How to Reduce Ping in Online Games — 9 Fixes That Actually Work

High ping turns competitive games into a slideshow. You’re already dead by the time you see the enemy. Whether you’re spiking to 200ms or sitting at a constant 80ms when you should be at 20ms, ping issues usually have a fixable cause. These are the nine fixes that actually make a difference.

Fix 1 — Switch from Wi-Fi to wired Ethernet

This is the biggest single fix for most gamers. Wi-Fi introduces latency variance (jitter) that wired connections don’t have. Even a good Wi-Fi connection at 30ms can spike to 80–150ms unpredictably when a neighbour’s microwave interferes or your router cycles through channels. A wired Ethernet connection typically delivers 1–5ms ping to your router, versus 10–50ms over Wi-Fi.

If running a cable isn’t possible, a Powerline Ethernet adapter (plugs into your wall sockets to carry Ethernet over your building’s electrical wiring) is a reliable middle ground. MoCA adapters (coaxial cable-based) are even better if you have coax outlets.

Fix 2 — Use the right DNS server

Your ISP’s default DNS servers are often slow, adding 10–50ms to each new connection. Switching to faster DNS can reduce initial connection latency (not in-game ping directly, but connection setup time). Switch to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1) or Google (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4).

How: Windows → Settings → Network → your connection → DNS server assignment → Manual → IPv4 → enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.

Fix 3 — Close background applications using your network

Check Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) → Performance → Open Resource Monitor → Network tab. Any application downloading in the background (Windows Update, Dropbox, Steam updating another game, OneDrive syncing) is consuming upload bandwidth and adding latency to your game traffic. Close them during gaming sessions.

Windows Update is the most common hidden culprit. Pause updates: Settings → Windows Update → Pause for 1 week before a gaming session.

Fix 4 — Connect to the game server in your region

Most online games let you choose a region or server location. Always connect to the server geographically closest to you. Connecting to a US East server from the UK adds 80–100ms of unavoidable latency due to physics (speed of light in fibre). Check your in-game settings for region/server selection.

Fix 5 — Enable QoS (Quality of Service) on your router

QoS prioritises gaming traffic over other devices and applications on your network. When your roommate is streaming 4K Netflix while you’re playing, QoS ensures your game packets get bandwidth priority. Enable it in your router’s admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1). Look for QoS or Traffic Prioritisation settings and add your gaming PC’s IP or MAC address as high priority.

Fix 6 — Try a gaming VPN for routing optimisation

ISPs don’t always route your traffic via the most efficient path to a game server. They use routes optimised for cost, not latency. A gaming VPN creates a direct tunnel to a server close to the game’s infrastructure, which can bypass inefficient ISP routing and reduce ping by 10–30ms in some cases.

This only helps if your ISP is routing poorly. Test your ping to the game server without the VPN and with it connected to a nearby server. If VPN ping is lower, keep using it. If it’s higher, the VPN is adding overhead — disconnect it. See: Best VPN for gaming.

Fix 7 — Update your network adapter drivers

Outdated network adapter drivers can cause ping spikes and disconnections. Check Device Manager → Network Adapters → right-click your Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter → Update Driver. Download the latest driver directly from your motherboard manufacturer’s website for the most up-to-date version.

Fix 8 — Disable Windows auto-tuning

Windows’ receive window auto-tuning can cause latency spikes in some network configurations. Run Command Prompt as administrator and enter: netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=disabled. Test if this improves your ping. If not, re-enable: netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal.

Fix 9 — Upgrade your router

Old routers (5+ years) have slower CPUs that struggle with the packet processing demands of modern gaming traffic, especially if multiple devices are active. Routers with dedicated gaming features (ASUS ROG Rapture, NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming) prioritise game traffic automatically and have better QoS implementations. Not the first fix to try, but worth considering if you’ve tried everything else.

FAQ

What’s a good ping for gaming?

Under 20ms: excellent. 20–50ms: great, no impact on gameplay. 50–100ms: acceptable for most games. 100–150ms: noticeable in fast-paced shooters. Above 150ms: competitive play is significantly affected. Above 300ms: most games become unplayable.

Does a VPN always reduce ping?

No. A VPN adds a routing hop, which adds some latency. It only reduces ping if your ISP’s default routing to the game server is worse than the VPN’s routing. Test both and use whichever is lower. See: Best VPN for gaming.

Why does my ping spike randomly?

Random ping spikes (jitter) are usually caused by: Wi-Fi interference, another device on your network starting a download, ISP congestion during peak hours (evenings), or Windows background processes. Use a wired connection and close background apps to eliminate the most common causes.

Related: Best VPN for gaming | VPN keeps disconnecting | How to speed up your gaming PC

Try NordVPN for Gaming ↗VPN Picker →