Network Issue ARC Raiders

Network Desync and Lag Spikes - ARC Raiders Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 23 ⚡ Severity: 🟡 Medium

🎯 Quick Answer

Resolve network desync and lag spikes in ARC Raiders by verifying your connection, configuring router QoS, and adjusting in-game network settings.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The error is a network desynchronization event manifesting as severe client-side lag spikes, character immobilization, and rubber banding. This problem occurs on all platforms where ARC Raiders is available, primarily Windows via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The issue is present in game versions following major content updates that introduce new assets or enemy AI, such as the Rocketeer unit. This is a common network performance issue. The severity is game-breaking, as it results in a complete loss of player control during critical gameplay moments, leading to mission failure and the forfeiture of all acquired loot. No specific error code is generated; the failure is observed through gameplay interruption without a client or server crash.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The application experiences sudden, severe latency spikes exceeding 1000ms during active gameplay, specifically during combat encounters or environmental events. The player character becomes unresponsive to input commands for a duration of 5-30 seconds. Network prediction fails, resulting in rubber banding where character position resets to a previous location. Co-op partner models may exhibit teleportation or stuttering movement. Interaction prompts, such as elevator buttons, fail to register on the first several attempts despite client-side animation. The condition often self-resolves after a player is downed or upon server reconnection, indicating a temporary state desync between client and game server.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Network Problem - Local Network Congestion. Background processes (Windows Update, cloud sync, streaming) saturate upstream bandwidth, causing packet loss and increased latency to the game server.
Category: Network Problem - Router/Modem Firmware Inefficiency. Outdated router firmware lacks proper Quality of Service (QoS) handling or has a NAT table overflow, failing to prioritize game traffic (UDP packets) over other data streams.
Category: Configuration Error - Suboptimal In-Game Region Setting. The client connects to a geographically distant game server region due to automatic selection, resulting in inherently high ping vulnerable to spikes.
Category: Software Conflict - Overlay Application Interference. Discord, Steam, or NVIDIA GeForce Experience overlays inject hooks into the DirectX rendering pipeline, intermittently blocking network thread execution.
Category: Game Bug - Server-Side Entity State Corruption. Specific enemy unit spawns or environmental interactions, such as the Rocketeer's projectile calculations or Sentinel destruction events, trigger a resource-intensive state update that bottlenecks server communication.
Category: Hardware Issue - Faulty Network Interface Card (NIC) Driver. The network adapter driver enters a power-saving state (Energy Efficient Ethernet) or has a corrupted buffer, causing periodic packet transmission halts.
Category: Configuration Error - Windows Network Stack Tuning. Default Windows TCP/IP parameters are not optimized for real-time game traffic, leading to bufferbloat and delayed UDP packet processing.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Conduct Local Network Diagnostics and Hardline Connection

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: Access to router and an Ethernet cable. Steps:

Disconnect the PC from Wi-Fi. Connect directly to the router using an Ethernet cable.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Execute the command: ipconfig /flushdns
Execute a continuous ping to test stability: ping 8.8.8.8 -t. Let it run for 60 seconds. Observe for any spike above 50ms or "Request timed out" messages.
While the game is running, open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc). Navigate to the "Performance" tab, select "Ethernet," and monitor "Send/Receive" activity. Note any sustained high usage ( >1 Mbps) not attributable to the game.

Technical Explanation: This eliminates Wi-Fi interference and packet loss as variables. Flushing DNS clears corrupted local resolution cache. The ping test identifies general internet instability, while Task Manager identifies bandwidth-hogging applications. Verification: A stable ping test with no packet loss and consistent sub-50ms latency, coupled with no unexplained background network usage in Task Manager, confirms a clean local connection.

Solution 2: Configure Router Quality of Service (QoS) and Port Forwarding

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Router admin login credentials. Steps:

Access your router's admin panel (typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in a web browser).
Locate the QoS (Quality of Service) or Traffic Prioritization settings. Enable it.
Add a new rule to prioritize traffic to your PC's local IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.105). Set the priority to "Highest."
If QoS is unavailable, locate Port Forwarding. Create rules to forward the following UDP ports to your PC's local IP: 7777, 7778, 7779, 7780, 7787. (Note: Ports may vary; these are common for Unreal Engine games).
Save settings and reboot the router.

