Image Credit: Riot Games via HGG
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Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Suffering from severe packet loss in VALORANT? Wondering why your is VALORANT ping so high? Get the spikes out of your ping and back on the sites where they belong!
In VALORANT, high ping is just one visible symptom. More than raw, blistering speed, what you really need is a connection that’s stable and reliable as well. You might be inclined to think this is simply out of your control. But there are more than a few ways you can affect this for the better. No more missed headshots — or no more excuses, at least.
Let’s get into how to fix high ping in VALORANT.
PC Settings and Software
First things first, start with the basics. There are lots of digital storefronts and game libraries out there: Steam, EGS, Origin, Battle.Net, and more. Every one you have installed and running is one more client siphoning up bandwidth for updates and other connected services like an elephant trunk in a murky lake.
To address VALORANT ping issues, start small: Close any unnecessary game clients, web browsers, or other internet-connected software/services when gaming. Disable them at startup if needed – this process will vary depending on your OS.
Leaving a webpage open that constantly refreshes (like Facebook or Twitter) can also be a contributing factor to those intermittent lag spikes. Something to think about as you think about how to improve ping in VALORANT. That goes for any other devices like laptops, tablets, or phones, but we’ll talk about managing the household later on.
If you use a VPN, consider this: Using a VPN adds inherent overhead to your gaming connection. It’s the simple cost of security and privacy.
Some VPNs advertise gaming-capable latency, so they may be worth considering. But in the event of trouble, disabling your VPN for a test run is a good early step to check.
And for how to fix ping in VALORANT for you laptop gamers out there: Ensure that your laptop is properly ventilated and using high-performance power mode when gaming. Some of your lag spikes may not actually be between you and the server, but right there at home.
Router Settings
The router is one of the most important parts of your home network when it comes to addressing VALORANT ping issues. It’s like a little digital post office. The modem handles communication with the internet service provider, piping a torrential deluge of unfiltered bandwidth straight out the other side. The router hooks up to this stream of data and sorts it, routing the downstream packets to their proper homes and handling the upstream packets in turn.
When doing something bandwidth heavy that requires a constant and active connection, this becomes a monumental undertaking. If you’re still using the switch built into the modem or one of the modem/router combos that ISPs like to rent to you with your service, you may want to consider upgrading to a standalone router that’s optimized for heavy traffic. Especially one that offers QoS Rules.
Let’s check out our router now, whether combo or standalone, so long as you have permission to access the admin dashboard. Find your Gateway IP Address — likely something like [192.168.1.1] — then open a web browser and enter that IP. Enter the administrator username and password, if any, then log in to the dash. From here, you have top-to-bottom access to your router. Let’s ensure we’re optimized for success.
A good first step is to check the Attached Devices, as most routers include a page to show what’s connected. See anything unexpected? Power cycle the router or consider changing the Wi-Fi password. Any device (especially your neighbors’) can be a bandwidth drain.
Next, check if your router supports QoS — if so, search for guides on how to set it up. It’s going to be a little different across router brands and models, but the gist is that you run a speed test, specify your maximum upload bandwidth, and then applications requesting to send packets will have their traffic allocated based on manual or automatic rule sets. You can wait 20 milliseconds for a Tweet to go through — you might not even notice the difference. But you’ll sure notice that 20 milliseconds when pushing the B site with your team.
Make Sure Your Phone Isn’t Updating, Yeah?
It’s important to remember that the vast majority of latency issues are simple in origin with simple solutions. Make sure your iPhone isn’t downloading an update in the middle of a match by scheduling it to update overnight. Don’t queue up for ranked matchmaking at the same time that the rest of the family is Doritos deep in a UFC pay-per-view event unless you know your download and upload speeds can support it. And close game clients you aren’t using right that moment.
It’s a matter of seconds to get EGS or Origin back up and running. But they’re eating precious milliseconds in the meantime that could be going toward the best game of your VALORANT career.
Become a High Grounder
Thanks for checking out our VALORANT ping guide! If you liked these words and want to read more like them, be sure to give us a follow on Facebook and Twitter. Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to voice them in the comments section below.
Happy gaming!
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