Warframe packet loss: What is it and how to fix it?

Warframe is a free-to-play fast-paced cooperative third-person game. Part of its popularity likely emerged from the fact that you can play the game for free.

Sure, some of its players are reportedly upset that the game follows a pay-to-win pattern. However, the truth is that most of the game content can be unlocked through grinding, except for a few cosmetic items.

But we didn’t gather here to talk about game economics and micro-transactions. Since it’s an online game, Warframe is subject to the same technical issues as any other game you play over the Internet.

We’re talking about high ping, various bad connectivity issues, and, of course, the much-dreaded packet loss.

What is packet loss in Warframe?

Packet loss already has a bad rap, regardless of where you spot it. This apparently harmless issue can severely affect your in-game experience to the point that you can’t even play the game without the burning desire of rage-quitting.

If you’ve ever seen someone rubberbanding in Warframe, you’d guess that they have a high ping. However, most of the time packet loss is the culprit. But what exactly is packet loss?

On a usual Internet connection, you send and receive packets all the time. Ideally, the percentage of packets you send and/or receive should be as close as possible to 100%.

Packet loss happens when some of the data packets that get transmitted through the connection never make it to their destination, whether the destination point is you, or another bounce in your connection.

In Warframe, packet loss could lead to various other issues, including but not limited to rubberbanding, high latency, or even sudden connection drops.

It’s easy to see why such an issue could have a dramatic effect on your gameplay.

What causes packet loss in Warframe?

There’s no unique culprit when it comes to packet loss, regardless of where you experience it. In Warframe, you can experience packet loss because of network congestion, for instance.

If it is network congestion indeed, the packet loss will come and go. Thus, you can simply fix it by avoiding peak hours. However, sometimes there’s a simpler underlying cause.

For instance, having bad Ethernet cables can trigger a packet leak episode. Even if you prefer using WiFi instead of wired connections you can trigger packet loss.

Thus, it’s easy to see why it’s so difficult to spot the main cause of losing packets accurately.

How to detect packet loss in Warframe?

1. Launch CMD with Administrator rights
2. Run a packet loss test as we’ve described in our guide
3. Wait for the pathping test to come to an end
4. Check the number of the hop where you notice packet loss

If you can use a game server’s IP address in the pathping test, the test will yield more accurate results. If not, you can use another external IP address and see if there’s something wrong on your side of the connection.

How to fix Warframe packet loss?

1. Use a VPN

1. Download Private Internet Access
2. Deploy it on your PC
3. Launch it and sign in to your PIA account
4. Connect to your server of choice
5. Check and see if the packet loss issue still persists

It’s worth mentioning that if you choose a server that’s far away from your physical connection, you might experience high ping. For this purpose, try connecting to a server that’s nearby.

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On the contrary, if you think that the issue is triggered by the game server, try connecting to a server that’s in the same location as the game server, or at least nearby.

2. Troubleshoot the issue manually

• Use a wired connection instead of WiFi (WiFi packet loss occurs more frequently)
• Check and fix any troublesome component on the network, including Ethernet wires, routers, adapters
• Try to avoid peak hours if possible
• Contact the game server’s owner if you suspect the packet loss occurs on their side
• Talk to your ISP if you notice that the pathping test indicates trouble on their side
• Restart your PC, modem, and router

These fixes are not guaranteed to work, but maintaining your network running at optimal parameters can make sure other issues won’t be as likely.

Warframe packet loss is frequent but can be fixed

All things considered, if you’re experiencing packet loss in Warframe, it’s not the end of the world. Most of the time it’s caused by network congestion and can be easily fixed.

You can use a VPN such as PIA to reduce packet loss. However, this fix should only work if your ISP is throttling your bandwidth or has routed its network in an improper manner.

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