Fix slow connection/lag

Symptoms

When you play on Xbox LIVE, you might experience any of the following symptoms:

• Slow game play
• Poor performance or "lag" between actions
• Video streaming pauses

Step through the following solutions to improve the performance of Xbox LIVE.

Solution 1: Restart your network hardware

If Xbox LIVE performance seems slow, try restarting your network hardware. Here’s how:

1. Turn off Xbox 360 console and network hardware (for example, your modem and router).
2. Wait 30 seconds.
3. Turn on your modem and wait a minute.
4. Turn on the next piece of hardware (for example, your router) and wait another minute.
5. Turn on your Xbox 360 console.
6. On your console, go to My Xbox, and then select System Settings.
7. Select Network Settings.
8. Select Wired Network or your wireless network if you are prompted to do so.
9. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection.

If Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 2 (wireless only): Improve your wireless signal

A weak wireless signal can cause poor Xbox LIVE performance.

Let’s check your wireless signal strength. Here’s how:

1. Go to My Xbox, and then select System Settings.
2. Select Network Settings.
3. Select your wireless network name if you are prompted to do so.
4. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection.

If your wireless signal strength is one or two bars, try improving your signal strength.

How to improve your wireless signal

Follow these tips to improve your wireless signal strength:

• Move your router or gateway off the floor and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets).
• Minimize obstructions along a straight-line path between your console and your wireless router or gateway.
• Shorten the distance between your console and your wireless router or gateway. Ideally, your network hardware should be near the center of your home.
• Change the position of the antenna on your Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter (external adapter only).
• Turn off wireless devices If your router uses the 2.4 GHz band, try turning off wireless devices, such as 2.4 GHz cordless telephones and Bluetooth devices.
• Try changing your wireless channel. Wireless routers and gateways can broadcast on different channels, and one channel might be clearer than another. See your hardware documentation for help changing wireless channels.
• Add a wireless repeater to extend your wireless network range. You can boost your signal strength by placing a wireless repeater halfway between your router or gateway and your console.
• Add an Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter. If your wireless router is not near the console, an Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter might improve the signal strength. When you connect a wireless networking adapter to an Xbox 360 S console, the console will automatically use the wireless adapter instead of the internal Wi-Fi. Learn how to connect an Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter
• Switch wireless signal bands. If you have a dual-band router and an external wireless adapter, try switching the router to a wireless protocol that transmits on the 5 GHz band (wireless protocol A or N). Please see your hardware documentation for help with changing the wireless protocol.
• Satellite, 3G, or 4G phone type connections: These types of connections are not supported because you are likely to experience slow game performance, or have problems downloading or streaming content. For the best Xbox LIVE experience, an Internet service provider (ISP) with a high-speed cable or DSL connection is recommended. .

If these tips did not improve your Xbox LIVE performance, try the next solution.

Solution 3: Maximize your bandwidth

When you play games or videos on Xbox LIVE, make sure that other computers in your home are not downloading or transferring files. When someone in your house browses the Internet, they use bandwidth that could be going to your Xbox 360 console.

Note Bandwidth is the amount of information transferred over your Internet connection. If your bandwidth is limited or fluctuates dramatically, it can affect the performance of Xbox LIVE.

If no one else is accessing the Internet and Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next step.

To simplify your setup

1. Wired connection: Temporarily disconnect everything from your router or gateway, except the connection from your Xbox 360 console and the connection to your modem.
   
   Wireless connection: Temporarily turn off everything that's connected to your wireless network except your Xbox 360 console (for example, turn off your laptop’s wireless connection).
2. Now that you've simplified your setup, check your Xbox LIVE performance.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 4: Reduce the number of players

Your Internet connection speed might not support a large number of players. Try reducing the number of players that can join your Xbox LIVE game. For example, reduce the number of players who can join your game from 16 to 8. If you notice an improvement, contact your ISP to see if you can upgrade your broadband connection speed.

Note Your connection upload speed determines how efficiently you can host games. The faster the upload speed, the more players you can host. There are several online connection tests that you can use to check your Internet connection speed.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 5: Play at a different time of day

Xbox LIVE game performance can fluctuate with the speed of your Internet connection. Residential Internet networks are often busiest in the evenings when people are at home. You may get the best Internet connection speed during the day.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 6 (wireless only): Try a wired connection

A wired connection is the fastest and most reliable connection type. If you're using a wireless connection, try switching to a wired connection to see if your Xbox LIVE performance improves. Here’s how:

1. Plug one end of a network cable into the back of your Xbox 360 console and the other end into a port on your router or gateway.
2. Test your Xbox LIVE Connection:
   1. Go to My Xbox, and then select System Settings.
   2. Select Network Settings.
   3. Select Wired Connection if prompted to do so.
   4. Select Test Xbox LIVE Connection.
3. Check your Xbox LIVE performance.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 7: Contact your Internet service provider

Contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to see if there are performance problems in your area. Your ISP may have a service status webpage that you can visit.

If your Xbox LIVE performance is still slow, try the next solution.

Solution 8: Have a friend try these solutions

When you play games on Xbox LIVE with friends, performance is determined by both your bandwidth and your friends’ bandwidths. Have a friend complete the solutions in this article on their console to see if performance improves.