League of Legends High Ping: How to Reduce Lag?

Is your League of Legends game feeling more like a slide show than a battle for Summoner's Rift? If you're constantly battling frustrating delays, chances are you're experiencing League of Legends high ping. High ping can turn even the most skilled player into a feeder, and nobody wants that.
This guide will walk you through the common causes of high ping in LoL and provide actionable solutions you can implement right now to improve your connection and get back to dominating the competition. Let's dive in!
At a glance:

Ping is King: Low ping means faster response times and smoother gameplay. Anything above 100ms is generally considered high and will impact your performance.
Multiple Culprits: High ping can stem from various sources, from your distance to Riot's servers to background applications hogging bandwidth.
Troubleshooting is Key: We'll explore a range of solutions, starting with simple fixes and moving to more advanced techniques.
When to Call for Backup: If all else fails, your ISP or Riot Support can provide further assistance.

What is Ping and Why Does it Matter in League of Legends?

Ping, in the context of online gaming, refers to the network latency between a player's computer and the game server. It's measured in milliseconds (ms) and represents the round-trip time for a data packet to travel from your device to the server and back.
In League of Legends, a low ping is crucial for a smooth and responsive gaming experience. Here's why:

Real-time Actions: LoL requires quick reflexes and precise timing. High ping introduces delays, making it difficult to react to enemy movements, cast spells accurately, and last-hit effectively.
Competitive Advantage: A lower ping gives you a significant advantage over opponents with higher latency. You'll be able to react faster, dodge skillshots more easily, and execute combos more effectively.
Reduced Frustration: Lag caused by high ping can be incredibly frustrating, leading to misplays, missed opportunities, and a generally unenjoyable gaming experience.
Ideally, you want your ping to be below 50ms. Competitive players often aim for 10-30ms for optimal performance. Ping between 50ms and 100ms is generally acceptable, but anything above 100ms will likely cause noticeable lag and negatively impact your gameplay.
You can monitor your ping in League of Legends by enabling the FPS and Ping display in the game's settings. Alternatively, you can use the Ctrl+F shortcut during a match to view your current ping.

Decoding the Root Causes of League of Legends High Ping

Before you can fix your high ping, you need to understand what's causing it. Here's a breakdown of the most common culprits:

Distance to the Server: Similar to how shipping parcels work, physical distance matters. The further you are from Riot Games' servers, the longer it takes for data to travel, resulting in higher latency.
Network Routing Inefficiencies: Data travels along a network path to reach the LoL servers. Inefficient or congested routes can increase ping. Suboptimal DNS settings also play a role.
Network Congestion: Your internet connection has a limited bandwidth capacity. When multiple devices on your network are simultaneously downloading, streaming, or engaging in other bandwidth-intensive activities, it can lead to network congestion and higher ping for your game. Ever notice how your ping spikes when someone starts streaming a movie?
ISP Shenanigans (Throttling): Sometimes, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might intentionally slow down specific types of traffic, including gaming traffic, especially during peak hours. This practice is known as throttling.
Outdated Game Version: If your League of Legends client isn't updated to the latest version, compatibility issues or bugs can cause high ping. You don't want to be stuck in the past Tunjangan DPR Naik? Simak Ini, especially when it comes to your game.
Ancient Network Drivers: Just like any other hardware component, your network adapter relies on drivers to function correctly. Outdated or corrupted network drivers can cause connectivity problems and high ping.
Corrupted Game Files: If some of the core game installation files are corrupted, this can also contribute to League of Legends high ping. Imagine trying to bake a cake with missing ingredients.

Taming the Lag Monster: Proven Solutions for League of Legends High Ping

Now that you have a better understanding of the potential causes of high ping, let's explore actionable solutions you can implement to reduce lag and improve your gaming experience.

1. The Classic Reboot: Modem and Router Reset

It might sound simple, but restarting your modem and router is often the first and most effective troubleshooting step. This process clears temporary connection issues and can resolve various network glitches.

Unplug your modem and router from the power outlet.
Wait for about 30 seconds.
Plug the modem back in and wait for it to fully power on.
Plug the router back in and wait for it to fully power on.
Test your ping in League of Legends.

2. Wire Up for Victory: Ethernet Connection

Wi-Fi is convenient, but it's often less stable and more prone to interference than a wired Ethernet connection. Switching to Ethernet can significantly reduce packet loss and improve your overall connection stability.

Connect an Ethernet cable from your computer directly to your router.
Disable Wi-Fi on your computer to ensure you're using the Ethernet connection.
Test your ping in League of Legends.

3. Close the Bandwidth Hogs: Background Application Control

Many applications running in the background can consume bandwidth and contribute to high ping. Close any unnecessary programs, especially those involved in downloading, streaming, or file sharing.

Using Task Manager (Windows): Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager. Go to the "Processes" tab and sort by "Network" to identify bandwidth-intensive applications. Select the applications you want to close and click "End Task."
Using Activity Monitor (macOS): Open Activity Monitor (search for it in Spotlight). Go to the "Network" tab and sort by "Sent Bytes" or "Received Bytes" to identify bandwidth-intensive applications. Select the applications you want to close and click the "X" button in the top left corner.

4. Driver Update: Keep Your Network Adapters Fresh

Outdated network drivers can cause connectivity problems and high ping. Make sure your network drivers are up to date.

Open Device Manager: Press Windows Key + X and select "Device Manager."
Expand Network Adapters: Find your network adapter in the list and right-click on it.
Update Driver: Select "Update driver" and choose "Search automatically for drivers."
Restart Your Computer: After the driver update, restart your computer to apply the changes.

5. Ditch the Middleman: Disable VPN and Proxy

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and proxies can add extra hops to your connection, increasing latency and potentially resulting in higher ping. Unless you specifically need a VPN or proxy for security or privacy reasons, disable them while playing League of Legends.

