When it comes to lag switches there are two kinds to choose from, hardware and software. A hardware lag switch is a device with a push-button that plugs into the back of your Xbox 360 or PS3 in the place of your network cable. When you want to lag your connection you push the button and when you want it to stop you release. A software lag switch is a piece of software you can buy and download that works by flooding your internet connection with junk traffic. This junk traffic clogs up your internet connection and slows down your game data. There are two key differences between the two though.
When you plug a hardware lag switch into the back of your console and press the button you physically cut the flow of information out of your console, giving you the advantage. When you release it all that data gets sent and anything you did during the lag, such as making a kill or crossing through a sniper’s scope undetected, syncs up and all takes effect. You could get a kill or two during the lag and the poor guys would never know what hit them. When you turn on a downloadable lag switch your computer starts spewing out data slowing down everything on your network, including your game. The key difference here is that a physical lag switch actually stops your data, while a software one just slows it down. This means that every so often a little bit of data gets through, such as where you’ve moved, making you vulnerable to enemies any time that occurs.
The second key differences is in the scope of the lag. When you plug a lag switch into your Xbox 360 or PS3 it cuts their connection one way for the time you hold it. When you turn on a software lag switch you slow down not just your game but everyone and everything on your network. That means file transfers, streaming music, watching Youtube or even just browsing the web could become excruciatingly slow for not only yourself, but anyone else you share the internet with. So if you’re considering downloading a lag switch think about this before you press the buy button, people don’t like lag unless they’re the one’s in control of it. Spare your friends and family and get a better lagging experience too with a hardware lag switch like
