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How to Reduce Ping for Gaming

The fastest ways to lower ping are to use an Ethernet cable, pick the closest game server, and stop other downloads while you play. If ping only spikes when someone else uses the internet, turn on QoS or Smart Queue on your router to fix bufferbloat. Below are 11 fixes, quickest first.

Updated 4 min read

First, measure your ping

Run the ping test for 30 seconds with nothing else running, then run the bufferbloat test. Together they tell you which kind of problem you have:

  • High ping all the time: distance, WiFi or your provider. Try fixes 1–6.
  • Ping fine until someone streams or downloads: bufferbloat. Jump to fixes 7–9.
  • Random spikes and lost pings: usually WiFi interference. Fixes 1–4.

Not sure what good numbers look like? See ping and jitter explained.

Quick fixes

1. Use an Ethernet cable

A cable removes WiFi interference completely and often cuts ping by 5–20 ms and jitter to almost zero. For consoles and gaming PCs, it’s the single best fix. If a cable can’t reach, a powerline adapter or a mesh node with an Ethernet port is the next best thing.

2. Switch to 5 GHz WiFi

If you must use WiFi, connect to the 5 GHz (or 6 GHz) network, not 2.4 GHz. It’s far less crowded. See 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz.

3. Move closer to the router

Every wall adds delay and retries. Even moving the router out of a cabinet or off the floor can help.

4. Change your WiFi channel

In apartments, neighbours on the same channel cause jitter. Use the best WiFi channel finder to pick a quieter one.

5. Choose the closest game server

Check your game’s region or matchmaking setting. Playing on a server 3,000 km away adds at least 30 ms that no home fix can remove.

6. Close background apps

On your PC or console, pause game updates, Steam or Epic downloads, Windows Update, OneDrive and Discord streaming while you play.

Fix lag when others use the internet

7. Turn on QoS or Smart Queue

When someone streams 4K or uploads photos, your router can queue your game packets behind that traffic, adding 100+ ms. This is bufferbloat. Routers with Smart Queue Management (SQM), “Adaptive QoS” or “Smart Queue” fix it by keeping queues short. Find the setting via your router login page and set it to about 90% of your speed-test results.

8. Schedule big downloads and backups

Set game updates and cloud photo backups to run overnight.

9. Upgrade an old router

Routers more than 5–6 years old often have no queue management and weak processors. A modern WiFi 6 router with QoS is one of the best upgrades for gamers. Read what is bufferbloat for what to look for.

Bigger changes

10. Restart and update your equipment

Restart the modem and router, and install firmware updates. It sounds basic, but it clears overheating and memory problems that cause ping spikes.

11. Check your connection type

Fibre has the lowest ping, then cable, then DSL and 4G/5G. If you’re on a high-latency connection and fibre is available, switching can halve your ping. Run the ping test at different times. If ping is high only in the evening, your provider’s network is congested.

Skip the “ping reducer” apps. Most can’t change the route your data takes. A gaming VPN only helps in the rare case where your provider routes traffic badly to one game server; otherwise it adds delay.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my ping so high when my internet is fast?
Speed and ping are different. High ping usually comes from WiFi, distance to the server or bufferbloat, not from a slow plan. The bufferbloat test tells you if your router is the cause.
Does a VPN reduce ping?
Usually not. A VPN adds an extra hop, so ping goes up. It only helps when your provider’s route to a specific server is unusually bad.
Does restarting the router lower ping?
It can, if the router has been running for weeks or is overheating. If ping is high again within a day, look at WiFi and bufferbloat instead.