High ping in an online game like League of Legends can turn a fun match into a frustrating experience. “Ping” refers to latency – the time data takes to travel from your computer to the game server and back. When ping is high, your champion’s actions feel delayed and gameplay suffers. Fortunately, most high ping causes can be addressed with targeted troubleshooting to help both casual and competitive players.
Server Distance and Location
One major factor influencing ping is the physical distance between you and the game server. The farther away the server, the longer it takes data to travel (limited by the speed of light), which raises your ping. For example, connecting to a server on another continent will inherently add delay. There’s no way to completely overcome physics, so even a fast connection will lag if you’re very far from the server.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Play on the Nearest Server: Ensure you’re playing on the League server region closest to your location. If you accidentally queued on a distant region, switch to one nearer to reduce travel time.
- Manage Expectations: Even on the correct server, a player from a remote area of the region may still have higher base ping than someone closer. Understanding this baseline can help you focus on other improvable factors.
Inefficient Routing (and DNS Issues)
Even if you’re on the right server, the route your internet traffic takes can cause high ping. Data travels through multiple network nodes; if it’s forced through an indirect or congested path, your ping will spike.
Suboptimal routing might occur due to how your ISP connects to the game servers or if a node along the way is misconfigured. Similarly, DNS configuration can play a role – a slow or faulty DNS server could delay the initial connection or direct you to a less optimal node. In some cases, outdated DNS cache entries might even route you inefficiently.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Use a Reliable DNS: Try switching to a fast public DNS (like Google’s 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1) instead of your default ISP DNS. This can speed up domain lookups and ensure you resolve the game server’s address quickly. Remember to flush your DNS cache after changes to clear any old data.
- Check the Route: Use tools like a traceroute (tracert) to see where latency jumps. If you notice a specific hop causing delays, it’s likely a routing issue. You can share this information with your ISP to see if they can improve the route.
- Consider a VPN: Advanced players sometimes use gaming VPN services to bypass bad routes. A VPN can reroute your connection through a more efficient path, potentially lowering ping if your normal route is problematic. (Use this as a last resort – a VPN can also introduce overhead if your route was fine.)
Background Applications and Network Congestion
High ping is often caused by your own network being overloaded. If your PC (or other devices on your network) is downloading, streaming, or updating in the background, it can eat up bandwidth and introduce latency.
Likewise, too many devices using the internet at once (family members streaming video, for example) will saturate your connection and cause ping to climb. Even if you have a fast line, heavy usage can fill the available bandwidth or strain your router, leading to slower response times and lag.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Close or Pause Background Apps: Before launching League, shut down torrents, pause large downloads, and exit streaming services. This frees up bandwidth for the game. Even apps downloading updates (Windows updates, game launchers) can spike your ping, so consider scheduling those for off-hours.
- Limit Other Devices: If possible, ask others sharing your internet to minimize heavy internet use while you play. Too many simultaneous connections can congest even a good router. Some modern routers allow setting Quality of Service (QoS) rules to prioritize gaming traffic over other activities.
- Use Wired or Strengthen Wi-Fi: If you’re on Wi-Fi, a weak signal or interference can add latency. Try connecting via Ethernet for a more stable connection. If wired isn’t an option, move closer to the router or eliminate barriers (walls, metal objects) to improve the Wi-Fi signal. A strong, stable signal helps keep ping low.
ISP Throttling and Peak-Time Slowdowns
Sometimes the issue isn’t in your home at all, but with your Internet Service Provider. ISPs may intentionally throttle (slow down) certain types of traffic to manage their network load.
For instance, if you’re gaming during peak evening hours, a congested ISP network might de-prioritize your game packets, causing high ping. Heavy internet users might notice that their connection is fine at off-peak times but lags when many people are online. In some regions, older infrastructure (like outdated cables or distant exchange points) can also add baseline latency to every connection.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Verify Patterns: Pay attention to when high ping occurs. If it consistently happens at certain times (like 7–10 p.m.), it could be network congestion or throttling by your ISP. Contact your ISP to ask if they throttle gaming traffic or if there are known congestion issues in your area.
- Upgrade or Switch ISP: If throttling or poor routing is confirmed, consider upgrading to a higher-tier plan or switching providers if possible. Some ISPs offer “gamer” plans with lower latency routes. Ensure your modem/router is also up to date – old hardware can introduce latency.
- Workarounds: When you suspect throttling and have no immediate alternative, using a VPN might help. A VPN encrypts your traffic, so the ISP can’t easily identify it as game data to throttle. This isn’t guaranteed and may add a bit of VPN latency, but some players see improvements during peak times. Always test to confirm if it actually lowers your ping in League.
Final Thoughts
High ping can stem from a variety of causes, but the good news is that most of them have a fix. Start with the basics: connect to the closest server, close background hogs, and use a wired connection if you can. If problems persist, dig into network routing or talk to your ISP.
By systematically addressing each potential cause – from your PC, through your router, all the way to your ISP’s network – you can usually pinpoint the lag culprit. With a bit of troubleshooting, even players with no networking expertise can significantly improve their League of Legends experience and keep their ping as low as possible.
Written by:
Christian