Lag Optimization (Anti-Lag Guide)

On this page

• Preparation
• Optimization Steps
• Common Troubleshooting
• Additional Resources (Free)
• Need Help?

This guide helps you adjust several important settings so your Minecraft Java Edition server runs more smoothly. The examples below are taken from Paper optimization practices.

Preparation#

Before starting, make sure:

• You have access to the server configuration files (server.properties, paper.yml, etc.).
• The server uses Paper or another variant that supports entity-activation-range and simulation-distance.
• You back up your configuration before changing anything.

Optimization Steps#

1. Set View Distance and Simulation Distance

   The view distance setting affects how many chunks are rendered for each player.

   • Open the server.properties file.
   • Adjust view-distance to 6–8 (default is 10–12).
   • If using Paper, add or change simulation-distance to separate simulation from rendering.
   • Save and restart the server to apply.

2. Configure Entity Activation Range (EAR)

   The entity activation range determines how far away entities will be processed by the server.

   • Open paper.yml.

   • Find the entity-activation-range section and set values for categories such as animal, monster, and misc.

   • Example configuration:

     entity-activation-range: animal: 16 monster: 24 misc: 8

   • Adjust based on your world type and player load.

3. Optimize Other Settings

   Some additional options can help overall performance.

   • Use a mod/plugin that allows setting ticks-per for entities or chunks.
   • If available in paper.yml, enable paper-view-distance.
   • Limit chunk loading with a plugin such as Chunky or Paper's built-in features.
   • Consider optimization/analysis plugins like ClearLag, Spark, or the /timings utility.

4. References & Monitoring

   • Read the official Paper documentation: https://paper.readthedocs.io/en/latest/optimizations.html.
   • Apply changes one at a time and run /timings on the server to see the effects.

Common Troubleshooting#

Server becomes unresponsive after changes?

• Restore the configuration files from your backup.
• Make sure the values entered are valid and not too low.
• Check the server log for errors when loading paper.yml.

Entity Activation Range not working?

• Make sure you're using a Paper version that supports this feature.
• Fully restart the server after changing paper.yml.

Additional Resources (Free)#

If you're looking for free help or automatic optimization, use the following resources:

Arqonara DiscordJoin our official Discord server for optimization tips from the community and bots. Paper Optimization ToolA free web tool that provides configuration recommendations based on your server settings.

No need to install paid plugins; just follow the instructions there to adjust paper.yml and server.properties.

Need Help?#

If you're experiencing issues or have questions, don't hesitate to contact our support team.

Contact SupportOpen a ticket or ask directly in the Arqonara Discord.