Fix guide
Escape from Tarkov desync: network loss or server load?
In Tarkov, "desync" means everything from your own packet loss to a raid full of players hammering the server. The distinction matters. Only one of them is yours to fix.
Server-wide lag looks like this
Everyone in the raid complains. Scavs freeze in place. The same raid feels fine later in the day. That is server load. No client-side product changes it. Region selection and raid timing do.
Not sure where your problem is? Run the free test first — it takes about 45 seconds and tells you which of the fixes on this page actually apply to you.
Run the connection checkYour own loss looks like this
- It follows you across raids, maps and regions.
- It gets worse when the connection is busy.
- It shows up on any test you run, not only inside the game.
- Wired versus wireless changes the frequency noticeably.
What to do about your side
Work through the free list first: cable, 5 GHz, no background uploads, QoS on the router, and check for double NAT. Only when those are clean and one specific route is consistently bad does a paid route optimiser make sense. Even then, test it during a trial before trusting it.
