FragPunk brings a fresh take on the team-based shooter genre with its Shard Card system, allowing players to break the rules of combat for dynamic and unpredictable gameplay. With a growing roster of characters, each with unique abilities, and chaotic mechanics, maintaining a smooth connection is essential for the best experience.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to fix high ping, packet loss, and unstable connections in FragPunk, so you can stay ahead of the competition.
Check FragPunk Server Status
Before troubleshooting your connection, check if the issue is on FragPunk’s end. If the game’s servers are experiencing problems or are overloaded, you may notice lag and disconnects.
Currently, there is no official FragPunk server status tool. The best way to check is through FragPunk’s official social media accounts and community hubs like Reddit:
If servers are down or unstable, there’s no immediate fix on your end—you’ll need to wait for the developers to resolve the issue. However, knowing the servers are at fault will save you time troubleshooting your own network unnecessarily.
FragPunk Matchmaking Regions
FragPunk allows you to select a Matchmaking Region before searching for a game. These regions contain multiple servers, particularly in large areas like Europe. The server you connect to is the biggest factor in your ping, as a greater distance means higher latency.
To get the best connection, always select the matchmaking region closest to you. This minimizes the distance your game data must travel, reducing the delay. However, since each region has multiple servers, you may still end up on a suboptimal one. Later, we’ll show you how to manually control which server you play on for the lowest ping possible.
To monitor your connection in-game, enable Performance Metrics in the General settings menu. This displays useful network data, including ping, packet loss, and connection stability.
Use a Wired Connection
One of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your connection in FragPunk is switching from Wi-Fi to a wired Ethernet cable.
Wi-Fi, while convenient, is prone to interference and signal strength issues, especially if your router is far from your gaming setup. This can result in packet loss, stuttering, and sudden lag spikes. A wired connection eliminates these issues, providing a faster and more stable experience.
If running an Ethernet cable directly isn’t an option, consider Powerline Adapters, which send an Ethernet connection through your home’s electrical wiring. While speeds may be slightly slower than a direct cable, they’re significantly more stable than Wi-Fi.
High Ping in FragPunk
High ping can completely throw you off your game by making your aim feel sluggish and movement delayed. The two main causes of high ping are connecting to a distant game server and congestion on your network. We'll cover the server issue now, then take on congestion in a later section.
As mentioned earlier, selecting the right matchmaking region helps reduce ping, but it doesn’t guarantee the best connection. Some regions contain multiple servers, and your connection quality may vary between them. If one server is experiencing issues, you may still get placed on it, even if it results in higher ping.
To take full control over your server connections, the Netduma R3 gaming router offers a Geo-Filter feature that ensures you only connect to the best-performing servers.
Fix High Ping With The Netduma R3
The Geo-Filter on the Netduma R3 gaming router allows you to manually select the best servers for FragPunk, preventing you from being placed on high-ping or underperforming servers. Many matchmaking systems prioritize skill-based matchmaking over connection quality, but the Geo-Filter ensures that you always connect to servers that provide the lowest latency.
Another powerful tool is the Ping Heatmap, which visualizes the locations of FragPunk’s servers and their connection quality. By using this information, you can fine-tune your Geo-Filter to include only the best servers, ensuring a consistently smooth gaming experience.
For a detailed breakdown of how the Geo-Filter works and to see it in action, check out our ultimate Geo-Filter guide on our YouTube channel!
Unstable Connection in FragPunk
An unstable connection in FragPunk can leave you at a huge disadvantage during crucial moments of the game. Like we mentioned when talking about wired connections, stability is the most important factor for a great gaming connection.
If you're playing on a network with bufferbloat or jitter, your ping may fluctuate a lot. This results in extremely inconsistent gameplay full of stuttering and frustration.
Using a wired ethernet connection will definitely improve the stability of your connection, but the only way to eliminate jitter from your connection is the Steady Ping feature of the Netduma R3 gaming router.
Stabilise Your Connection With The Netduma R3
The Steady Ping feature of the Netduma R3 gaming router helps eliminate jitter, ensuring your ping remains stable throughout the match. This prevents sudden spikes in latency, making gameplay feel much more responsive and reducing the chances of frustrating desync issues.
Steady Ping is a pretty technical feature to explain, so you might want to check out our vide on it here, for a better understanding.
Packet Loss in FragPunk
Network congestion from other devices and applications can seriously impact your gameplay in FragPunk. With modern networks handling multiple high-bandwidth activities like 4K streaming, downloads, and cloud backups, your gaming traffic can end up stuck in a queue, causing delays—or worse, packet loss.
This issue, known as bufferbloat, is one of the leading causes of high ping spikes and packet loss in gaming. When your network becomes saturated, data packets may be delayed or even dropped entirely, resulting in stuttering movement, unresponsive controls, and a frustratingly inconsistent experience.
Now that you understand the cause, let’s talk about the fix. The Netduma R3 gaming router is designed to eliminate congestion and optimize how bandwidth is allocated across your network.
Optimise Your Network With The Netduma R3
The SmartBOOST feature in the R3 ensures that your gaming traffic always takes priority, preventing it from being affected by other devices on your network. During setup, the router runs a speed test to automatically fine-tune your settings for optimal performance.
By setting Gaming as your top priority, SmartBOOST ensures that your connection remains smooth, even when your network is busy. This prevents unnecessary delays and eliminates bufferbloat, so data flows efficiently without interruptions.
If you want to see SmartBOOST in action, check out our live demonstration video below: