If server is in Japan and I connect to a Japanese VPN, will it really reduce my ping? The closer the VPN is to server location the better? Thanks!
In this case, it can mitigate any connection issues between you and the server by forcing the data to take a different path.
It can also let you pretend to be where you’re not, for the purposes of bypassing region restrictions, but that’s not relevant here.
So, the way the internet works is when sending data between two computers, it has to go through various devices on its way there. I won’t go into detail about what all of them are but suffice to say, there’s usually a lot of hops needed to get to the destination. There are also multiple options of how to get there. Usually the best route is chosen automatically but sometimes it gets it wrong and it takes the scenic route instead (this is usually based off of old/ faulty information such as thinking a link working fine when it’s actually playing up).
Now, a VPN simply puts itself between you and the server. Instead of going from A to B, data goes from A to C and then from C to B. This has various pros and cons but the one we care about now is that it changes the route the data is taking to get to the server. In some situations this can be faster if it’s now going a more optimal route but in others, it simply adds a diversion and causes your latency to increase. The distance from the server to the VPN is irrelevant, data still needs to get from your computer to the server whether there’s a VPN in the way or not.
You’d want a service that’s specifically made to reduce latency to certain areas and not just a generic VPN. Those are usually called tunneling services.
It changes how your packets travel from your location to the servers.
For example, SEA undersea cables got fucked again, and it’s causing severe dcs or 2s delay on everything. Considering my main job is BLM and am currently levelling RPR, the latter is especially impossible to play properly. So i finally got Mudfish, found a node to which my ISP connects to via different undersea cables (Tokyo-Psychz), and bam - i cant even slidecast anymore. Thats how good VPNs can make your ping.
To add on to other people, if you do use a VPN, make sure you have 2 factor authentication, because without it, 14 will just seeing someone from another address and possibly lock your account for “suspicious activity” unless it’s been changed.
If you decide to use VPN, I have to give a warning from my previous experience from other Japanese MMO. You will never know when will they just block VPN IP one day suddenly and introduces numbers of problems. Keep that in mind if that is ok for you.
The distance from the server to the VPN is irrelevant, data still needs to get from your computer to the server whether there’s a VPN in the way or not.
I mean, not quite. as you said, the data now needs to go from your computer to the vpn server and then from the vpn server to the game server. if the distance between vpn server and game server is big and it’s not directly in the line between you and the game server, you’re sorta forming a triangle and going along 2 of it’s edges instead of the straight one.
I’ve watched a few tutorials on how to use mudfish, but i’m still unsure about the node. How do I know which node to choose if I’m playing from Vietnam?
True, best doesn’t always mean fastest. I didn’t want to get into all of that though so I simplified it a bit.
Trial and error, or asking someone else from your region.