Lag

Overview

Lag is the "delay" that happens between inputs/events, be it caused by the client or the server.

Sources of Lag

Lag has 3 sources:

• The Server, with its own game and collection of mods
• your Internet Connection, this depends on the distance to the server and your internet quality
• your Client & Hardware, maybe your computer can't render all the 1582678 nodes you have from the 1000 viewing range

or simply:

• server lag, can be seen from https://monitoring.minetest.ch/d/YUpouLmWk/overview?orgId=1&refresh=5s&var-instance=pandorabox.io and /status
• connection lag, can be seen from /status
• client lag, see your FPS (frames per second)

Server

Server lag can be caused by:

• intense load on the CPU because of mods
• not enough RAM/slow access to RAM
• slow data storage when saving

You can mitigate the CPU issue with a better selection of mods and some fine-tuning of the settings of them. The RAM issue can also be mitigated by having more real RAM (that is, not stored on the disk). The disk issue can also be solved... by not having a molasses hard-drive. And having a SSD instead.

Connection

Connection lag can be caused by:

• bad server internet connection
• distance to the server
• bad internet connection

If the server has bad internet connection, then you can ask the server owner to get a better one, or (if you are the server owner) get a better internet connection. If you distance to the server is large, there is nothing you can do other than just moving closer. If your internet connection is bad, then you should get a better one.

How to Fix Your Internet Connection

Many people use wireless connections to connect to the internet. As such, your internet probably depends on the position and orientation of your router. Moving them around might cause a lot of time-outs or it might solve your internet problem.

• Make sure your router antenna is pointing straight up or down.
• Every. Single. Thing. in between your computer and router decreases your connection strength.
• Try out different positions. They may increase your connection strength.

Client

Client lag is when your client just "freezes" and any inputs won't register. Notice that client lag is different from crashes*.

• Client lag is mainly caused by graphics. Maybe turn down your view distance, or tune some settings.
• Try to improve your setup. Nothing beats a computer upgrade, or something does. I have no idea.

* Crashing is when your client quits out, not when it freezes.

Examples

• Client lag happens when you have a very large view distance and you load a lot of nodes, and your FPS drops.
• Connection lag happens when you mine some Coal Ore, but you don't get Coal, and the particles don't appear.
• Server lag happens when you make a lag machine and the server hangs for 40 seconds (before promptly being timed out).