Unknown Error
ARC Raiders
High Jitter and Packet Loss - ARC Raiders Fix Guide
🎯 Quick Answer
The primary fix involves rolling back to a stable NVIDIA driver version (e.g., 581.57) and then performing a clean installation using Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Windows Safe Mode.
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW
This error occurs when ARC Raiders experiences severe network instability characterized by high jitter and packet loss, despite a stable underlying internet connection. The problem manifests as intermittent, unplayable lag spikes lasting 10-15 seconds. The issue is specific to the client's local machine or network configuration, as it can persist while other players in the same session remain unaffected. It is most frequently reported on the PC platform following game updates or graphics driver installations. The severity is high, as the latency spikes result in rubberbanding, delayed hit registration, and sudden player death during combat, particularly in proximity to other Raiders. No specific in-game error code is displayed; the symptoms are observed directly as network performance degradation.SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS
The application exhibits massive, periodic latency spikes where the game world freezes or characters rubberband violently for 10-15 second durations. Player movement input is delayed or ignored during these spikes. Combat becomes unresponsive, with damage applying in sudden bursts once the connection stabilizes, often resulting in immediate defeat. The issue occurs most consistently during player-versus-environment (Arc) encounters and in areas with high player density. Network statistics, if monitored, will show packet loss percentage spiking to 20-50% and jitter measurements exceeding 100ms during these events, while base ping to the game server may remain normal.SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES
- Unstable NVIDIA Graphics Driver: Certain driver versions, particularly newer releases post-581.57, introduce conflicts with ARC Raiders' network synchronization or DirectX handling, causing the GPU to interfere with system latency.
- Network Bufferbloat: The router or modem lacks Quality of Service (QoS) configuration, causing upload/download saturation during gameplay which manifests as latency spikes and packet loss.
- Windows Network Stack Corruption: Damaged or misconfigured TCP/IP stack, DNS client cache, or Windows Socket (Winsock) entries disrupt clean packet flow.
- Background Process Interference: Non-essential applications (e.g., torrent clients, cloud storage sync, aggressive antivirus scans) consume bandwidth or CPU cycles at irregular intervals, conflicting with the game's network thread.
- Faulty Ethernet Hardware/Driver: The network interface card (NIC) driver is outdated, or the physical Ethernet cable/port is damaged, causing intermittent signal degradation.
- IPv6 Conflict: The game or router prioritizes IPv6 connectivity over IPv4, leading to an unstable routing path to the game servers.
- In-Game Settings Conflict: Specific graphical or network-related settings within ARC Raiders overtax system resources in a way that impacts network processing.
SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS
Solution 1: Clean NVIDIA Driver Rollback
Difficulty: Medium Time: 20 minutes Success Rate: High Steps:- Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from guru3d.com and the NVIDIA driver version 581.57 from the official NVIDIA driver archive.
- Boot Windows into Safe Mode. To do this, open the System Configuration utility (
msconfig), go to theBoottab, checkSafe bootwithNetworkselected, and restart. - Run DDU in Safe Mode. Select
GPUandNVIDIAfrom the dropdown menus, then clickClean and restart. - After the PC restarts normally, install the previously downloaded NVIDIA driver 581.57. During installation, select
Customand checkPerform a clean installation. - Reboot your system after installation completes.
Solution 2: Configure Router QoS and Disable IPv6
Difficulty: Medium Time: 15 minutes Success Rate: Medium Steps:- Access your router's admin panel (typically
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1). - Locate the Quality of Service (QoS) or Traffic Prioritization settings.
- Add a rule to prioritize traffic for your PC's IP address and/or the UDP port range used by ARC Raiders (commonly 27000-27100). Set it to the highest priority.
- In the same router panel, locate the IPv6 settings (often under WAN or Internet settings) and disable IPv6 connectivity. Save and reboot the router.
- On your Windows PC, open
Network Connections, right-click your Ethernet adapter, selectProperties, and uncheckInternet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Click OK.
Solution 3: Reset Windows Network Stack
Difficulty: Easy Time: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Steps:- Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
- Execute the following commands in order, pressing Enter after each:
`
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
`
- Close Command Prompt and restart your computer.
Solution 4: Optimize In-Game and System Settings
Difficulty: Easy Time: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Steps:- In ARC Raiders, open Settings. Set the Frame Rate Limit to match your monitor's refresh rate or a value your system can consistently achieve.
- Disable any GPU-intensive settings like Ray Tracing or Ultra-level shadow details which may cause system latency.
- Press
Ctrl+Shift+Escto open Task Manager. Go to theDetailstab, right-clickARC Raiders.exe, setPrioritytoHigh. (Note: This resets each launch). - Open Windows Graphics Settings (
System>Display>Graphics settings). AddARC Raiders.exeand set it toHigh performance.
Solution 5: Update Ethernet Adapter Driver and Disable Energy Saving
Difficulty: Easy Time: 10 minutes Success Rate: Low Steps:- Open Device Manager (
devmgmt.msc). - Expand
Network adapters, right-click your Ethernet adapter, and selectUpdate driver>Search automatically for drivers. - After updating, right-click the adapter again, select
Properties, and go to thePower Managementtab. UncheckAllow the computer to turn off this device to save power. - Go to the
Advancedtab. Locate and disable any properties related toEnergy Efficient Ethernet,Green Ethernet, orInterrupt Moderation.
SECTION 5: PREVENTION
Maintain a fixed, stable NVIDIA driver version and avoid updating immediately upon release. Test new drivers during non-critical play sessions. Implement a monthly maintenance schedule: reboot your router, flush the DNS cache via Command Prompt (ipconfig /flushdns), and verify game files through your launcher. Use a monitoring tool like PingPlotter for 24 hours to establish a baseline of your connection stability to common game server endpoints, allowing for rapid identification of new ISP or local network issues.
SECTION 6: SUPPORT ESCALATION
Contact the official ARC Raiders support team if all solutions fail and the problem is isolated to your system. Before contacting, gather the following diagnostic information: a trace route (tracert) to the game server, a screenshot of your network statistics during a lag spike (using an in-game overlay or resource monitor), your complete system specifications including driver versions, and the exact model of your router and modem. This data is required for technical support to diagnose connection path or hardware-specific issues.