Ping, Wi-Fi and cable: how to improve your connection for online gaming

Anyone who plays online has been there: you shoot first and still lose the fight, your opponent vanishes and reappears a few meters ahead, the match freezes for a second right at the decisive moment. The first reaction is usually to blame the internet plan, but the problem is often not speed. For games, what matters more is how long each piece of information takes to go and come back, and whether it arrives intact.

This guide explains the terms that show up in connection tests, shows how to measure from your own console or computer and gathers the tips from the Epic Games, Nintendo and PlayStation help pages to improve your home network. Sources are at the end.

Speed isn't everything

Your plan's speed, measured in megabits per second, tells you how much data fits through the pipe at once. It is decisive for downloading a game of dozens of gigabytes or watching high-resolution video. An online match, on the other hand, constantly exchanges small packets with the server: your position, your shots, everyone else's position. Those packets fit easily in almost any plan. What weighs is the delay and the regularity of that exchange.

That's why you can have a fast plan and still suffer in matches, and also play well on a modest plan, as long as the connection is stable.

The terms you see in tests

• Latency or ping: the time data takes to travel from your device to the game server and back, measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better. According to Epic, it depends on bandwidth, actual throughput and the route to the servers.
• Jitter: the variation in latency over time. A ping that jumps from 30 to 120 ms and back hurts more than a steady, slightly higher ping, because the game can't predict the delay.
• Packet loss: packets that are sent but never reach their destination. In game, it shows up as teleporting, actions that don't register and freezes.
• Loaded latency: ping measured while the connection is being used by downloads, videos or calls. When the router queues up too much, you get what's called bufferbloat, and the internet feels slower than it really is.

To give a sense of scale, Cloudflare published in 2023 how it scores a connection's quality for gaming in its speed test. In its table, a connection earns points with packet loss below 5% and more points below 1%; with unloaded latency below 50, 20 and 10 ms; and when the gap between loaded and unloaded latency stays below 50, 20 and 10 ms. It is not an official rule from any game, but it shows what matters: little loss, low ping and a ping that doesn't spike when someone starts using the network.

In short: for gaming, look for low ping, steady ping and packet loss close to zero. Plan speed comes second.

How to measure your connection

On PS4 and PS5, go to Settings, Network and Test Internet Connection. The test shows whether the console got an IP address, whether it is online, whether it signed in to PlayStation Network, the NAT type and the download and upload speeds. Epic's Rocket League help center explains the NAT types like this: with type 1, the console is connected directly to the internet, with no router; with type 2, it goes through a router and can connect to other players, with possible restrictions; with type 3, it also goes through a router and may have trouble connecting to other players.

On a computer, Epic shows how to measure ping to Fortnite's servers. On Windows 11, just open Command Prompt and run a 50-packet ping to one of Epic's test addresses, for example ping ping-nae.ds.on.epicgames.com -n 50, and check the average at the end. On macOS, the test is done in the Ping tab of Network Utility. Epic's page lists test addresses for several regions, including Brazil, so pick the one for the region where you usually play.

Cable or Wi-Fi

The tip help centers repeat most is the simplest: whenever you can, use a network cable. Epic notes that Wi-Fi suffers from signal loss and delays. A cable removes interference from walls, other devices and the neighbors' networks, and usually reduces both jitter and packet loss.

On Nintendo consoles, the details depend on the model. According to Nintendo, a wired connection on Switch only works with the console in the dock, in TV mode. The OLED model's dock has its own LAN port, with no adapter needed; on the standard Switch, you need to plug a wired LAN adapter into the dock; on Switch Lite, only with a licensed accessory that has an adapter. The help page we checked covers the original Switch models.

If the cable can't reach the console, Wi-Fi can still work well with some care, listed below.

Practical tips for Wi-Fi and the router

• Move the device closer to the router. For testing, Nintendo suggests keeping the console 3 to 4 meters from it.
• Take the router out of cabinets, closed corners and basements, as Epic recommends. A high, open spot closer to the center of the home usually spreads the signal better.
• Keep metal objects and electronics, such as speakers, power strips and cordless phones, away; Nintendo says they can interfere with the signal.
• Try the other Wi-Fi band. The 2.4 GHz band reaches farther but is often congested; 5 GHz is faster, with shorter range. Many routers show a network with a different name for each band.
• Restart the modem and router every now and then. Nintendo suggests unplugging the modem for a minute.
• Update the router's firmware through its app or settings page.
• If nothing helps, try another router or connect the console directly to the modem, without the router, to find out where the problem is. It's also worth swapping the network cable: if another cable works, the first one may be damaged.

When the problem is the other devices at home

One of the causes of slowness Nintendo lists is having several devices on the same network using a lot of bandwidth at once. That's where loaded latency comes in: someone starts a big download or a high-resolution video and your ping shoots up. A few habits help:

• Agree with the people you live with on when to run big downloads and updates, or leave them for overnight.
• Pause downloads and updates on the console and computer itself before starting a match.
• If the router has a gaming priority or quality of service (QoS) option, try turning it on and prioritizing the console. The name and location of the option change from model to model, so check the manual.

When the problem is outside your home

Epic explains that ping spikes usually come from how the provider connects to the game's servers, and that failures at internet exchange points can also affect latency. In those cases, tweaking the router won't help. If you've already tested on cable, with the home network idle and at different times, and ping is still high or unstable, gather your test results and contact your provider. Having the numbers at hand helps support understand the problem.

Also remember that distance to the server counts. Playing on servers in another region almost always means higher ping, because the data has to travel farther.

Pre-match checklist

• Console or computer on cable, if possible.
• Downloads and updates paused.
• Router in an open spot, away from interference.
• Connection test done and ping noted, to compare with other days.
• Server region closest to you, when the game lets you choose.

With these steps, a good share of the freezes goes away without spending anything. And when it doesn't, you'll know whether the problem is inside or outside your home, which already saves a lot of headaches.