How to Fix Constant Packet Burst in Modern Warfare 3 (MW3)

Keep the delays away and secure your victories lag-free!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 sends your character on missions to stop a global war. However, amidst fast-paced shooting action, were you all set to burst an explosive, but there was a burst of data packets that led to constant stutters in the MW3 game on your PC? Well, recently, this issue has bothered many players globally and we understand the annoyance of incomplete battles. So, this guide will help you stop and fix packet bursts in MW3 on your PC. Get ready for lag-free wins as you survive through the chaos of intense war.

Fix packet burst in mw3

What is Packet Burst and What Causes it?

Information over the internet is sent and received in the form of packets. In online games such as Modern Warfare 3, data packets are transferred between the game servers and your device. However, when the rate is faster than the normal flow of network traffic, a burst happens. As a result, there are network jitters, frame drops, stutters, increased latency, and unexpected game crashes.

Here are some factors that could cause packet bursts:

  • Unstable or Poor Internet Connection
  • Network Congestion
  • Compatibility Issues
  • High Graphics Settings
  • Game Server Issues

Quick Answer

To resolve this issue, simply restart your PC and launch the game again. If that does not help, troubleshoot your internet connection and make sure that the device is connected to a fast and stable source.

How to Fix Packet Burst in MW3

You can identify packet burst issues in the game from the three squares on top of each other on the left of the screen while playing Modern Warfare 3. Here are the methods that can help you get rid of it.

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Solutions

We’ll start with some basic easy-to-go solutions that potentially can fix the issue quickly and efficiently. Let’s go through them.

Method 1A: Restart Game, then Device

It’s the easiest way to resolve the packet burst problem is to reboot the device you’re playing the MW3 on. Exit the game and restart the PC.

Method 1B: Wait till Server Issues are Fixed

Modern Warfare 3 could experience packet bursts or packet loss when there are discrepancies faced by the game servers. You can check the same on Activision Support’s official website and wait for a few hours until they fix it.

Activision Support's official website

Method 1C: Kill Background Applications

Background applications, if open consume system resources, even if not in use. Multiple programs hogging network, storage, and GPU power can cause issues with demanding games such as MW3. Follow the steps to close them:

1. Open Task Manager and move to the Processes tab.

2. Right-click on the program you want to close and select End task from the context menu.

Select End task from the menu | Fix packet burst in mw3

3. Repeat the same steps and close all unnecessary applications. Check if the issue is resolved.

Method 2: Troubleshoot Internet Connectivity

When the device is connected to a weak or unstable internet source, it can lead to various issues and disruptions while gaming online, including packet burst in MW3. You must fix the network connectivity and improve the strength in order to fix the issue. Our guide on How to Increase Internet Speed in Windows 11 will help you with the same.

Alternate DNS server settings

Method 3: Switch to Wired Internet Connection

Wired connections are usually more reliable for high-speed internet connection than wireless connections as they are less susceptible to interference caused by external factors. Moreover, they have lower latency and have less chances of packet loss or burst. Hence, we suggest you connect the PC to the router via an ethernet cable to use the internet.

Switch to Wired Internet Connection | Fix packet burst in mw3

Method 4: Update Network Adapter Drivers

Outdated network drivers can affect the network performance on your PC, thereby leading to the discussed trouble while playing games online. Refer to our guide on How to Update Network Adapter Drivers on Windows 11 and follow the steps given there.

Right-click on the preferred driver and click on Update driver in the pop-up menu.

Method 5: Verify Integrity of Game Files

Verifying the integrity of game files will identify and eliminate the bugs and corrupted files that may cause the constant Packet burst error in MW3 on your PC. You can follow our guide on How to Verify Integrity of Game Files on Steam to perform the same.

Click on Verify integrity of game files button | Fix packet burst in mw3

Method 6: Execute Port Forwarding

Post forwarding lets incoming network requests pass through any specific port, router, or firewall and directs them to the device within a local private network. Now this can not only make your network connection more stable and fast but also resolve minor glitches that could be causing the discussed issue.

Before you can forward a port you must write down and save the following info:

If you cannot detect the address of your router, refer to our guide on How to Find My Router’s IP Address?

Here you will see IP address next to IPv4 Default gateway.

1. In the URL bar of any web browser, enter your router’s IP address.

Note: If you get a privacy warning that says Your connection is not private, click on Advanced, followed by Proceed to <IP address>.

2. Now login to the dashboard with the router’s admin credentials.

3. Navigate to the Port Forwarding section and type your PC or gaming console’s IP address in the applicable box.

4. Now, enter the TCP and UDP ports of Modern Warfare 3 in the respective sections. Once done, Restart the device and check if the issue is fixed.

Method 7: Contact Activision Support

If none of the above solutions works, then the last option is to get in touch with Activision support. Go to the support options, and select Modern Warfare 3. Fill in the details regarding your issue so that the support team can contact you and resolve your issue.

activism support for MW3 | Fix packet burst in mw3

Additional Methods for Consoles

If you play Call of Duty MW3 on PlayStation or Xbox gaming consoles and face the packet burst issue, the following solutions could help you fix it.

Method 1: Disable On-Demand Texture Streaming

On-demand texture streaming downloads textures in the background while you play the game. It adds more colors to textures to improve the visuals and make the game elements pop more. However, it requires a high amount of bandwidth, which could lead to network issues such as latency and packet bursts. Follow the steps: 

1. Launch Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, click on the gear (Settings) icon at the top right corner and select the GRAPHICS from the drop-down menu.

2. Under the DETAILS & TEXTURES tab, slide the toggle next to ON DEMAND TEXTURE STREAMING to turn it off.

Under the DETAILS & TEXTURES tab, slide the toggle next to ON DEMAND TEXTURE STREAMING to turn it off

Also Read: Top 25 Most Played Games on Steam

Method 2: Disable Crossplay

Crossplay in Modern Warfare 3 enables you to play with others across multiple platforms. However, this also causes occasional network issues.  We suggest you disable it. 

Option 1: On PlayStation

Follow the steps below on your PlayStation 4/5 console:

1. Launch MW3, click on the Settings icon at the top-right corner, followed by ACCOUNT & NETWORK.

2. Slide the toggle next to CROSSPLAY in the Online tab to turn it off.

In the Online tab, slide the toggle next to CROSSPLAY to turn it off | Fix packet burst in mw3

The method of disabling crossplay is different on both PlayStation and Xbox consoles. However, PC users do not have the facility to disable crossplay yet.

Option 2: On Xbox

Follow the steps below on the Xbox One or Series X/S console to turn off crossplay in MW3:

1. Navigate to the Xbox console settings, and in the General tab, select Online safety and family.

2. Now follow the path: Privacy and online safety > Xbox Privacy > View Details and Customize > Communication & multiplier.

3. Select Block under the You can join the cross-network play option.

Select Block under the You can join the cross-network play option | Fix packet burst in mw3

That is it! We hope our guide helped you fix the packet burst issue in MW3. If you have any queries or suggestions regarding the blog, do let us know in the comments section below. Stay connected to TechCult for more such troubleshooting issues.

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