Your game server lag on cheap hosting because it doesn’t have high-speed processors that handle graphics and FPS, DDR4/5 RAM & sufficient storage to install mods, and strong security features to avoid malware attacks. Cheap hosting services are basically shared hosting, where your resources are used by multiple users, resulting in server lags.
We agree that cheap hosting is much more convenient. But, when it comes to gaming experience, it’s not that good, especially when you’re a live game streamer or an eSports participant.
A laggy server can make you lose any game due to low tick rates and sudden downtime, even if you’re a good player.
Look! We’re not trying to defame or promote any hosting service; we just want to go into the reasons why you can’t play your game properly.
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And for that, we’ve created this blog where you’ll find the real reasons behind server lags, all the signs that’ll tell you your server is suffering, and how you can improve this by selecting a better host.
So, be with us till the end of this blog
Why Cheap Hosting Causes Game Server Lag
Most cheap hosting services actually use outdated hardware, and modern games need the latest ones to perform well.
Let’s learn about this in detail:
Outdated Processors
Cheap hosting services often use low graphics performing processors with low clock speeds, and most of the PC games require high clock speeds to process data.
Large open world and shooting games especially need a high tick rate to manage fps and the changes of the entire gameplay. Therefore, using cheap hosting can create server lags and slow down the gameplay.
Limited Storage Capacity
Another factor that pushes game servers to lag is disk space. When disk space is limited, it can’t create temporary files, making it difficult for the server to load game data quickly.
Cheap hosting has limited RAM and storage capacity, which forces the hard drive to work more and prevents players from operating their characters properly.
High server latency
Server lag isn’t just due to processor or RAM issues; it also happens due to high latency. Cheap hosting services don’t offer many data center options, so gamers have to use the location offered by the hosting provider, which can be very far from the gamer’s actual location.
So, it takes a lot of time for the data to travel from the gamers to the server, which ultimately affects the movement of the players.
Metered Bandwidth
Cheap game hosting services have limited bandwidth, which prevents them from transferring large amounts of data.
This is also because the Internet Service Provider (ISP) reduces the speed after a certain period of time, which means your server will start to lag when it will reach monthly data limit.
Resource distribution
Inexpensive game hosting services typically provide shared resources. This means that the processor, RAM, bandwidth, or storage disk space your game is using is also being used by many other gamers.
This can cause the server to be unable to provide sufficient resources to any one gamer, leading to laggy play.
Less security
As cheap hosting doesn’t offer dedicated resources, you can’t configure or add new security tools, therefore making a clear path for hackers and malware.
These servers also lag due to constant IP requests from fake players, as they are unable to identify real players.
Signs Your Game Server Is Suffering Due to Cheap Hosting
Many times, gamers mistake technical failures for their inability to play games. We have listed the same signs that occur because of poor server quality.
If you see any of these, it means there’s a problem with your server, not with you or the game:
Attacks don’t work
Imagine you are playing a shooting game, and you press enter to attack your enemy, but instead of the enemy, your player dies because the opponent’s bullet has already hit him.
If this is happening repeatedly, it means that your server is not able to properly deliver the commands given by you to the processor.
Confusing World physics
All the games follow real-life physics, like the character won’t stay in the sky, will float in the sea, and will walk on the ground.
But during cheap hosting, these physics laws get broken, due to which the character sometimes starts floating in the sky or starts walking on air or water.
Slow Character movement
You’re pressing keyboard keys too quickly to make your character run, but it still moves slowly and gets killed by the enemies. And you lose the game.
This might make you think you don’t know how to play, but that’s not true. It’s your cheap server’s fault.
Sudden freezes
This is really very frustrating! You turn on the game, it opens for a sec, and then goes off. You try to open it again, it runs for a minute but gets frozen again.
This happens due to server failure that’s too common with cheap hosting, but players eventually lose interest in the game due to this.
No upgrades
Cheap game hosting has limited storage and RAM, so you can’t add new mods to enhance your gaming experience.
Furthermore, they don’t offer server customization, as you don’t have dedicated resources.
If you see all these signs while playing your game, then your server is definitely struggling because of cheap hosting.
How to Choose a Better Host (The Checklist)
So by now, you must have understood the reason behind lags and the signs to identify them. Now, we’ll learn how you can avoid them with the help of a better game hosting service.
Our tech experts have listed some important things that you should look for while purchasing a host:
Conclusion
We agree that cheap hosting is more convenient, but what’s the point of using it if you can’t even play your game? Especially if you want to enjoy mainstream games with your teammates.
There’s a reason why cheap hosting is cheap or budget-friendly. All these hosts use outdated and poor-quality servers, so you will be able to play the game initially, but gradually you will get troubled by lags and crashes.
We’ve explained more about the same in this blog. If you want to know how to choose a better game host, then listen to the advice of our tech experts.
They’ve given some tips with the help of which you can improve your gaming experience by choosing a good lag-free server.
So, just scroll up and read our blog now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why does my game server lag even with few players?
A: If your server is lagging even with a few players, this means it is using an outdated processor, which is not able to process the actions of every player. This also happens because of low RAM, which is quite common with cheap hosting services.
Q2: Can I run a lag-free game server on shared hosting?
A: No, you can’t run a lag-free game server on shared hosting because the resources (RAM, CPU, bandwidth, and storage) are used by multiple gamers. So, nobody gets full resource power to run the game.
Q3:How much RAM is required for a lag-free game server?
A: 8 GB RAM is required for a lag-free game server. But if you are aiming for multiplayer gaming then you need more than 8 GB, i.e., 16 GB+ RAM.
Q4: Does adding more RAM fix server lag?
A: Yes, adding more RAM can fix server lag only if it is caused by a memory shortage. But if the lag is not due to memory, then there is no point in adding RAM; you will have to update all the hardware tools, for which you’ll have to purchase an expensive hosting service.
Q5: Does server location affect ping in gaming?
A: Yes, server location affects ping in gaming. If the distance between you and the server is too long, the data will take more time to travel, which will slow down the gameplay. But when the distance is less, the latency reduces, due to which the server works well.
