Tweet
Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale shooter, and to get the best out of it, you need the best ping possible. Ping refers to the amount of time it takes your PC or console to communicate with the server. In an ideal world, you’ll connect to a nearby server with a low ping and plenty of players, but in reality, connections can be way less consistent. Using a VPN with Warzone can help you get on a server with plenty of other players and a consistent connection, even if it’s not the closest one to you.
Get better Warzone lobbies with a VPN
NordVPN
Best overall
Over 5,900 servers to choose from
$2.99 $12.99 Save $10
Nord VPN offers a ton of servers in 60 different countries, so you can find one that works for you. With the NordLynx protocol, you get support for faster speeds and better security than OpenVPN offers.
Pros
- Tons of servers to choose from
- Fast NordLynx protocol for higher speeds
- Meshnet allows for LAN gaming over the internet
Cons
- Lack of WireGuard support limits VPN router support
- Expensive if paying monthly
NordVPN is, without a doubt, one of the most popular VPN services out there with a huge marketing presence with influencers. That being said, NordVPN is still one of the best options for gamers thanks to Nord’s huge selection of servers, which means you’ll be able to find one in the region you’re trying to connect to with a reasonably low ping. NordVPN has over 5,900 servers in 60 countries, so no matter where you’re trying to connect, Nord should have a server for you.
NordVPN’s desktop client will more than likely be the best bet for gamers thanks to its NordLynx protocol. NordLynx is faster and more consistent than OpenVPN, which makes it a good fit for gamers, especially those that stream. While the game itself doesn’t need a ton of speed, just a few Mbps, downloading updates and streaming to your friends certainly does, and having some speed headroom can keep lag spikes at bay.
If you’re a Warzone player, you probably play other games as well. NordVPN’s Meshnet feature allows you to connect directly to another device, which can enable LAN gaming over the internet. In other news, NordVPN has no speed limits, so your data won’t be unexpectedly slowed down during a gaming session, and NordVPN keeps no logs of your use, so you don’t need to worry about your browsing data being shared.
.jpg)
PureVPN
Best for shared connections
Take control of your NAT
PureVPN has a lot of servers in a lot of countries, which makes it a good choice overall, but its add-on tool that helps you get around NAT limitations that set it apart. If you live in a building with shared internet and have trouble with matchmaking, PureVPN’s NAT controls could be a great solution.
Pros
- Supports fast WireGuard connections
- Tons of servers at over 6,500
- Port forwarding add-on makes setting ports easier
Cons
- Expensive if paying monthly
As soon as your internet line leaves your home, it can be hard to know what kind of journey data takes before reaching a server. Most of the time, it will simply pass through a switch in your town and on to the next switch until it finally reaches the destination. If you live in a building with a shared connection, however, you may have an additional switch between your connection and the internet. This can cause issues with NAT that may make finding a game take a long time, or not work at all.
PureVPN’s Port Forwarding Add-on makes it easy to open or close ports needed for a game. This can help you get around NAT issues if your building uses CGNAT. Making sure you have the right ports open ensures you’ll be able to connect to all of Warzone’s IP addresses and servers for the best possible connection. PureVPN also supports the WireGuard protocol, which is much faster than OpenVPN and a better fit for gaming, so be sure to pick the right one in PureVPN’s software.
ExpressVPN
Best easy setup
Get set up without any headaches
ExpressVPN is a well-known VPN service with one of the most performant protocols, Lightway, for high speeds and reliable connections. You can even grab the Aircove router for quick and easy VPN switching for your whole home.
Pros
- Support for fast connections with Lightway
- Tons of servers in 105 countries
- ExpressVPN Aircove router is very easy to use
Cons
- Lightway protocol isn’t supported by most VPN routers.
- Expensive if paying monthly
ExpressVPN is a strong choice for gaming, not because it’s specifically designed for it, but because it’s an overall great VPN to use. ExpressVPN has a ton of servers to choose from in 105 different countries. That means there’s a good chance there’s a fast VPN in your country for everyday use and a VPN near to where you want to connect to your game.
ExpressVPN’s best speeds require the use of its Lightway protocol. Like Wireguard and NordLynx, it’s faster than OpenVPN with stronger performance overall. Unfortunately, like NordLynx, it’s not supported by most routers, so you’ll need the client software for the best possible connection. That’s not too big of a deal, since the best server for gaming on a specific server isn’t likely to be the best for everyday browsing and streaming.
If you’re looking for the easiest possible experience, and you’re ready for a new Wi-Fi router, ExpressVPN’s Aircove router is a solid AX1800 router with a front end that makes switching servers and assigning devices a breeze. It’s not the fastest VPN router you can get, but it’s certainly one of the easiest to use.
Surfshark
Best add-ons
All of your security and privacy needs
If you’ve ever been on YouTube, you’ve probably heard about Surfshark from a creator, but its clout is well-earned with a ton of servers in 100 different countries. Surfshark also offers more comprehensive security packages with antivirus and privacy protections.
Pros
- Lots of servers at 3,200+ in 100 countries
- Support for the fast WireGuard protocol
- Antivirus and privacy subscriptions available
Cons
- Can get expensive with additional services
- Most people don’t need a Surfshark One or Surfshark One+ plan
- Expensive if paying monthly
Subscription services can add up quite quickly with just about every company with a website trying to get your credit card number. Surfshark is a large VPN service with a lot of users, which means there are a lot of servers and a lot of features. Luckily, Surfshark offers its service in 1-month, one-year, and two-year packages with the best month-to-month rates coming with the two-year package.