Technical Explanation: QoS ensures game packets are transmitted before less time-sensitive data. Port forwarding removes NAT translation hurdles, providing a more direct path for game server communication. Verification: Post-reboot, test in-game. A reduction in baseline ping and the absence of short, sub-second freezes indicates improved packet prioritization.

Solution 3: Optimize In-Game and Windows Network Settings

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None. Steps:

In ARC Raiders, access the Settings menu. Navigate to the Gameplay or Network tab. Manually select the game server region closest to your geographical location.
On Windows, press Windows Key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter. Right-click your active Ethernet connection and select "Properties."
Click "Configure...", then navigate to the "Advanced" tab. Disable the following properties if present: "Energy Efficient Ethernet," "Green Ethernet," and "Interrupt Moderation."
Navigate to the "Power Management" tab and uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

Technical Explanation: Manual region selection prevents connection to overloaded or distant servers. Disabling NIC power-saving features prevents the network adapter from entering a low-power state during gameplay, which causes latency spikes. Verification: The game consistently connects to the selected region. Network adapter power management is disabled, preventing periodic performance throttling.

Solution 4: Disable Conflicting Overlay Software and Background Processes

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: None. Steps:

Close ARC Raiders completely.
For Steam: Open Steam > Settings > In-Game. Uncheck "Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game."
For Discord: Open Discord > User Settings > Game Overlay. Toggle "Enable in-game overlay" to OFF.
For NVIDIA: Open NVIDIA GeForce Experience > Settings (gear icon) > General. Toggle "In-Game Overlay" to OFF.
Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. On the "Startup" tab, disable non-essential applications like cloud storage clients (OneDrive, Dropbox) and communication apps that launch on boot.

Technical Explanation: Overlays hook into the game's rendering and network threads. Conflicts between multiple overlays can cause intermittent thread blocking, manifesting as lag. Background processes compete for CPU and network cycles. Verification: All overlays are disabled in their respective applications, and non-essential startup applications show a status of "Disabled" in Task Manager.

Solution 5: Update Network Adapter Drivers and Tweak TCP Settings

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access. Steps:

Identify your network adapter model via Device Manager (under "Network adapters").
Visit the manufacturer's website (Intel, Killer, Realtek) to download the latest driver. Install it.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Execute the following commands to optimize the TCP stack for gaming:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal netsh int tcp set global rss=enabled

To mitigate bufferbloat, execute: netsh int tcp set global dca=enabled

Technical Explanation: Manufacturer drivers provide better hardware control than generic Windows drivers. The netsh commands optimize how Windows handles multiple network requests, reducing latency under load. Verification: Device Manager shows the latest driver date and version. The commands execute successfully without error messages.

Solution 6: Perform a Clean Game Boot and Verify Integrity

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 7 minutes Success Rate: Low (Addresses corollary issues) Prerequisites: Steam or Epic Games Launcher. Steps:

Ensure ARC Raiders is fully closed.
Navigate to the game's installation directory (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ARC Raiders). Rename the Saved folder to Saved_Backup.
Launch the game. This forces generation of fresh configuration files.
In your game launcher (Steam/Epic), locate ARC Raiders. Use the "Verify Integrity of Game Files" or "Verify" option. Allow the process to complete and download any missing/corrupted files.

Technical Explanation: Corrupted local configuration or cached shader files in the Saved folder can cause instability that exacerbates network issues. Verification ensures all game client assets are intact. Verification: The game launches and creates a new Saved folder. The verification tool reports "All files successfully validated."

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

Maintain a scheduled monthly update cycle for network adapter drivers and router firmware. Configure Windows Update to operate outside of typical gaming hours. Consistently use a wired Ethernet connection for gameplay sessions. Monitor network performance using the Command Prompt ping test (ping 8.8.8.8 -t) for 30 seconds before starting a high-stakes raid. Establish a standard practice of manually selecting the game server region in the ARC Raiders settings menu upon launching the game after a major update.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Embark Studios support only after exhaustively testing all solutions in this guide and confirming the issue persists across multiple different raids and server regions. Required diagnostic information includes a video capture of the incident showing network statistics (enable in-game ping display), a full DXDiag report, and the client log files located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\ARC Raiders\Saved\Logs. Provide the exact time (in UTC) of the occurrence. Official support channels are accessible via the ARC Raiders website or the Embark Studios help portal. Note that response times may vary.