Online gaming is more popular than ever, and gamers have many different options in home internet configurations from which to choose. Mesh Wi-Fi is an option many users opt for, but what is it, and is it a good solution for gaming?
The distance between a router and a connected device affects the signal strength a device receives. A Wi-Fi mesh network ensures a higher quality connection further away, because a device like a gaming console can connect to the nearest mesh relay which has a stronger signal than the router would.
Considering the improved connectivity offered by a Wi-Fi mesh configuration, the potential advantage for gamers seems self-evident. However, several considerations impact the usefulness of mesh Wi-Fi, particularly for gamers.
Is Mesh Wi-Fi Good for Gamers?
Mesh Wi-Fi (on Amazon) is a good option for gamers, given that one struggles with one of several possible connectivity issues. However, to best understand the benefits of mesh Wi-Fi, one must know some basic principles of Wi-Fi signals.
Wi-Fi Signals
A gaming device uses radio waves to communicate with the router. When the signal reaches the router, it gets converted into digital information. From this point on, the quality and speed at which the data travels depend on one’s internet service provider.
However, the radio signals that pass between devices and the router are affected by several factors. First, as with the aging radio wave technology that transmits information that an AM/FM radio converts to sound, Wi-Fi signals are subject to interference.
But how does one identify the cause of poor Wi-Fi reception? The following situations may impact one’s Wi-Fi signal negatively:
The Main Router is Far from the Gaming Device
Unfortunately, the strength of Wi-Fi signals weakens with distance. As one moves further from the source, the signal weakens exponentially.
That is not ideal when a gaming setup is far from the main router. Furthermore, the faster 5 GHz Wi-Fi bandwidth has a shorter range than the 2.5 GHz bandwidth.
Obstacles Impact the Wi-Fi Signal
A water feature, wooden structure, or glass between the main router and the gaming device will impact signal quality.
For example, water warps and weakens Wi-Fi frequencies considerably. On the other hand, wood absorbs radio frequencies in the Wi-Fi range.
Furthermore, windows and other glass features reflect a percentage of Wi-Fi signals. Additionally, depending on the opacity of the glass, it may absorb some of the Wi-Fi frequencies.
Portable Gaming Devices Experience Unstable Wi-Fi Connections
Gamers face a challenge when gaming on a portable device. Wi-Fi signal strength is inconsistent on mobile devices in general. In addition, one will almost certainly experience Wi-Fi signal dips when one moves around from room to room.
Unfortunately, the same can happen even when playing on mobile devices without one moving around the house. That is because relatively small movements could impact Wi-Fi signal strength.
In addition, a reflective piece of decor, piping in the walls, and even one’s body can act as sources of interference.
Additional Limitations
Serious gamers may want to utilize specific features that facilitate, enhance, or change their gaming experience. Most of these features are available on the average gaming router.
These features include changing the DHCP scope, adding custom DNS, and utilizing 5 GHz bandwidth (rather than the slower 2.5 GHz bandwidth).
Mesh Wi-Fi relays offer none of these features. Therefore, even if your primary router uses any such functionality, it is not relayed via the mesh Wi-Fi.
What is Latency, and Why is it Important for Gaming?
Anyone who has played an online game has likely heard of latency. For many online gamers, latency is one of the most critical factors in any online game.
Some game servers will even deny a player with poor latency access to online games. That is especially true of highly competitive online games like first-person shooters.
As important as online gaming latency is, many gamers don’t fully understand what it is or how it works.
Why Latency is Important for Gaming
Latency is the time between an action and its effect. So that we can better understand latency, we must briefly discuss how online games generally work.
Online Games and Gaming Servers
Like offline games, online games get installed on a gaming device. However, the installed files contain various assets impractical to stream over the internet. So instead, the gameplay takes place on a server.
A server is like a computer that runs the game, and the players connect to it so that they can share a gaming experience.
Consider that players can join the same server from different locations, thousands of miles apart. That means that when players use a keyboard and mouse control their actions in the game, those signals travel different distances for each player.
The difference in the time players’ inputs take to reach the host server can cause desynchronized experiences. When this happens, coherent online gaming becomes all but impossible.
And that brings us to the matter of latency.
The Role of Latency in Gaming
In online gaming, latency impacts two crucial aspects of the experience:
- The time between making inputs and the inputs reaching the game server
- The time it takes for the input’s effect to return to the gaming device.
Latency is the rate at which an online game responds to your actions and delivers feedback. So, what does it look like when a player experiences low latency?
Ideally, the Process Goes as Follows:
- First, a player identifies an action they wish to take.
- Then, responding at the correct time, the player makes the appropriate input.
- Next, the input gets transmitted to the game server that hosts the game.