One of Surfshark’s biggest distinctions is its Surfshark One plan, which is bundled with extra security protection, including 24/7 antivirus protection, webcam protection, and a scanner for viruses, spyware, and malware. Surfshark also offers a One+ plan with additional privacy-focused features. If you’re looking to get all of your security in one place, Surfshark is the way to go.
Surfshark’s speeds are quick with support for the WireGuard protocol, which means that it not only works great with Surfshark’s software but is compatible with a lot of VPN-enabled routers as well. With Surfshark’s 3,200+ fast servers in 100 countries, you should have no trouble finding a fast server in the location of the Warzone server you’re trying to use.
CyberGhost
Best with gaming-optimized servers
Almost too many servers
CyberGhost is one of the few VPNs to offer specific gaming-optimized servers, which can make it easy to find a high-performance server. With support for WireGuard, it’s a strong option for gamers.
Pros
- Over 10,000 servers in 100 countries
- Gaming-optimized servers in Ney York, London, Frankfurt, and Paris
- Supports the fast WireGuard protocol
Cons
- Expensive if paid monthly
- Gaming servers could use more locations
CyberGhost is one of the few VPNs to actually designate servers as gaming-optimized. These servers are available in New York, London, Frankfurt, and Paris, which means they’ll mostly be good for connecting to US East or European servers. Still, CyberGhost has over 10,000 servers to choose from in 100 countries, so you’ll surely be able to find one that works for your needs.
CyberGhost’s connection is quick with fast speeds enabled by the WireGuard protocol, which is quicker than OpenVPN and comparable to Lightway and NordLynx in general performance. CyberGhost isn’t the cheapest VPN you can get, but its prices are competitive with savings for those that buy a six-month plan, or up to two years.
MullvadҠdata-modal-id=â€single-image-modal†data-modal-container-id=â€single-image-modal-container†data-img-caption=â€â€â€â€>
Mullvad
Best with gaming-optimized servers
Almost too many servers
Mullvad is one of the best VPNs you can get if you care about privacy thanks to its generated accounts and flexible payment methods. Despite this, its price remains low, and it has plenty of servers for its users with locations in 40 different countries.
Pros
- Support for the fast WireGuard protocol
- Mullvad generates accounts, so no personal information is needed
- Low price, even if paid monthly
- Tons of payment options, including crypto and vouchers
Mullvad is one of our favorite VPNs, not for being loaded with features, but for its simplicity and anonymity. Mullvad stands out by not asking you to create an account, but instead generating an account for you and allowing you to add time to it with a wide range of payment types. You can use your credit card, if you like, but you can also pay with crypto or by purchasing vouchers on Amazon.
Mullvad has a decent number of servers at 647 in 40 different countries, many of which have 10Gbps or 10Gbps connections. Mullvad even owns 171 of its servers. There are still a lot of servers for gamers to try in common game server locations for gamers, including East US, Central US, West US, and Europe, and Asia. Most of these servers also support the faster WireGuard protocol as well. Mullvad VPN is one of the best VPNs for Warzone because it’s one of the best VNPs overall thanks to privacy-focused account creation and no credit card required.
Pick the right VPN for Warzone
For gaming on a VPN, all the usual rules apply to get the best possible experience. First and foremost, ping times should be as low as possible. No matter how good a VPN is, it can’t change the laws for physics and a gamer in Australia is likely never going to get a sub-100ms connection with people in the eastern U.S. That being said, if you live in a region where Warzone isn’t that popular, it can be hard to find a full game on your local servers, so a VPN connection to a more populated region could be worth the extra ping.
Overall, Nord VPN has the strongest package for gamers. It has a ton of servers to choose from and its NordLynx protocol is fast and reliable. With Nord VPN sporting over 5,900 servers in 60 countries, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find one with solid performance for your needs. Additionally, if you want to play a LAN game with a friend, Meshnet makes it possible by allowing you to connect to their network without a bunch of complicated configurations.
NordVPN
$2.99 $12.99 Save $10
Nord VPN offers a ton of servers in 60 different countries, so you can find one that works for you. With the NordLynx protocol, you get support for faster speeds and better security than OpenVPN offers.
Should you be gaming on a VPN at all?
If you’re a competitive gamer, you know the importance of low ping. Having a low ping means there’s less time between you clicking your mouse and the server knowing you did, which can be the difference between getting the headshot or not. The problem is, in the time it took your shoot command to reach the server, the enemy could have already moved without you knowing it. There is often some compensation to account for this delay, but that can sometimes feel unfair, especially if you think you made it to cover before the shot hit you.
Connecting to a VPN means your connection first has to go to the VPN server before heading to the game server. While VPN servers often have very fast connections, gaming over a VPN will almost always result in a higher average ping time. When your data passes out of your house, it can be a bit of a mystery what happens to it as it comes down to how your ISP has its switches set up. The further the server is from your home, the more switches your data must pass through (hops) before it gets to the destination.
You can see a visual representation of this happening by running a traceroute on your PC. This can be done with the command “tracert†in Windows Command Prompt followed by 8.8.8.8 (Google) or another web address. If you’re on a Mac or Linux, you can use the command “traceroute†in terminal followed by the web address. With each hop, you’ll see how the time increases. For example, connecting to google.com from my connection takes 10 hops with no VPN, and 12 or more with a VPN.
All of this means you will likely get higher ping times in-game. Still, a VPN can be useful for getting around limitations imposed by your ISP, like throttling. A VPN might also take a more direct route to the server once you’re connected. Still, the biggest reason to use a VPN is to connect to a better server. With the large matches in Battle Royale-style games, getting on a server where most players have a good connection and the lobby is actually full, can be a lot more fun than the region you’re geographically closest to.
** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
More...
