Running a game server involves the creation and maintenance of multiple player connections, with each player sending constant data to and receiving data from the server over your single Internet connection. When sufficient bandwidth isn't available or when the data requests overload the system, lag can lead to a delay in the player’s actions and your system's reaction. While some forms of lag are irreparable, due to the Internet route the data takes between the player and the server, for example, other causes of lag are closer to home and fairly simple to remove from your system.
Instructions
Move the server software onto a desktop computer system if presently located on a laptop. You’ll need the increased ability to upgrade the system components of a desktop to create a hardware environment that’s game server-friendly.
Upgrade the RAM contained in your system to twice that recommended by the game manufacturer. The more RAM you have in the system, the more the server can dedicate to its operation.
- 3
Increase the upload speed of your broadband Internet connection. The more bandwidth you have available, the greater number of users you’ll be able to host on the server, and the less lag they’ll experience. Aim for a 5MB upload stream over a connection that isn’t shared, such as that provided by a fiber-optic Internet connection, or DSL.
- 4
- 5
Cool your CPU with a non-stock CPU heat sink and fan. The more users there are on your server, the greater the CPU utilization, which can lead to overheating. With a non-stock aftermarket cooler you’ll have a better chance of keeping the heat down, maintaining efficient operation of your CPU under heavy load.
- 6
Add a high-performance hard drive to your system to serve as the data drive for your server software. Get one with the highest read/write rate you can find, with at least twice the storage space recommended by the game manufacturer. The faster speed of the drive reduces its acting as a slow point for data transfer in your system, reducing lag by making the necessary data available for use at a faster rate.
- 7
Connect the server to the Internet via a wired connection rather than wireless. The wired connection reduces the lag time caused by the addition instructions included with each data packet moving through the system to direct your data from the router or modem to the server.
- 8
Dedicate the server only to running the game software. Start the software after a fresh boot of the system and run nothing else in the background. This gives your server all the system’s resources to use instead of sharing them with other applications.
- 9
Reduce the load on your bandwidth by not using other computers or consoles to connect to the Internet with when the server is active, or keeping their bandwidth utilization low though the avoidance of high-bandwidth applications such as downloading, uploading or streaming video.
- 10
Increase the priority of the software in Windows through the Windows Task Manager to “Realtime.” Press the “Ctrl,” “Shift” and “Esc” button on your keyboard simultaneously to open the Windows Task Manager. Select the “Processes” tab and locate the server application. The application will typically be named the same as the icon you used to begin the program. Right-click the app name, elect “Set Priority” and then select “Realtime” from the options provided. Press the button marked “Change Priority” to save you selection. This ensures that your system will dedicate resources to the server app first.
Tips & Warnings
- Avoid solid-state drives, as they have difficulty with handling the multiple small data reads and writes involved with multi-player server hosting.
0 comments:
Post a Comment