When every millisecond matters. 

Look for things you notice when you’re actually playing: low latency and ping, symmetrical speeds and a reliable connection. An internet service provider with a robust, reliable fiber network like Midco can keep gameplay smooth and steady.  

Household Setup 

• Turn off non-essential devices and apps: Close large applications, like music or video software. Pause any devices on your network that use bandwidth and slow your speed. 
• Stay close to your router: If your router is far from your gaming setup, you might experience a weaker wireless connection. Move closer to the router or reposition it nearer to where you play. 
• Add a Wi-Fi extender: Can’t move your router or have a weak signal in parts of your home? Boost coverage with an extra Wi-Fi extender. 
• Keep equipment up to date: Make sure your internet equipment, like your modem or router, are current and can handle your speed needs. 

Connection Type 

• Choose wired internet when possible: A wired Ethernet connection provides the most stable experience. Wi‑Fi lets you game from anywhere in your home, but performance can vary based on signal strength. If you play on Wi‑Fi, stay close to your internet equipment. 

Router Settings 

• Enable quality of service (QoS): Turn on QoS in your router admin panel. Assign the highest priority or bandwidth tier to your gaming console or PC's MAC address. This stops other household streaming or downloads from causing lag spikes, increased latency or interruptions while you play. 
• Switch to the 5 GHz or 6 GHz band: If you game on Wi-Fi, connect compatible gaming devices to 5 GHz or 6 GHz. Avoid the crowded 2.4 GHz band. 

Server Selection 

• Choose a nearby server: Your machine communicates with the game server. A server close to your physical location ensures faster communication between your device and the server. To improve communication, check your device settings. Also, look up server options for the game you want to play.

Yes, you can if you have a stable upload speed that is higher than your stream’s required bitrate. 

A good internet speed for gaming depends on your household, connected devices and online activity. Gaming itself does not need a lot of bandwidth, but game downloads, streaming, updates and multiple users quickly increase demand. 

The FCC recommends at least 3-4 Mbps for gaming on a single device. For connected homes, we recommend at least 500 Mbps. Gig and multi-gig plans add more capacity for gaming, streaming, multiple users and everyday internet use. 

Remember, internet speed, latency and ping rate all impact performance. If you notice lag, optimize your wireless or upgrade to a faster plan. Test your internet speed to see how your current connection performs, or contact us to upgrade your plan.

Ping is the round-trip time it takes for data to travel between your device and a game server. Because ping reflects latency, it often has a bigger impact on online or competitive gaming performance than internet speed.

Lower ping means your actions reach the game faster, helping gameplay feel smooth and responsive. Higher ping can cause lag, delays and missed inputs. Most gamers consider ping under 60 milliseconds (ms) good. A ping above 100 ms may lead to noticeable lag.

Ping Range	Quality	Experience
0-20 ms	Ideal	As smooth and responsive as possible. Nearly no lag. High-quality visuals.
20-50 ms	Good	Smooth and responsive. Low lag. High-quality visuals.
50-100 ms	Fair	Some lag, depending on the game size, visuals and settings.
100-300 ms	Poor	Choppy. Frequent lags and delays.
300+ ms	Unplayable	Extensive delays. Bad experience.

Check the broadband score at your address.

Distance from the server, connection type, equipment and network traffic can affect ping. What you can do: Choose a nearby game server, keep equipment current and limit unnecessary traffic.

Yes. Gaming can use the same internet connection as streaming, work, scrolling and other online activities. Just make sure your plan has enough capacity for your household. 

• Bandwidth Sharing: Your Midco plan provides a total speed pool (bandwidth) to your home. All active devices share this bandwidth, including phones, smart TVs and gaming consoles. 
• Data Usage: Online multiplayer gaming typically uses between 40 MB and 300 MB of data per hour. 
• Heavy Tasks: Downloading massive game files and 4K video streaming use more data than gameplay. The right speed tier keeps everyone connected without slowdowns or interruptions. With a Midco internet plan that supports heavy home use, such as 300 Mbps or higher, everyone can stay online at the same time.

 

Gaming accounts, personal information and connected devices can all be targets for cybercriminals. Midco protects your connection, devices and gameplay with robust security measures working behind the scenes: 

• Built-in DDoS Protection: Detects and blocks distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. These attacks flood the network, disrupt your connection and knock your game offline. 
• 24/7 Network Monitoring: Cyberthreats don't keep business hours, and neither do we. Midco watches for potential threats and suspicious activity around the clock. 
• Midco Wi-Fi Security: Includes built-in malware, spyware and ransomware protection for connected devices and personal information. 

For additional protection, follow our internet safety tips.