- When the server receives the input, it gets actioned in-game.
- The input then gets transferred to the devices of all players in the match.
- Finally, the players can respond by sending new inputs.
The Way Low Latency Effects Gameplay
We know that lower latency is better. Latency gets measured in milliseconds. Lower latency improves the rate at which an online game responds and gives a player feedback.
Additionally, we know that players at different distances will experience varying latencies. Low latencies solve this issue.
The lower every player’s latency, the smaller the discrepancy between the feedback rate for every player on the same server. The smaller the discrepancy, the more synchronized the gameplay for all players.
What is ‘Good ‘Latency?
Acceptable latency levels differ from one game to the next. For example, action role-playing games and MMORPGs are playable at up to 300 ms.
The competitive racing games play best at anything below 150 ms. The ideal latencies for the most competitive first-person shooter players are as low as 20 ms.
Note: Latency is not an issue in offline games. Because the game runs locally on your device, the latency is nearly non-existent.
Does Mesh Wi-Fi Have Low Latency?
Unfortunately, mesh Wi-Fi does not have low latency. Now that we understand the importance of latency in online gaming, it is clear that this may be a dealbreaker for serious online gamers.
The problem with mesh Wi-Fi and latency is twofold:
- First, additional devices connected to the mesh can significantly impact the latency between each relay.
- Second, mesh relays do not get designed with low latency in mind, so the hardware itself is a bottleneck.
The problem becomes most apparent in fast-paced online games, such as first-person shooters and racing games. When a game requires precision and well-timed reactions, mesh Wi-Fi does not offer the capacity for low enough latencies.
What Games Work Well with a Mesh Wi-Fi System?
Although mesh Wi-Fi configurations aren’t a solution for serious gamers, they work perfectly for anyone more interested in casual gaming. While some gamers prefer the pace of competitive, reactive games, others prefer a more relaxed experience.
A mesh Wi-Fi configuration provides ample latency for the laid-back, casual gamer. Indeed, some casual online games don’t depend on latency at all. Instead, they only need a moderate internet connection speed.
Turn-Based Games are Less Impacted by Latency
Such games include many turn-based games, ranging from classic online chess to strategic civilization-building games.
Another popular genre in casual gaming is the CCG, or ‘card collecting game. ‘These games center around building competitive decks of themed cards. The goal is to best other players in duels. CCGs do not depend on latency.
Note: Some strategy games are more dependent on latency. These are the type of strategy games that unfold in real-time.
* So-called ‘AFK ‘games refer to computer gaming jargon, abbreviated from ‘away from keyboard. ‘In modern mobile games, the term refers to games with auto-play features that allow the player to do other tasks while the game runs.
Which Games Do Not Work Well with Mesh Wi-Fi?
Players who want to experience the latest in cutting-edge multiplayer action games won’t enjoy mesh Wi-Fi configurations. The following gaming genres often require low latencies to function correctly:
- First-person shooters where reflexive responses are crucial.
- Racing games that require pinpoint accuracy to make the best lap times.
- Fighting games, where a perfectly timed counterattack makes the difference between victory and defeat.
- Real-time strategy games get won by perfectly timed strategic moves.
- Online platforming games demand precise timing and excellent spatial awareness.
What are Some Better Alternatives to Mesh Wi-Fi?
So mesh Wi-Fi is a bust for the serious gamer, but what are the alternative network configurations? Furthermore, what are the best ways to connect different devices to a network?
CAT is King
Nothing beats a CAT ethernet connection when it comes to alternative ways to connect your gaming system to your router. CAT is just an abbreviation for ‘category. ‘
The best ethernet cable will have the highest number when reading. Not only do CAT cables improve with every iteration, but they also facilitate faster internet connection speeds.
For example, CAT5 ethernet cables (on Amazon) offer a maximum bandwidth of 100 Mbps, while CAT5e and CAT6 (on Amazon) offer ten times as much bandwidth at 1000 Mbps. In addition, modern gaming consoles and PCs have a dedicated ethernet port.
Problems of the Portless
What about mobile devices like smartphones and handheld gaming devices? When it comes to wireless gaming, the quality of the router makes all the difference. A high-spec router (on Amazon) offers a more stable Wi-Fi signal.
In addition, many gaming routers have built-in technology that allows one to extend the range of their signal output. A stronger signal at a greater range will improve your wireless device’s internet connection and optimize its latency.
Key Takeaways
There are many ways to configure one’s network and internet connection. While mesh Wi-Fi is a bust for serious gamers, it will do the job for most casual gaming fans.
However, regardless of one’s network setup, your connection and latency can only be as good as your physical internet connection provided by your internet service provider.