between your network and a website or server far away.
Another major cause of packet loss is slow or outdated broadband. If you don't have enough speed at home, expecially when multiple people are using the internet at the same time, your broadband won't be able to handle large amounts of data at once, leading to some packets being lost.
When that's the case, upgrading to a faster broadband package or switching to a faster provider is usually the only way to often solve the problem.
How does packet loss impact gaming?
In online games, your device is constantly sending and receiving small packets of data to and from the game’s server. These packets include important information like where your character is, what actions you’re taking, and what’s happening around you. When some of these packets get lost, the game can’t update everything correctly, which leads to problems in how the game looks and feels.
One of the most common effects of packet loss in games is gaming lag, which causes your character to freeze or stop responding to your controls for a few seconds. You might also see other players moving strangely or disappearing and reappearing, which happens because the data telling your device what’s going on is arriving late or missing altogether.
In fast-paced games like first-person shooters or racing games, even a small amount of packet loss can make your game unplayable. You might shoot at an enemy and nothing happens, or your car could suddenly veer off the road. These things happen because your actions aren’t reaching the server in time, or the server’s responses aren’t getting back to you correctly.
Packet loss can also disconnect you from games all together. If too many packets are lost, the game might think your internet is completely gone and kick you out of the session in the middle of a game.
How can I test my packet loss?
You can test your packet loss using our helpful broadband speed test. Our test mimics your online activities by uploading and downloading files, and measures how long this takes.
This internet speed check includes your download speed test results, upload speed, jitter and latency times, giving you an accurate overall picture of how fast your connection was to your device during the test. If you’ve got high latency or jitter, it means you may have packet loss issues
How to fix packet loss
The best way to fix packet loss depends on what’s causing the problem in the first place. Here are some easy steps you can take to diagnose and solve common packet loss issues:
1. Restart Your Router and Modem
Sometimes, the easiest fix is to simply restart your router and modem. These devices can get overwhelmed over time, especially if they’ve been on for days or weeks without a break. Turning them off for about 30 seconds and then turning them back on can refresh your connection and solve small issues that might be causing packet loss.
2. Use a Wired Connection
Wi-Fi is convenient, but it’s not always stable. If possible, try connecting your computer or game console to the internet using an Ethernet cable. Wired connections are more reliable and faster, and they don’t suffer from the signal problems that Wi-Fi does. This can greatly reduce or even eliminate packet loss.
3. Use a WiFi booster or move Closer to Your Router
If you need to use WiFi, try moving closer to your router or investing in a WiFi booster to improve your WiFi signal. Thick walls, furniture, or interference from other devices like microwaves can weaken your signal and cause packets to get lost. Being in the same room as your router or putting a WiFi booster between your router and where your connection is weak can help create a stronger, more stable connection from your router to your devices.
4. Check for Software or Driver Updates
Outdated software on your computer or networking devices can lead to problems, including packet loss. Make sure your operating system, network drivers, and router firmware are up to date. These updates often fix bugs and improve performance, which can help with network reliability.
5. Reduce Network Traffic
If too many devices are using the internet at the same time — like phones, tablets, and smart TVs — it can cause congestion. Try turning off or pausing downloads, streaming, or other heavy internet use on other devices while you play games or make video calls. This gives your device more bandwidth and helps reduce packet loss.
6. Replace Old or Faulty Equipment
If your router or modem is several years old, it might not be working efficiently anymore. Old hardware can struggle with modern internet speeds and start dropping packets. Also, check your cables — if any are loose or damaged, they could be the cause. Replacing outdated or faulty equipment can make a big difference.
Still having packet loss issues?
If you’ve tried everything and still experiencing packet loss, the issue might be with the broadband package you’ve got rather than the equipment itself.
Some broadband plans simply don’t offer enough speed or bandwidth for heavy use, especially in homes with lots of devices connected at the same time. For example, if you're trying to stream 4K videos, play online games, and have video calls all at once, a basic internet package might not keep up with it all, leading to dropped packets when you 're browsing, gaming or streaming.
If you're looing for an upgrade, we’ve got a range of ultrafast broadband options with average download speeds ranging from 136Mbps with M125 all the way to 1130Mbps and beyond when you go gigabit. Be sure to check out all our broadband deals and enter your postcode to see all of the speeds you can get in your area.
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