Lag and latency are probably the main causes of losses in multiplayer games (wink, wink). Thankfully, you can find tons of ways to reduce in-game lag. If you usually play on your PS4, then you might have heard about people changing MTU settings to improve their network conditions. What is the best MTU for PS4? Read along to find out.
I am going to talk about what MTU is and what its benefits are. I am also going to help you figure out the best MTU settings for your PS4. Let’s get started.
What is MTU?
Data is usually sent in the form of small packets. MTU stands for Maximum Transmission Unit and it determines the size of the data packet. Normally it is set to 1500 on the PS4 and this means that the data sent from PS4 to the server has a size of 1500 bytes.
1. Cool, But Dow Does That Help Me?
Well, without getting too technical, a smaller data packet may reduce lag in online multiplayer games. A packet size of 1500 takes longer to deliver and the probability of packet loss is more. So, in theory, a lower packet size should improve latency.
When PlayStation Network (PSN) went down a few years ago, lowering the MTU also helped them get access to the Sony servers. If you do this, you can also get access to solo public servers in some games like GTA Online and you will be able to have more peaceful gameplay.
If you are facing extremely laggy gameplay, then lowering the MTU settings can help you out a lot. However, keep in mind that these settings do not improve latency for everyone. It is mostly dependent on the network that you use.
Best MTU For PS4
You must have heard about magical MTU numbers like 1470 or 1473 being thrown around. While these numbers do work for some people, they might not necessarily work for you. To find out the best MTU for Ps4, you are going to have to set up a new internet connection. Follow these instructions to do so.
- Open up the Settings menu on your PS4.
- Go to Network and choose Set up Internet Connection.
- If you have a WiFi connection, select Use WiFi. If you are connected via an Ethernet cable, select Use a Lan cable.
- Select Custom.
- Choose your WiFi network from the list of available networks. If you are using a LAN cable, you can skip this step.
- On the IP Address Settings and DNS Settings pages, select Automatic.
- On the MTU Settings page, you should select Manual.
- Press X on MTU to enter the new value. You should reduce the value by 28. For eg, if the default MTU value is 1500, you should enter 1472.
- Select Next and the PlayStation will run a network test. Make a mental note of the test result.
- Now repeat the steps but decrement the MTU value by 28 again. Test the new MTU value and repeat these steps until you get a Fragmentation not ed notification after a test. You are going to hit this message once you enter a value that is close to 1350.
How to Get Solo Public Servers on GTA 4?
The steps above will help you reduce lag and improve latency in games where there are a lot of players, like PUBG and Fortnite. However, if you want to get access to a public server that not a lot of people know of, then you should set the MTU value to 800.
This will let you play games like GTA online alone and you do not have to protect your cargo against other players. The game will spawn some NPCs to deter you, but they are much easier than dealing with other players.
Another Way To Improve Connection Speed on PS4
Even though you can easily get the best MTU for your PS4, it is not a guaranteed network boost. Some s may see a benefit while others will not experience any differences. However, you can try out another method.
WiFi is convenient, but it is also laggier compared to an Ethernet connection. If you can, simply connect a LAN cable from your router to the PS4.
Final Take
This is the way to get the best MTU for PS4. With this, you can now react better to your enemies and put your full skills to the test. If you don’t see any improvements, then simply change the MTU value back to 1500. If you have any doubts, post them down in the comments section down below and I will get back to you as soon as I can.