Lost Ark puts the “Action” in “Action RPG.” All of that action happens fast, and all of it happens online. That’s why, whether you’re facing the hordes for the very first time, trying out a new class, or grinding out endgame content, you need an internet connection that can handle everything the game throws at you.
The various monsters you face may present a challenge, but the true enemy is lag. Fortunately, lag is also usually beatable. Unless you’re somehow still using dial-up, most causes of lag in Lost Ark can be mitigated by CyberGhost VPN and a few tips and tricks.
Want the short version? When you connect to one of CyberGhost VPN’s many servers, it automatically looks for the fastest connection between the VPN server and your device. Choose one close to the game server, and it’ll solve a lot of possible connection issues.
What Causes Lag in Lost Ark?
Well, there are plenty of potential problems. On your end, if your PC isn’t properly maintained, or your software isn’t kept up to date, that sort of thing can affect your connection. An older or misconfigured router can cause issues too.
Then there’s the stuff that’s normally beyond your control: bad routing on the part of your ISP can slow down your internet traffic, as can overloaded networks, slow server hardware, and plain old bad luck. Fortunately, most of these problems can be remedied with a few simple tweaks, and CyberGhost VPN. Here, I’ll tell you how:
10 Ways to Fix Lag in Lost Ark
1. Check the Lost Ark Servers
First and foremost, go to the Lost Ark website, click Support in the menu at the top, and select Server Status. There you can see the status of Lost Ark servers in every location, and whether they’re up, busy, full, or down for maintenance. Sometimes it really is the game’s fault, or at least the servers’ fault.
2. Make Sure Nothing’s Clogging Your Network
If there’s more than one person using your internet plan, make sure that no one’s downloading any big files or watching multiple streams at once. If you’re on your own, make sure you pause any big downloads – including game updates – and keep your bandwidth free of other congestion for the best possible performance.
3. Wired Connection
For all the advances in Wi-Fi technology, Ethernet cables still provide more consistent and usually higher speeds. Even if you’re gaming on a laptop, use a wired connection – this will cut down on lag by a lot. Keep in mind that you may need a USB-to-Ethernet adapter to connect an Ethernet cable to your laptop.
4. Update Your Software
It’s not just for security! Sometimes your PC’s software gets buggy, and those bugs can affect your connection while gaming. So update everything! That includes applying any game updates, keeping your Windows installation up to date, and even updating the software on your router or modem. Yes, those need updating too, from time to time.
5. Try a Different Game Region
Usually, games will automatically connect to the game server nearest to your location to get you the best possible speeds. Sometimes they get it wrong. Double-check that you’re playing on the Lost Ark server closest to you. And if that one’s giving you trouble – because the internet just does that sometimes – try the next-closest server.
6. Turn It Off and On Again
Any computing device tends to accumulate leftover bits of data and small errors over time, and they eventually pile up. These can affect your internet connection by causing lag, or by degrading the general performance of your PC. Give it the old restart to clear out the cobwebs, so to speak. Restart your modem too, if it’s been a while.
7. Upgrade Your Router or Modem
This isn’t the easiest or most practical option for everyone, depending on your budget and ISP. But, if your modem or router is out of date, or just worn out from regular long-term use, then upgrading may drastically improve your connection. Be sure to check out our recommendations for VPN-enabled routers if you do.
8. Change Your Internet Plan or ISP
Again, this option may be limited by your budget, and the availability of better internet plans or ISPs. But if you have the option to upgrade, and your current plan just isn’t letting you have that smooth, monster-slaying gameplay that you deserve, it’s worth a try.
9. Flush Your DNS Cache
Your PC keeps records of every server it’s ever connected to, for convenience and faster connections in the future. Sometimes, those records get corrupted, or just end up being out of date. Open up a Command Prompt as admin (this can usually be done by right clicking on it in your Start Menu), and run this command: ipconfig /flushdns to fix it.
10. Use a VPN
VPNs work by routing all of your internet traffic through a server in the location of your choice, and then on to its actual destination. All traffic between your PC and the VPN server is encrypted, which adds a useful extra layer of security.
But the routing itself is what can help to lower your ping. CyberGhost VPN will actually hunt for the fastest route between your PC and the destination server. Choose a VPN server that’s in the same general location as the game server you want to play on, and CyberGhost will then bypass a lot of connection issues.
Be sure to check out all the reasons you need a VPN for gaming for more information.
Why CyberGhost Is the Best VPN for Gaming
CyberGhost VPN has a worldwide network of servers tuned to handle all the data you can throw at them, as quickly as possible. That means that no matter where you are, or where the game server is, you’ll be able to get a fast, stable connection. For those who want a lag-free gaming session, that’s the most important thing.
But it also masks your IP address, which can help to protect your identity, and protects your network from DDoS attacks, which also cause extreme lag. Combine that with CyberGhost VPN’s powerful encryption, a proven no-logs policy, and 24/7 live chat support, and you have a fantastic gaming VPN.
Try CyberGhost VPN risk-free with a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Conclusion
Reducing lag and lowering your ping/latency in Lost Ark is by no means impossible. Download CyberGhost VPN, and make a few free or cheap adjustments to your gaming setup, like using a wired connection. This will sidestep the most common causes of lag and get you smoother online gameplay.
Try the whole list, and if nothing else is working, call your ISP. Sometimes there are bugs on their end, and a quick phone call may actually help them to pinpoint the issue.
Now get out there! There’s loot to be had, there are bosses to crush, and none of it’s going to happen unless you do it.
FAQ
The short version? Lost Ark is a very CPU-intensive game. Having all of those enemies on-screen at once uses a lot of computing power. There are two fixes: First, if rendering video with the CPU, make sure Lost Ark and OBS (or your software of choice) are set to use different CPU cores. Second, enable GPU rendering for your streaming software.
There are SO MANY potential causes of stuttering, and just as many fixes. Try the following: Use a lower polling rate on your mouse (250-500hz); make sure the game is on an NVME SSD; avoid running other CPU-intensive apps at the same time; disable area chat (or just select the system chat box); disable Vsync; and, enable Windows full-screen optimizations.
Lost Ark will use all the CPU power you can throw at it. Older systems may struggle, especially if they haven’t been properly maintained. That is the first big cause of in-game slowness. The other is lag. Scroll back up in this article for a full list of all the tips and tricks to lower your ping, and use a no-lag VPN to help speed up your connection.
Despite the best efforts of ISP and network engineers the world over, these things just happen. Conditions change, bugs happen, networks receive spikes in traffic – and you start getting lag. Using a gaming VPN like CyberGhost can help to stabilize your connection.
The Lost Ark developers made the incredibly confusing decision to hard code VSync into the game without the option to turn it off, but it can be done. You’ll need to go to the settings app for your graphics card – the Nvidia control panel, AMD Adrenaline, or the Intel Graphics Command Center – to force VSync off in Lost Ark.
No, not anymore. Accidents happen, and a lot of inactive accounts were banned by an automated system back in early 2023. These bans were reversed, and it really shouldn’t happen again. If it does, complain to Amazon. No, really – Amazon publishes Lost Ark.
CyberGhost VPN is a fantastic option whether you’re grinding away in Lost Ark, looking for sneaky headshots in Valorant, or planning heists with your friends in GTA. With a global network of fast servers, it can get you a smooth connection to just about any game. Plus there’s powerful encryption, 24/7 customer support, and a 45-day money back guarantee.
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