Reduce Jitter & Ping Spikes
Jitter is the variation in packet delay. We want small and stable numbers for smooth gaming and calls.
Start with Wi‑Fi stability
- Prefer 5/6 GHz. Move closer to the AP; avoid walls/floors.
- Try a non‑DFS 5 GHz channel if you see sudden spikes (DFS radar events can force channel changes).
- Use wired backhaul for mesh; reduce the number of nodes if they contend.
Control queueing and background load
- Enable SQM (Cake/FQ‑Codel) on the WAN. Set shaper to ~90–95% of bandwidth.
- Pause cloud backups, torrents, or OS/game updates during gaming/calls.
- Limit device crowding on old routers; too many active clients increases contention.
Firmware, drivers, and power
- Update router firmware; some builds fix memory leaks and scheduler bugs.
- Update NIC/Wi‑Fi drivers on PCs/consoles; disable aggressive power‑saving.
- Reboot the router on a schedule if stability decays over time.
Validation checklist
- Run a baseline test idle → note jitter/spikes.
- Apply one change (e.g., SQM or channel switch).
- Re‑test under upload/download. Keep the change if jitter improves.