How to get zero to no packet loss in Call of Duty Warzone

The Call of Duty Battle royale might need some stable network to play on (Image via Activision)
The Call of Duty Battle royale might need some stable network to play on (Image via Activision)

Call of Duty Warzone has been around for two years and has easily become one of the most-played multiplayer games in the competitive market. Activision released Warzone in a fluid state that has helped the game gather many loyal players since its release.

But not everything is perfect, and Activision's free-to-play battle royale game too has its shortcomings regarding network issues and lags.

It can be quite frustrating to deal with network lag and packet loss from time to time when players are trying to become Warzone champions. Nothing is more frustrating than unregistered headshots.

This listicle will include a few ways to make the networking area in Warzone a little bit more stable for players, helping them get a reduced number of packet losses in-game.


How to genuinely reduce the number of losing packets in Call of Duty Warzone

To understand what is causing this network-sided problem in Warzone, we will have to understand what packet loss is in general. This issue will be explained in brief.

When accessing the World Wide Web on any kind of network (in this case, the user's ISP), small units of data, also known as packets, are sent and received between the local ISP and the internet itself. Sometimes, one or more of these fails to reach their intended destination. This delay in network packets reaching their destination is called packet loss. This usually happens due to network disruption and slow service from ISP.

Packet loss is not limited to video games, and this phenomenon can occur when using any software which requires networking or even simply browsing. Slow internet, buffering in videos, and 'request time-out' errors are a few symptoms of the connection going through packet loss.

Here are a few solutions players can apply to reduce packet loss in Warzone:

1) Using a metered connection on Windows

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A metered connection is an internet connection that has a data limit when enabled. This allows the computer to use less data on background applications, which might be why Warzone or any other desired application is not performing well network-wise. It is wise to turn this setting on when using Windows 10 or 11.


2) Using a VPN

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A huge reason for packet loss is network congestion. Chances are, the local ISP servers are busy and causing a lot of traffic, in this instance, trying a VPN can help in a lot of ways. A VPN can help players connect to a different server region with less traffic resulting in reduced or no packet loss at all. There are a number of ways to set up a VPN for multiple purposes.


3) Using a wired connection

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Using an Ethernet cable or Optic fiber is a must when trying to reduce packet loss or network issues in general. Nowadays, with the fast movement of technology across the globe, less latency is paramount, and wireless connections are highly unstable and slow in nature to provide the flawless network bandwidth that Warzone requires to keep up with its servers.


4) Making sure no one else is using the network

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Sometimes, a cure isn't far from the eyes. To ensure everything is checked, players can ensure that the exact network they are using to play Warzone is not used by anyone else. For example, it could be possible that a family member is accessing the router to watch a video or use it for other personal use; in that case, getting a different network is preferable.


5) Port forwarding (Changing NAT type)

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The game can be run on a more stable connection if used with the correct NAT type, which is recommended by Activision. To achieve a more stable connection, setting the NAT type to Open or Type 1 is recommended. If players are using the NAT settings of Moderate/Type 2 or Strict/Type 3, then changing the NAT type can definitely help.


These are a few ways players can achieve a more stable connection when playing Call of Duty Warzone. If all of the mentioned points do not help, it is always a good idea to give a little knock to the local ISP addressing the issue of packet loss and leave a complaint. We hope this helps all the players across the community.

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