PuckPuck Network Buffering Explained: Best Setting for Less Lag
Puck's Network Buffering setting explained: Predictive, Responsive, Balanced and Smooth, the latency each adds and which to pick for your connection.
Updated Oct 3, 2026 · 5 min read
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Puck's Network Buffering setting trades input latency against accuracy. Responsive is the default and the best choice for most players. Pick Predictive only on wired, near perfect connections, Balanced if you see jitter or rubber banding, and Smooth on Wi-Fi with drops or a 4G connection. It arrived in the B1235 "Rewired" update on 14 August 2026.
What is Network Buffering in Puck?
Network Buffering is an in game setting that decides how much incoming data your game holds back before showing it. A bigger buffer hides network hiccups, so the puck and players move smoothly, but everything you do reaches the screen a little later. A smaller buffer feels snappier but shows every hiccup as a stutter or jump.
Puck simulates the puck, sticks and bodies on the server and sends the result to every player, so how your game handles that stream decides how stickhandling feels. The setting was added in build B1235 "Rewired", alongside new netcode that cut server bandwidth by 50% and perceived input latency by 10 ms.
Predictive vs Responsive vs Balanced vs Smooth
These are the four options and what the B1235 patch notes say about each:
| Setting | Input latency | Accuracy | Patch notes say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predictive | Lowest, 15 ms less than before B1235 | Least accurate | "Realistically only for ideal conditions (1Gbps ethernet, minimal jitter)" |
| Responsive (default) | 10 ms less than before B1235 | Less accurate | "Little to none of the downsides" |
| Balanced | Normal | Accurate | "Adds a 5ms buffer for network jitter, stalls and similar" |
| Smooth | Highest | Very accurate | "Adds a 10ms buffer for more anomalies. Best bet on a 4G mobile router" |
The differences are small in milliseconds, but Puck is a physics game where a few milliseconds change whether a deke works, so it is worth picking deliberately.
Which Network Buffering setting should I use?
Start on Responsive and only move if you see a problem.
| Your connection | Pick |
|---|---|
| Wired ethernet, low ping, no packet loss | Responsive, or try Predictive |
| Good Wi-Fi, occasional small stutters | Responsive |
| Wi-Fi with visible jitter, puck jumping | Balanced |
| Busy Wi-Fi, powerline adapters, packet loss | Balanced or Smooth |
| 4G or 5G mobile router, hotspot | Smooth |
A quick test: play a few minutes of warmup on each setting. If the puck teleports or players snap around, go one step smoother. If it feels smooth but your stick feels heavy or late, go one step more responsive.
How do I check my connection in Puck?
Open the debug overlay with F5 (rebindable in settings since B1153) to see the build label and the net stats monitor. Watch two things while you play:
- Ping: the round trip to the server. Lower is better, and it depends mostly on the distance to the server.
- Spikes: numbers that jump around rather than staying steady point to jitter or packet loss, which is what buffering is for. If you see them, a smoother setting helps.
The pause menu also shows the server's tick rate and whether voice chat is on, which tells you if the server itself is set up for smooth play.
When Network Buffering will not fix lag
Buffering hides small network problems. It cannot fix:
- High ping. If the server is far away, every setting will feel late. Pick a server near you in the server browser, which sorts by player count by default, so check the ping column.
- A struggling server. If the server cannot hold its tick rate, everyone sees rubber banding regardless of their setting. On a self hosted server, check the CPU and the
tickRateinserver_config.json. Our Puck server not showing up or lagging guide covers the server side. - Your PC. Low frame rates feel like lag. The B1153 update added a Shadow Quality option that mostly affects VRAM use, which can help on older graphics cards.
- Downloads in the background. Anything uploading or streaming on your network adds jitter. Pause it while you play.
Does the server matter for lag in Puck?
Yes, a lot. Since the server simulates everything, a steady 200 Hz tick rate and a short distance between players and the server decide how the game feels more than any client setting. That is why leagues and clubs often run their own rink in a location central to their players.
A Puck server with GamezServers runs at 200 Hz like official servers, with the tick rate as a panel setting, and starts at 2.99 USD a month for 12 players. If you are setting one up for a club, see how to set up a Puck league server, and for every other 2026 change read our Puck patch notes 2026.
FAQ
What is the best Network Buffering setting in Puck?
Responsive, the default, is best for most players. Use Balanced or Smooth if you see jitter, and Predictive only on a wired, very stable connection.
Does Network Buffering add input lag?
Balanced and Smooth add a 5 ms and 10 ms buffer, so they add a little delay in exchange for smoother movement. Responsive and Predictive reduce input latency compared with builds before B1235.
When was Network Buffering added to Puck?
It was added in build B1235, the "Rewired" update, released on Steam on 14 August 2026.
Why does the puck teleport in Puck?
Usually network jitter or packet loss between you and the server. Switch Network Buffering to Balanced or Smooth, use a wired connection if you can, and pick a server closer to you.
Does the server's tick rate affect Network Buffering?
They work together. The tick rate is how often the server simulates and sends updates, and buffering is how your game handles them arriving. A low or unstable server tick rate feels bad on any buffering setting.
Skip the setup. Your own Puck server.
Then $2.99/mo. Just trying it? $0.75 for 3 days