13 Best Ways to Fix High Ping in Online Games

If you’re experiencing lag when playing online, chances are you have a high ping. The high ping issue, also known as the latency issue, causes various issues in the game.

Problems such as game freezing, other online players disappearing/appearing, etc. may occur. Even if you have a fast internet connection, you may experience excessive ping in online games.

So, how to fix high ping in online games so that you can play without lags? Ping in online games can be reduced in many ways.

What is ping?

The network delay between your game server and the game device is called ping. It is also called lagging. It all comes down to how long it takes your machine to send and receive signals from network servers. Ping is a term that refers to the delay of any signal. It’s not limited to networks. There are two types of ping: high and low.

You are probably wondering what the terms “high ping”and “low ping”mean. Low ping occurs when the frame rate (fps) is around 20ms or slightly higher. A high ping is a frame rate of approximately 150 milliseconds or more. As for normal ping, the frame rate per second is between 75 and 100ms.

Reasons for high ping:

When the ping is too high, the game slows down. High ping can be due to many factors. The most important ones are listed below:

1. Due to slow internet connection.
2. There was a conflict with a third-party antivirus program.
3. Your router may be too far from your machine.
4. Perhaps the type of router is to blame.
5. Unnecessary gadgets are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
6. Incorrect connection settings in Windows.
7. Outdated or faulty graphics drivers.

Whatever the reason, the good news is that the problem can be fixed. There are several workarounds that can be used to solve the high ping problem.

Solutions to fix high ping in online games

Below are simple yet effective ways to fix the cause of such high ping when playing online games on desktop computer. You don’t need to test them all; instead, move down until you find the best solution for you. Without further ado, please read the following solutions:

1. Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi to improve your ping speed
2. Bring your computer and router closer to fix high ping in online games (WiFi users only)
3. Close websites and programs running in the background
4. Limit the number of devices connected to WiFi
5. Connect to a local server in online games
6. Stop downloading on PC to improve ping speed in online games
7. Check your internet speed
8. Restart your router to fix high ping in online games
9. Update your router to improve your ping speed in online games
10. Use a VPN to fix high ping in online games
11. Use Software to Reduce Ping
12. Whitelist games in antivirus/firewall
13. Game graphics optimization

1. Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi to improve your ping speed

Basically every online gamer recommends connecting your computer to the internet via an ethernet cable rather than via WiFi. If you are using Wi-Fi to access the Internet, this may be the reason for your high ping speed.

If you don’t know how it works, let me describe it to you in a few words. Connect the router to your computer using an Ethernet connection of sufficient length. Connect one end of an Ethernet cable to the router’s downstream port and the other end to your PC’s Ethernet port.

Laptops usually have a built-in Ethernet port, although computers may or may not have one. You will need to install an Ethernet NIC in the CPU if you are using a desktop computer and it does not have an Ethernet upstream port.

In addition, the CPU cabinets have space for an Ethernet NIC, so adding one is easy. You may also need to install an Ethernet network card driver on your computer; The driver software CD is usually included with the new component. Ping speed will probably improve if you start using Ethernet to connect to the internet.

2. Bring your computer and router closer to fix high ping in online games (WiFi users only)

This is a general suggestion for reducing ping in online games. And this only applies to WiFi users who cannot connect to the Internet via an Ethernet cable. Placing your PC and router closer together will greatly reduce the ping time.

This wouldn’t be a problem if you were using a laptop. However, in the case of desktop computers, you may encounter certain difficulties. Also remember that obstacles in the path of your PC and router, such as walls and rooms, can greatly increase your in-game ping speed. So, keep all these considerations in mind when moving your PC and router.

Checking the WiFi signal strength on the right side of the taskbar is one way to know if you have enough WiFi signal. It goes without saying that with a weak signal level, the ping speed will be high.

As a result, it is recommended that you move your computer closer to WiFi until you have a good signal from your WiFi. However, if there is a wall between your network and your computer, even a strong signal may not be effective in reducing your ping speed in online games. To fix lag in online games, keep all of the above principles in mind.

