Troubleshooting Server Lag and Performance Issues

## Understanding Server Lag

Lag can come from several sources. Understanding which type you're experiencing helps fix it faster.

## Types of Lag

- **TPS lag (server-side)** — The server can't keep up. TPS (ticks per second) drops below 20. Check with if you have a plugin that supports it
- **Ping lag (network)** — High latency between the player and server. This is usually geographic distance or the player's internet connection
- **Client FPS lag** — The player's computer can't render the game smoothly. This is not a server issue

## Before You Upgrade — Troubleshoot First

**Do not upgrade your plan until you have ruled out configuration issues.** Most lag is caused by mods, plugins, or settings — not insufficient resources. Upgrading won't fix a badly configured server.

## 1. Review Your Mods and Plugins

- Remove mods and plugins you don't actively use
- Some plugins are known to cause lag (e.g., poorly coded custom plugins, chunk loaders, excessive entity spawning)
- Use a timing tool like on Paper servers to identify which plugin is consuming the most resources
- Check if any mod or plugin is throwing repeated errors in the console — this can cause performance degradation

## 2. Review Your Server Configuration

Edit :

- Set (default is 10, lower = less lag)
- Set if available

Also check for:

- Excessive redstone machines or hopper chains
- Too many entities (mobs, item drops) in loaded chunks
- Large worlds with many loaded chunks

## 3. Pre-generate Your World

Generating new chunks on-the-fly causes lag spikes. Use a pre-generation plugin like **Chunky** to generate chunks in advance.

## 4. Use Paper for Better Performance

Paper has built-in performance optimizations over Vanilla and Spigot. If you're running Vanilla or Spigot, use the **Version Changer** in your panel to switch to Paper — no support ticket needed.

## 5. Check Resource Usage

In your panel, check the CPU and RAM usage graphs:

- **CPU at 100%** — Too many entities, redstone, or plugins doing heavy processing. 100% CPU = 1 full core
- **RAM at max** — Too many chunks loaded, too many mods, or a memory leak

## When to Upgrade

Only upgrade your plan after you have:

- Removed unnecessary mods and plugins
- Optimized your server configuration
- Confirmed the lag is not caused by a specific mod or plugin
- Verified that your resource usage is consistently at the limit under normal load

If your server is clean and still hitting resource limits, then it's time for an upgrade. You can add extra RAM or CPU through the **Add-ons** page in your dashboard, or upgrade your plan entirely.

## Fixing High Ping

- Our servers are located in **Singapore** and the **Philippines**. Players closer to these locations will have lower ping
- Ping is determined by physical distance and internet routing — we cannot reduce it from our side
- If your ISP has poor routing, a VPN with a nearby exit node may help