Your ping during games is high, how can you reduce it? What does ping depend on? Find out what causes delays when playing games or watching movies and learn simple ways to improve your network connection.
What is ping?
A low ping is an important factor for a satisfying gaming experience. By definition, a ping (Packet Internet Groper) is a TCP/IP protocol diagnostic tool that can be used to check the quality of a device’s connection to a server or other device. ICMP-based ping commands are used to send and receive data packets in the process of the time required and the number of packets lost en route from server to host. Simply put, ping provides information about the delay (known as latency) that occurs during data transfer.
Ping uses a unit of time (milliseconds) to represent the duration of the information exchange process between device and server. For example, a ping of 30 ms translates to a subtle latency of 0.03 seconds. This value is advantageous for online games, where, for example, attacks against the player character can be actively avoided. Fans of games such as Call of Duty, Battlefield or League of Legends will no doubt want smooth, dynamic and lag-free game play. If so, check the ping and, if it’s high, try a few things to avoid lag.
How can I check my ping?
You can check your ping yourself using a program built into the Microsoft Windows operating system. This section describes the command line (also known as the CMD line), where you enter commands to perform specific tasks or operations. However, before you start testing, you must disable any programs or applications that might affect the results.
High ping in online games
Games like Battlefield don’t need half-measures – network play over Wi-Fi could be increasingly frustrating.
Open the Windows command prompt. You can find it by looking in the Start menu bar or by pressing Windows + r on your keyboard and typing cmd. Next, enter the PING command and the IP address or domain address you want to check the connection to. If data transfer is possible, information about the response and its quality will be displayed. If there is no response from the server or device being checked, the message “Request timeout has expired” is displayed on the screen. Information on the time taken for a response after entering a command is displayed; a value of 100 ms or more is considered a very high ping. You can also see how many attempts were made to respond to the data packet you sent, which determines the TTL (Time To Live) value.
What does Ping depend on?
If you often wonder why your ping is high, you should know that several factors affect its value. The most important one is the quality of your internet connection and how it reaches your device. Fibre-optic connections like the ones supplied by Atlantek Fibre Broadband, which are connected to a computer or router with a cable, are considered the most efficient. The cable must also be in good condition.
The distance between the device and the server from which you want to exchange information is also important. Game fans whose servers are on another continent may need more time to respond. Response times may also vary depending on weather conditions, such as high winds or storms. One factor that determines the quality of packet data exchanges is the number of applications running in the background. Any program that uses additional network connections increases transfer times during games.
My ping during games is high, how can I reduce it?
How can I reduce ping? This question is asked by many gamers who suffer from lag and cannot fully enjoy high quality online games. You already know that high ping is caused by a variety of factors, but you can improve your data packet speed with a few simple solutions What can I do? How can you do this?
If you are using a wireless LAN, restart your router or modem. In case of equipment coming with a fibre connection from Atlantek Broadband, reset of the router is a quick and painless proposal. In many cases, after rebooting, the device will connect to another BTS, providing a better quality connection. It is also advisable to check that the cradle is close enough to the computer.
