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The purpose of the Speedtest is to determine the effectiveness of your internet connection between your device and the data center.
This speedtest will analyze your internet connection's download, upload, ping, and jitter over time from your location.
Follow the steps below to run a speedtest on your local device:

1. Close Shadow if it is currently running and open a browser on your local device.
   For accurate results, run the speedtests provided in this article from your local device. These speedtests must send data between your local connection and Shadow's datacenters.

    

2. Find your datacenter in the list below, then click on the corresponding name under "Location". The Speedtest will open in a new tab.

   If you're not sure where your Shadow is located, or you don't have an active Shadow account, choose the data center most relevant to your location.

    

   Location	Data Center	Available Offer(s)
   Dunkerque (France)	FRDUN02	Spark, Zenith
   Frankfurt (Germany)	DEFRA01	Spark, Zenith
   Strasbourg (France)	FRSBG01	Spark, Zenith
   Washington D.C (United States)	USWDC01	Spark, Zenith
   Gravelines (France)	DFR1	Aurora, Lightning
   Texas (United States)	TX1	Spark
   Portland (United States)	USPOR01	Spark, Zenith
   Beauharnois (Canada)	CAMTL01	Zenith

    

3. Click on Run Speedtest, then wait until the download, upload, ping, and jitter tests have finished.

   While the test is running, it will display your connection as a graph. This will help you determine whether you have a constant connection over a long time period.

   Please wait until the graph has been completely charted before exiting or aborting the test. The "Abort" mention must not be visible.
   Let your window opened in front of you so that the test runs trouble-free.

    

   Here's what your Speedtest is supposed to look like at the end:

    

   

    

 

For the best experience on Shadow, the four variants (upload, download, ping, jitter) on your graph should meet the following requirements:

1. Download: a download speed of at least 15Mb/s or more. If your download speed falls below 15Mb/s, the connection is unstable, or there's packet loss on your connection, this will cause issues with your stream.

    

2. Upload: an upload speed should be 5Mb/s or higher. An upload speed of 5Mb/s is enough to use a basic mouse, keyboard, and controller.
   More bandwidth-heavy devices like webcams, microphones, external storage drives, racing wheels, and other gamepads require a faster upload speed as high as 100Mb/s.

    

3. Ping: a connection that has a 30ms ping or less. Ping (or latency) is the amount of time it takes your internet to communicate with a server. If your ping is low, Shadow can send and receive data between the server and your device at a much more efficient rate. The image, sound, and input from your USB devices will become delayed or distorted if your ping is too high.

    

4. Jitter: little to no jitter. Jitter is when there is a time delay in sending data over your network connection. Also, look for signs of packet loss. Packet loss occurs when data fails to reach its destination. You'll see packet loss on a speed test when there are "gaps" or "breaks" in the graph, as shown below. This can make the stream stutter and even lose connection.

    

   

 

 

Your test results are based on the connection provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and your distance from the data center. If the results are not suitable, we suggest you take a look at the list of tips below in order to reduce latency: 

1. Power-cycle your modem/router. Power cycle your modem and router to reset and re-establish a connection to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Shut down your computer and unplug your modem/router. Plug them back in after 60 seconds and watch the lights on your modem/router. Once the lights are on, start your computer.
   
   
2. Keep all your local components up-to-date. Check that your modem/router and your local device are totally up-to-date. That includes the operating system and driver updates.
   
   
3. Disconnect/turn off any devices that are not in use. Some devices could be using bandwidth while on standby. Gaming consoles, for example, might download and install updates. Turn off these devices to keep your bandwidth free.
   
   
4. Use an Ethernet cable. Using a wired Ethernet connection will make your connection more stable and eliminate additional latency compared to a wireless connection.
   
   
5. Change your Wi-Fi configuration. If a wired Ethernet connection is not possible or your device requires a wireless connection:
   • Connect to a 5GHz network. Some routers offer both 2.4GHz connections and 5GHz.
   • Place your devices closer to your router.

 

 

Open the Shadow launcher on your device to modify the following settings:

1. Lower your maximum bit rate.
   The maximum bit rate is the amount of bandwidth Shadow can use on your connection.
   We recommend setting Shadow's bit rate to 10Mb/s less than your current internet speeds, which you can assess with the Shadow Speedtest.
   For example, if your lowest speeds are 42Mb/s, Shadow's maximum bit rate should be about 30Mb/s.
   
   You can change this one of two ways:
   
   
   • Let Shadow choose your bit rate:
     
     • To do so, go into your launcher settings "" > "Network" and click on "Auto detect"/"Custom" to change modes.
     • Then, restart auto-detection to have Shadow test your connection.

      

     

      

   • Choose your own maximum bit rate using the slider:
     • To do so, go into your launcher settings "" > "Network" and click on "Auto detect"/"Custom" to change modes.
     • Then, use the slider to allocate the bandwidth to your liking.
       
       You can also first assess your connection by allocating 5Mb/s to your bandwidth, then progressively increase it until you find a good balance between stability and video quality. 

        

       

    

2. Change Streaming Preferences to prefer reliability.
   To do so, go into your launcher settings "" > "Network" > "Advanced Settings" and click on "Prefer speed (UDP)"/"Prefer reliability (TCP)" to change protocols.

    

   

    

3. Enable High Efficiency Video Coding (H265).
   If your internet connection is not very fast, we suggest you enable this setting.
   To do so, go into your launcher settings "" > "Video & Display" > "Advanced Settings" and click on the button right to "High Efficiency Video Coding (H.265)".
   
   If your device was made before 2014, it may not support H.265 encoding and must be disabled.

    

   

    

 

 

On your Quick Menu, you will be able to change the following settings:

1. Lower your maximum bit rate.
   The maximum bit rate is the amount of bandwidth Shadow can use on your connection.
   We recommend setting Shadow's bit rate to 10Mb/s less than your current internet speeds, which you can assess with the Shadow Speedtest.
   For example, if your lowest speeds are 42Mb/s, Shadow's maximum bit rate should be about 30Mb/s.
   
   To lower your maximum bit rate, go into the "Network" section and use the slider to allocate the bandwidth to your liking.
   
   You can also first assess your connection by allocating 5Mb/s to your bandwidth, then progressively increase it until you find a good balance between stability and video quality.

    

   

    

2. Change Streaming Preferences to prefer reliability.
   In the Quick Menu, go into the "Network" section and click on "Prefer speed (UDP)"/"Prefer reliability (TCP)" to change protocols.

    

   

    

3. Enable High Efficiency Video Coding (H265).
   If your internet connection is not very fast, we suggest you enable this setting.
   To do so, go into the "Video and Display" section and click on the button right to "High Efficiency Video Coding (H.265)".
   
   If your device was made before 2014, it may not support H.265 encoding and must be disabled.