3. Close websites and programs running in the background.

Closing all open websites in the browser and background processes can slow down the ping speed in online games. Running websites and programs uses not only computing resources, but also Internet bandwidth.

High RAM and CPU usage by programs other than the game will cause the game to have less CPU memory, which will increase latency. In addition, additional Internet bandwidth programs will increase the ping time during online games.

During online gaming, you can close any open applications or browsers that you are not using. It would be helpful if you also take care of the non-essential applications running in the background. You can do this by going to the task manager and closing them. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Hold down the Ctrl, Shift and Esc keys at the same time. This will launch the task manager.

Step 2. Go to the Processes tab and look for application names in the list of unnecessary processes. To close an unwanted process, select it one by one and click the End Process button.

Note. Only end processes in common software that you are familiar with, such as Chrome, BitTorrent, etc.

After closing the program, check the Performance tab of the Task Manager to see if the CPU and memory usage is low.

4. Limit the number of devices connected to WiFi

If there are many devices connected to your router, be it PCs, mobile devices or other devices, the ping speed will be fast. This is true even if you are using an Ethernet cable to connect to your router.

With more devices connected, the bandwidth distribution will be more even, resulting in faster ping times for your PC.

So how do you deal with high ping in an online game? You can always filter out unnecessary gadgets associated with your computer. You won’t need a mobile device when playing online; so it can be turned off.

Similarly, turn off any gadgets that are not currently in use. This is one of the most effective strategies for eliminating lag in online gaming by reducing ping speed.

5. Connect to a local server in online games

It is always wise to play online games on a local server. If you are in the United States and want to play on a server in Europe, you will experience a delay because the ping speed in Europe is much faster than in the United States.

To get the lowest ping speed, consider playing an online game on a local server or the server closest to your location. If you want to play an online game on a remote server, there is a solution for that too. In such cases, a VPN can be used. You can learn more about this in Method #10.

6. Stop downloading on PC to improve ping speed in online games

Suffice it to say that downloading anything to your computer will take up a significant portion of your internet traffic, if not all of it. In this case, the ping speed of the game will undoubtedly be high. As a result, while playing an online game, you should keep an eye on the downloads.

Allow the download to complete if you are downloading something important. Or pause the download if it can wait. If you use any of them, keep an eye out for downloading software or torrent clients on your computer. Check if something is downloading or not by monitoring any active downloads in the torrent client.

Stop the download if so. Check if anything is downloading to other connected devices. If so, you also need to stop it if you want to increase your ping speed in an online game.

7. Check Your Internet Speed

One of the most important elements that affects ping speed in online games is your internet speed. Suffice it to say that if you have a slow internet connection, the online game will have a high ping rate, which will cause your game to slow down.

Check your internet speed if you haven’t already. Several online programs can help you with this, such as this connection speed test tool. If your Internet connection is slower than usual, you should notify your ISP and complain.

In the meantime, try these methods to improve internet speed on Windows 10. You can upgrade your internet plan to get faster internet speed if you have a basic internet package. With the increase in internet speed, slow ping speed in online games will almost certainly be solved.

8. Reboot your router to fix high ping in online games.

Rebooting your router, as simple as it may seem, can sometimes help. If your router has been turned on for a long period of time, rebooting is always a good idea to reset your download speed and reduce ping in online games.

It won’t be a short restart. Unplug your router, leave it unplugged for about half a minute, and then plug it back in. Check to see if the restart has fixed the excessive ping rate in an online game.

9. Update your router to improve your ping speed in online games.

Routers have their own bandwidth, and like all electronic devices, they become obsolete as technology advances. As a result, check if your router and internet connection are up to date.

Users’ routers often become outdated, resulting in poor internet bandwidth and excessive ping rates in online games. If your router needs to be updated, you can contact your ISP who can provide you with information. This is a simple procedure that will improve the quality of the Internet and reduce the ping in online games.

10. Use a VPN to fix high ping in online games

Many people believe that using a VPN (virtual private network) to restore high ping speeds in online games is a good solution. This is a solution for those who live in a region where there is no online game server. This can also be useful if you want to connect not to a game server in your zone, but to one in another.

