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Troubleshooting

How to Prioritise Gaming Traffic with QoS

QoS (Quality of Service) lets your router send game traffic first, so downloads and streaming don't spike your ping while you play.

Updated 2026

  1. 1

    Log in to the router admin panel

    Open your gateway IP (e.g. http://192.168.1.1) in a browser and sign in.

  2. 2

    Find QoS settings

    Look for QoS, Traffic Priority, Bandwidth Control, or Gaming Mode in the router menu. Not all routers have this — check your manual.

  3. 3

    Prioritise by device or application

    Most routers let you prioritise by device (find your console or PC in the device list) or by application type (select Gaming or set the port ranges your game uses).

  4. 4

    Set your gaming device to highest priority

    Assign your console or gaming PC the highest priority tier. Lower-priority devices (phones, smart TVs) will give way when bandwidth is tight.

  5. 5

    Test and adjust

    Run a game while someone else streams video. If ping is still spiking, increase the priority level or cap the bandwidth of other devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does QoS actually work?
Yes — on a congested network it makes a big difference. On a fast uncongested connection the improvement is smaller since there's enough bandwidth for everyone anyway.
My router doesn't have QoS — what can I do?
Check for a firmware update. If QoS still isn't available, consider flashing open-source firmware like DD-WRT or OpenWrt, or upgrading to a router with QoS support.