A lot of FC 24 players use VPNs for gaming. It allows them to avoid service throttling, play on another server, or increase their overall anonymity while gaming. However, even if you want something as simple as these three things, a VPN is not a magic wand that will just deliver these results. You need to use this software the right way around and here are the top seven rules for using VPN for gaming.
Not All VPNs Are the Same
The first thing you have to understand is that not all VPNs are made the same. You see, according to software reviews expert Aleksandar Stevanovic, the differences in performance and features are quite significant, even when it comes to popular VPN providers. This is why you need to take your choice of software into careful consideration.
A lot of people just download the first VPN they encounter. However, the first VPN that appears on the list is not necessarily the best VPN; it’s the VPN with the best SEO. While there is some relation here, it’s definitely not 1:1 when it comes to performance.
It’s also worth mentioning that free VPNs and premium VPNs are not the same. With the paid version, you get numerous extra features, some of which may be detrimental to your gaming experience.
At the same time, it just depends on your use. You don’t want to be a person paying for a bunch of features that you’ll never use. This brings us to the next point…
Understand why you’re getting a VPN
To begin with, in order to choose a VPN, you need to understand why you’re getting it. For instance, if you’re getting a VPN to play FC 24, you’re probably looking to access geo-restricted servers (for more suitable matchmaking), enjoy a game with reduced latency and ping, protect your personal information, and avoid throttling.
You see, a lot of people believe that throttling is just about the distance between a server and you. While this is often the case with modern internet connections, especially if you have fiber internet, this really shouldn’t be the case.
At the same time, your geographical location could be the reason why your ISP is throttling your gaming activity. Both gaming servers and internet providers sometimes try to incentivize playing on local servers, which is why they discriminate against players switching servers. With the use of a VPN, you’ll make it impossible for them to track you in this manner. Sure, they can still throttle your service, but not for that reason.
Test different servers
In theory, the distance between you and the server should make all the difference in performance; however, in 2024, this no longer has to be the case.
Devices are too powerful for an app as simple as a VPN to slow them down, and more and more people have fiber internet connections, which means that the distance shouldn’t be noticeable when it comes to gaming. At the same time, servers, especially those controlled by major gaming companies, are more potent than ever, which further reduces the slowdown and throttling.
In reality, different servers perform differently. So, if you’re just focused on performance (and not something specific like matchmaking or a desire to play on a particular server), you should test different servers out in order to see which of them performs the best.
A single game (or a few games if you have the time and patience for such a thing) should inform you of all you need to know about the subject matter.
Keep it Updated
VPN is like any other software; it only works as intended if it’s up to date. This is why you need to make sure that your automatic update schedule doesn’t falter.
As we’ve mentioned, the majority of software in 2024 has live service, and every time there’s an update, the process is automatic. Some apps, on the other hand, require your manual confirmation. Sometimes, you’ll just get a window pop-up asking you to commence an update or restart now that the update is completed.
It’s easy to see how you might skip this. Well, do this enough times (for enough consecutive days), and you’ll be dealing with outdated software. This puts you at a risk of exploitation, as well as a scenario where your software is not working properly.
You see, app developers are working tirelessly to fix problems, but this doesn’t mean much if you don’t agree to an update.
Also, develop a habit of checking the software version on occasion.
Monitor ping and speed
Every VPN promises that you can use it without any ping and at optimal speed. The problem is that this is sometimes just an empty promise. It’s like cleaning solutions promising they kill 99.9% of bacteria. It sounds good, but it’s not like you can check or verify it.
With an online game, you can monitor ping and speed. So, when using a VPN, you should pay attention to a drop or an increase.
If you’re using just one VPN or toggling between just two servers, you can just pay attention to the subject matter and not bother with note-taking. At the same time, if you’re still looking for the best place, it might be a good idea to start a table in sheets and keep this a bit more systemic.
You don’t want to be blind-sighted and overlook something important.
Consider Auto-connect
Another thing you need to pay attention to is the importance of remembering to actually turn your VPN on. It’s not like FC won’t run without a VPN, but if you really find it important to play on a specific server or use a VPN when playing FC in general, this might make a difference.
The best way to ensure that you never forget to turn the VPN on is to make it auto-connect.
If you’re mostly playing on a laptop that you’re carrying around on your travels, you may also want to enable this feature in order to protect yourself online. In that case, you could potentially set the software to auto-connect every time you connect to a new Wi-Fi.
Clear cookies and cache
If, on the other hand, you’re using a VPN for anonymity, you need to keep in mind that, regardless of the server or proxy you choose, your cookies and cache may still contain information regarding your location. Even more importantly, the servers and sites you connect to will look at your cache first and the rest later.
So, in order to enable the VPN to do its job, you want to develop a habit of regularly clearing your cookies and cache.
This is an action that takes seconds, and it can really elevate your ability to remain anonymous while gaming or browsing the internet.
Knowing how to use a VPN for gaming will determine its value
You need to understand how to use a VPN, and a lot of this comes down to picking the right app, setting it up properly, and learning how to use it. Try different servers, check if your VPN is up to date, and make sure that there’s nothing else on your software that will give you away. Understanding how to use it for gaming is bound to improve your gaming experience.