For example, a person from a European country wants to play an online game, but the game server is not located in their region. To do this, he will have to play from another game server, possibly in Europe.

If he connects to the server directly through his internet, there is a good chance that he will experience a lot of ping in online games, even if his internet speed is sufficient. To do this, a person can use a VPN to connect to the Internet from anywhere in Europe or even the rest of the world.

This also applies to people who live in a country with their own server but want to play on another country’s server. Gamers around the world use VPNs to play on numerous servers without the risk of excessive ping speeds. If the previous options apply to you, you can also use a VPN to reduce your ping speed in online games.

11. Use Software to Reduce Ping

If everything is fine on your PC and there is not much you can do about high ping in online games, there is another option for you. Reduce your ping speed with software.

There is software that can help you lower your ping speed and improve your overall gaming experience. Both free and commercial options for ping reduction software are available. The free ones may not work as well as the premium ones.

Paid ping software of course comes with a free trial, so if you want to invest in it, be sure to try it first. Haste and Kill Ping are two well-known brands in this industry.

12. Whitelist games in antivirus/firewall

If you have an antivirus program or a firewall, allow the online game to immediately reduce the ping speed. Let me explain if you are not sure how this will help with high ping speed in online games.

If you do not allow online play, data transfer between your PC and the game server will be checked by your antivirus and firewall. As a result, the ping speed during games increases. Allowing online games allows data to pass through the antivirus and firewall, reducing the ping speed in games.

Different antivirus programs have different processes for allowing apps and games. As a result, I won’t be able to tell you exactly how to do it. However, it’s less complicated than you might think. You can resolve your game by doing a Google search or watching a tutorial video on YouTube.

13. Optimize game graphics

Everyone prefers to play games with high definition images and realistic gameplay. But what good is real visuals if the game lags and prevents you from playing properly?

The ping speed in the game is mainly determined by its visual settings. It’s always a good idea to adjust the graphics settings in a game to match your PC’s specifications. Your ping speed can probably increase if you play the game on higher graphics settings than your computer can handle.

Use more of your PC’s resources when playing at higher graphics settings.

If a game is consuming most of your PC’s resources, the resources available to handle the connection between your PC and the game server will be limited. As a result, the ping speed will increase.

Always maintain optimal graphics settings in the game so as not to use all the resources of the computer. It can help you keep your online gaming experience smooth by lowering your ping speed.

Conclusion

So, the tools listed above were some of the simplest and most suitable for solving problems related to why my computer has such a high ping. You can change your ping level with these alternatives in a few minutes.

Follow the steps until the high ping issue is resolved. For many online gamers, the problem of high ping in online games makes things extremely difficult.

While most people experience this issue due to their internet connection, there are things you can do on your PC to slow down your ping speed when playing online games. One of the strategies listed above will surely fix your excessive ping speed.

However, if you are unhappy with your ping speed, you should contact your ISP’s support team and express your dissatisfaction.

FAQ

Is 200 ping good?

In gaming, a ping of less than 20 milliseconds is called “low ping”, a ping between 50 and 100 milliseconds is considered “very good on average”, and a ping of 150 milliseconds or more is called “high ping”.

100 Miss Ping is it good?

The response time of most broadband connections is less than 100 milliseconds. In gaming, a ping of less than 20 milliseconds is called “low ping”, a ping between 50 and 100 milliseconds is considered “very good on average”, and a ping of 150 milliseconds or more is called “high ping”.

Why do I have such a high ping but bad internet?

You may be experiencing high ping regularly due to network issues. In the morning or evening, count the number of connected devices. During this time, other devices are most likely using the network. A huge number of devices overloads your router, which is why ping responses grow.

How much does ping affect games?

Pings greater than 150 milliseconds (ms) cause noticeable lag that impacts gameplay, graphics, and the ability to stream what you’re viewing on Twitch. Anything below should be sufficient. A ping speed of less than 50 milliseconds is ideal for professional gamers.