GeForce NOW games are running on the cloud. That means they are running on servers in your data center and not directly from the GeForce NOW app.
The latest app has built-in network tests to optimize cloud gaming. This network test will run automatically the first time you play the game. You can also test your network in the settings.
Note: GeForce NOW's network test is different from Speedtest and other internet speed test websites. Our network tests run on GeForce NOW servers and test performance from your device to our data center. Speedtest runs on a different server and does not reflect network performance from GeForce NOW data centers.
A red or yellow warning message may appear when the test is complete. If the message is red, you do not meet one of the minimum requirements for GeForce NOW for Mac or PC. If the message is yellow, you have met the minimum requirements, but not the recommended requirements for an optimal user experience.
Based on the error message you receive, try the following steps to improve your home network:
Connected to a 2.4GHz network. 5GHz is recommended
- Connect to your router's 5GHz Wi-Fi channel or purchase a new 5GHz router.
- Use a Wi-Fi analyzer app to set your router to a channel with less interference from other routers around you.
- If you are using Google Wi-Fi's 5GHz router, read this Google Wi-Fi help article .
- If 5GHz is not an option for your router or home network, please note that the 2.4GHz channel can be negatively affected by other home appliances such as baby monitors and microwave ovens.
low bandwidth
- Upgrade your internet service provider's download speed. GeForce NOW requires a minimum of 15Mbps. We recommend 50Mbps for 1080p, 64Mbps for 1440p, and 75Mbps for 4K streaming.
- Limit other network traffic while using GeForce NOW, such as video streaming, large file downloads, Twitch broadcasts, or file and photo uploads. These can reduce the total available bandwidth.
- Move closer to your Wi-Fi router (especially if it uses a 5GHz channel).
- If you're using mobile data, try switching your connection to Ethernet or 5G Wi-Fi. Alternatively, you can use 5G cellular data if it's available in your area.
If you experience stutter or high latency
- Try restarting your router. Like any electronic device, your router needs to be reset from time to time.
- Try switching to a wired Ethernet connection. If your PC or Mac doesn't have an Ethernet port, use one of the recommended Ethernet dongles .
- Move closer to your Wi-Fi router (especially if it uses a 5GHz channel). At long distances, network packets can be retransmitted multiple times, causing stutter.
- Use Wi-Fi analyzer to find clean channels. Some are available for free on the Android and iTunes app stores, as well as on PC and Mac.
- If your router automatically selects a Wi-Fi channel, check with a Wi-Fi analyzer that the channel is free and free of interference.
- If your router supports QoS, try turning it off. QoS has been found to negatively impact gaming performance on GeForce NOW on some routers (such as the Netgear Nighthawk X6).
- Turn off any Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) you are using. VPNs may experience higher latency, stutter, or connect to the wrong GeForce NOW data center.
- Use a USB wired or wireless gaming mouse such as Razer or Logitech. These products reduce latency, increase sensitivity, and improve user experience.
- Turn off your network firewall. Some firewalls can affect performance and even prevent connectivity.
- We found that macOS location services affect network quality. At this time, we recommend turning off location services when using GeForce NOW. Please see this link for more information .
GeForce NOW port
GeForce NOW native apps use fixed ports for streaming games, but this does not apply when using a web browser for streaming.
To further improve streaming quality when using GeForce NOW native apps, we recommend using a GeForce NOW recommended router or adding the GeForce NOW app ports to your active router's QoS profile. The ports to add are:
- 49003 – UDP input audio
- 49004 – UDP output audio
- 49005 – UDP input video
- 49006 – TCP/UDP output/input remote input
If GeForce NOW is running behind a corporate or school firewall, the firewall must allow traffic on UDP ports 10000 to 20000 for the GeForce NOW server.
If you are not using a GeForce NOW recommended router , please visit your router's technical support page to learn how to configure your router's QoS engine to improve your gaming experience.
If your router's QoS supports port-based prioritization, you can use the port information above to create a custom router QoS rule.