ESO Troubleshooting: “Connection to Server Timed Out”

There are a few reasons the message “Connection to server timed out” pops up when trying to login or during Elder Scrolls Online gameplay.

Yeah, I know. It’s annoying.

Here’s a simple list of possible fixes (to save you trawling through all the ESO forum threads…):

#1 – Check the Official Server Status Page

BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE: check the official server status page here.

The most common problem is that there is either planned, or planned, maintenance going on. You’ll just need to wait for the servers to be brought back online.

#2 – Restart Your Router

This is the second most common fix for this type of connection problem. Routers needs to be restarted every now and again.

Even if you’re not experiencing common connection time-outs error, doing this regularly can help reduce lag.

But My Wifi Signal Says It’s Strong

Many people conflate “Wifi signal” and “internet connection”. They believe if their Wifi signal is great then so is their internet connection is as well.

Strong Wifi does not, necessarily, mean a good or stable internet connection and bad Wifi does not, necessarily, mean a bad internet connection. The Wifi signal only states how strong the connection is from your device to your router.

#3 – Try a VPN (PC Users Only)

Using a VPN for gaming is a heated topic. Many people see no benefit, sometimes even worse, performance but there are situations where they can be helpful.

Using a VPN can definitely be useful for determining if the problem is related to your ISP traffic routing. I. personally, use PIA VPN for testing this (I actually use PIA most of the time for gaming, connecting to my local VPN server in London). Do not test with a free VPN – they’re awful and won’t be any help whatsoever (plus they’re not private).

IMPORTANT NOTE: yes, you do lose some upload/download speed from VPN overhead. However, this is rarely ever a problem.

#4 – Your Wifi Strength Sucks

A few things to consider here:

• Move your device closer to your internet router (yeah, not a great option in most circumstances)
• Buy a Wifi booster and place it half way between your device and your internet router.
• Replace your internet router with one of the best routers for gaming. They come with MUCH better Wifi than the standard ISP routers (usually).
• Dump Wifi altogether and use one of the best Powerline Ethernet Adapters got Gaming instead. Ethernet is significantly better than Wifi but less flexible. Best option is to get an Ethernet cable from your router direct to your PC/PS4/Xbox One but that’s not feasible for most people. Next best option are Powerline Ethernet plugs which use the your home electrics to pass data from your device to your internet router.