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These two tricks will transform your online gaming experience

With FIFA 18 and other games on the horizon, here's how to future-proof your network

There’s nothing worse than input lag and poor connectivity – especially when it comes to gaming.

But it turns out there could be a quick fix – one that could put these issues to bed once and for all.

Believe it or not, the router could be the main culprit – acting as a bottleneck to drastically slow down your internet speed.


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Here’s how to speed it up again.

Change the channel

Most of us will have our routers set to Auto – but that may be far from ideal, especially when gaming is concerned.

A simple search of your router’s WiFi settings will reveal a few more channels – perhaps a dozen or so.

Some of these channels are much faster than others.

Without getting too technical, most of us will still use a 2.4GHz router, which will have about 14 channels.

Star Wars Battlefront II is just one of many games that will require stable online play

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Star Wars Battlefront II is just one of many games that will require stable online play

Some of these will overlap, which can cause slowdown.

Generally speaking, channels 1,6 and 11 are more spaced apart – and will therefore be faster.

To access the router’s settings, simply open up a new web page and enter the IP address of your router (usually found on the back of the device).

You’ll then be prompted to answer a few security questions.

Give it a go, it could make a real difference.

Crank up the GHz

Here’s where the big difference will happen.

If you’ve recently got a router, then there’s a chance it will be dual band – compatible with the standard 2.4GHz and much faster 5GHz frequency.

The latter has much more space between high frequencies, which means less interference and faster connectivity.

Head to your router settings to check its operating at 5GHz to supercharge your online gaming.

FIFA fans often cite issues with the game’s connectivity when playing Ultimate Team – but upgrading your router could see things improve drastically

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FIFA fans often cite issues with the game’s connectivity when playing Ultimate Team – but upgrading your router could see things improve drastically

If you haven’t upgraded your router for a few years, then it could be worth investing in a new one.

By far the best one out there at the moment is the insanely powerful NETGEAR Nighthawk.

This state-of-the-art dual-band router allows you to tailor exactly how much bandwidth you want to use for gaming.

The S8000 Switch makes the Nighthawk ideal for gaming

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The S8000 Switch makes the Nighthawk ideal for gaming

It even features both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz channels.

Add to the mix 1GHz dual core processor, for insanely fast internet speeds, not to mention high powered amplifiers and external antennas, and you’ve got a serious piece of gaming kit.

The NETGEAR Nighthawk is a serious piece of kit

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The NETGEAR Nighthawk is a serious piece of kit

With FIFA 18 on the horizon, not to mention loads of other online games, the Nighthawk would future-proof your network for years to come.

Sounds like a good investment to us.


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