Check your VPN or proxy settings in your operating system's network settings or in your browser's settings. Disable any active connections.

6. Find a Faster Route: Change Your DNS Server

Your Domain Name System (DNS) server translates domain names (like "google.com") into IP addresses. Sometimes, the default DNS server provided by your ISP can be slow or unreliable. Switching to a public DNS server like Google Public DNS can improve your connection speed and reduce ping.

Open Network Connections: Press Windows Key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
Right-click on Your Network Adapter: Right-click on the network adapter you're using (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and select "Properties."
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4): In the list of items, select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties."
Use the Following DNS Server Addresses: Select "Use the following DNS server addresses" and enter the following values:

Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4

Click OK: Click "OK" to save the changes.
Repeat the process for Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) if enabled, using Google's IPv6 DNS servers.

7. Renew IP Address: Re-establish Your Connection

Renewing your IP address forces your computer to request a new IP address from your router, which can sometimes resolve connectivity issues and improve ping.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press Windows Key + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open Command Prompt as administrator.
Release Your IP Address: Type ipconfig /release and press Enter.
Renew Your IP Address: Type ipconfig /renew and press Enter.
Close Command Prompt: Close Command Prompt.

8. Stay Updated: Ensure You Have the Latest Game Patch

Running an outdated version of League of Legends can lead to compatibility issues and high ping. Make sure your game is updated to the latest version. The LoL client usually prompts you to update automatically.

9. Prioritize Gaming: Optimize Router Settings with QoS

Quality of Service (QoS) is a feature available on many routers that allows you to prioritize certain types of network traffic, such as gaming traffic. Enabling QoS and prioritizing League of Legends can help reduce ping by ensuring that your game receives sufficient bandwidth.

Access Your Router's Settings: Open a web browser and enter your router's IP address in the address bar. The IP address is usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Refer to your router's documentation for the correct IP address.
Log In to Your Router: Enter your router's username and password. The default username and password are often printed on a sticker on the router itself.
Find QoS Settings: Look for "QoS," "Quality of Service," or "Traffic Prioritization" settings in your router's administration interface.
Enable QoS and Prioritize Gaming Traffic: Enable QoS and configure it to prioritize gaming traffic or specifically League of Legends. You may need to add League of Legends as a prioritized application or specify the ports used by the game.
Save Your Changes: Save your changes and restart your router.

10. Reset the Game: Delete Configuration Files

Sometimes, corrupted or outdated configuration files can cause high ping. Deleting these files forces the game to create new, default configuration files, which can resolve the issue.

Close the League of Legends client completely.
Navigate to the League of Legends configuration folder. This is typically located in C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\Config.
Delete all files within the Config folder.
Restart the League of Legends client. The client will automatically create new configuration files.

11. Call in the Professionals: Contact Your ISP

If you've tried all the troubleshooting steps and you're still experiencing high ping, it's time to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP). There might be an outage in your area or issues with your connection that only your ISP can resolve. DPR Sahkan Kenaikan Tarif Tol? Cek Dulu! Ask them to investigate for any network issues.

Contact your ISP's customer support and explain the issue you're experiencing.
Ask them to check for any outages in your area.
Inquire about gaming-friendly internet plans that prioritize low latency.

12. Third-Party Route Optimization: Services Like NoPing

Consider using third-party services like NoPing. These services optimize your connection route to the League of Legends servers, potentially reducing ping. They work by finding the fastest and most stable path for your data to travel, bypassing congested or inefficient routes. Keep in mind that these services usually come with a subscription fee.

What Ping is Considered "High" in League of Legends?

Generally, a ping of 100ms or higher is considered high in League of Legends and will likely result in noticeable lag and negatively impact your gameplay.
Here's a general guideline:

0-50ms: Excellent - Smooth and responsive gameplay.
50-100ms: Acceptable - Slight delays may be noticeable but generally playable.
100-150ms: High - Noticeable lag, making it difficult to react quickly and execute precise movements.
150ms+: Very High - Significant lag, rendering the game almost unplayable.
It's important to note that individual sensitivity to ping can vary. Some players may be more tolerant of higher ping than others. However, as a general rule, the lower your ping, the better your gaming experience will be.

What If Nothing Seems to Work? Escalating Your Issue

If you've exhausted all the troubleshooting steps and you're still battling League of Legends high ping, it's possible that the issue lies beyond your control. Here are a few things to consider:

Server-Side Issues: Sometimes, the problem might be on Riot Games' end. Server outages or issues can cause high ping for all players. Check the League of Legends server status page or community forums to see if other players are experiencing similar problems.
Hardware Limitations: If your computer is old or has outdated hardware, it might struggle to process the game's data quickly enough, leading to perceived lag even with a low ping. Consider upgrading your hardware if necessary.
Underlying Network Problems: There might be underlying network problems beyond your local network that are contributing to high ping. This could include issues with your ISP's infrastructure or problems with the internet backbone.
In these cases, there's not much you can do directly. However, you can:
Contact Riot Support: Report the issue to Riot Support. Provide them with detailed information about your troubleshooting steps, your network configuration, and your location. They might be able to identify server-side issues or provide further guidance.
Be Patient: If the issue is related to server problems or network infrastructure, it might take time to resolve. Monitor the situation and stay informed about any updates from Riot Games or your ISP.

Taking Control: Your Game, Your Connection

Dealing with League of Legends high ping can be frustrating, but understanding the causes and implementing these solutions can empower you to take control of your connection and improve your gaming experience. Remember to start with the simple fixes and gradually move to more advanced techniques. And don't hesitate to seek help from your ISP or Riot Support if you're still struggling. With a little troubleshooting, you can banish the lag monster and get back to dominating the Rift.