Why Your League of Legends Ping Matters: A Gamer's Guide to Lowering Lag
Learn why your ping matters in League of Legends, what impacts your in-game latency, and practical steps to lower your ping for a better gaming experience.
When it comes to winning in League of Legends, every second matters—literally. Your in-game ping directly impacts your performance, so understanding what influences it and how to improve it could be the difference between an epic victory or a frustrating defeat. In this guide, we'll cover why your League of Legends (LoL) ping matters, what makes for a good ping, and how you can lower it for a smoother gaming experience.
Whether you’re just starting out or you're a seasoned summoner, knowing the intricacies of ping can help you gain an edge. Many players overlook the importance of ping until they find themselves missing a key skill shot or losing a fight they should have won. Let’s explore why ping is more than just a number on your screen—it’s a crucial aspect of your entire gaming experience.
Table of content:
- Why Your Ping Matters in League of Legends
- Understanding Ping and Internet Speed
- Factors That Affect LoL In-Game Latency
- How to Test and Lower Your LoL Ping
Why Your Ping Matters in League of Legends
Playing League of Legends with high ping can be incredibly frustrating. Imagine clicking to move, only for your champion to respond a second later—that delay is caused by high ping. Essentially, ping represents the amount of time it takes for information to travel from your computer to the game server and back. The lower the ping, the more responsive your gameplay feels. This is crucial when dodging skill shots, executing combos, or just generally keeping up with the fast pace of the game.
High ping not only makes gameplay feel sluggish, but it can also affect your mindset. When your champion doesn't respond as expected, it can lead to misplays, frustration, and even tilt. This is why understanding your ping and actively working to reduce it can greatly enhance your overall gaming experience. Whether you’re playing ranked matches or just having fun with friends, minimizing your ping can be the key to a more enjoyable and successful session.
Understanding Ping and Internet Speed
What Is Good Ping Speed for LoL?
A good ping for League of Legends typically ranges between 10 to 50 milliseconds (ms). At this level, you'll experience little to no lag, meaning your inputs happen nearly instantaneously. If your ping is below 20ms, you’re in ideal territory, where you won't notice any delay.
Having a ping between 10-50ms means you can rely on your inputs being registered exactly when you intend. This is especially important in high-pressure situations like team fights or when trying to outplay your opponent in lane. A low ping can give you that extra bit of responsiveness you need to land a crucial skill shot or flash out of danger at just the right moment.
What Ping Would Be Considered Slow?
Ping speeds above 100ms can make the game feel sluggish. If your ping goes beyond 150ms, the delay becomes noticeable, and you might struggle to keep up with the gameplay. Anything above 200ms is where lag can make the game nearly unplayable, especially in intense team fights.
High ping can create significant disadvantages. For example, if your ping is 200ms, there's a 0.2-second delay between your action and its effect in the game. In a game like League of Legends, where every millisecond counts, this can mean the difference between successfully escaping a gank or getting caught out. Players with high ping often find themselves missing key abilities or reacting too slowly to enemy actions, which can lead to frustrating losses.
Factors That Affect LoL In-Game Latency
Internet Speed vs. Ping: What's the Difference?
While internet speed and ping are often mentioned together, they are different metrics. Internet speed refers to the amount of data you can download and upload at any given time, while ping measures the delay in communication. You could have incredibly fast internet, but if your ping is high, you’ll still experience delays.
Internet speed is often measured in megabits per second (Mbps) and represents how quickly data can be transferred. However, even with high-speed internet, your connection’s stability and the route your data takes to the game server are crucial in determining your ping. A stable connection with moderate speed can be more beneficial for gaming than a fast connection with unstable routing and high ping.
Why High Ping Happens: Common Causes
Several factors contribute to high ping in League of Legends, including:
- Network Congestion: Too many devices connected to your network can lead to slower response times. This is especially true during peak hours when everyone is using the internet at the same time.
- Server Distance: The farther you are from Riot's servers, the longer it takes for your commands to reach them. Physical distance plays a significant role in latency, which is why connecting to the server closest to your region is always recommended.
- ISP Issues: Your Internet Service Provider’s routing or throttling can also cause increased ping. Some ISPs may not have optimized routes for gaming traffic, leading to inefficient data travel paths and higher ping.
- Wi-Fi vs. Wired: Using a Wi-Fi connection generally results in higher ping compared to a wired Ethernet connection. Wi-Fi signals are prone to interference, which can lead to fluctuations in latency. A wired connection is more reliable and provides a consistent ping, which is ideal for gaming.
How to Test and Lower Your LoL Ping
Using a LoL Ping Test
If you’re unsure of your current ping, you can use a LoL ping test to find out. Tools like speedtest.net or dedicated ping test websites for gamers can help you understand what kind of latency you’re dealing with. Remember, you want to be under 50ms for the best experience.
Additionally, Riot Games offers an in-game tool that displays your current ping. By pressing the "Ctrl + F" keys, you can bring up a small overlay that shows your real-time latency and FPS. This can be helpful in determining whether any in-game lag is due to your internet connection or other performance factors.
Tips to Lower Your Ping in League of Legends
Here are some practical ways to lower your LoL ping:
- Switch to a Wired Connection: Using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi is one of the easiest ways to reduce your ping. A direct connection to your router ensures stable data transfer without interference from other devices.
- Close Background Applications: Streaming services, downloads, and other applications can consume your bandwidth, leading to higher ping. Make sure to close or pause any background activity that might be consuming your internet resources while playing.
- Use a VPN (in Some Cases): A VPN can sometimes provide better routing to the game server, but this doesn’t always work for everyone. Some players find that certain VPNs offer a more direct route to Riot's servers, reducing their ping. However, this depends on your location and the VPN provider.
- Check Server Status: Occasionally, high ping is due to server issues on Riot’s end, so check server status if you’re experiencing unusual latency. Riot often provides updates on server maintenance or known issues, which can help you determine if the problem is on their end rather than yours.
- Restart Your Router: Sometimes, simply restarting your router can help clear network congestion and improve your ping. This is a quick and easy fix that can resolve many common connection issues. It’s also helpful to occasionally power cycle your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds and then plugging it back in.
- Limit Connected Devices: If multiple people are using your network for streaming, gaming, or other high-bandwidth activities, it can increase your ping. Try to limit the number of devices connected to your network while you’re playing to ensure a more stable connection.
- Update Network Drivers: Outdated network drivers can sometimes cause connectivity issues. Make sure your network adapter drivers are up to date, as this can help optimize your connection for gaming.
Lowering your ping isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort. A better ping means smoother gameplay, quicker reactions, and ultimately more fun playing League of Legends. Reducing your latency can also lead to a greater sense of control over your champion, resulting in improved performance and more wins. Whether you're playing casually or pushing for higher ranks, optimizing your ping can make a significant difference in your overall experience.
