)
What is ping and how much is too much?
)
Got high ping when you’re gaming? There’s plenty you can do to fix it. Here’s everything you need to know about ping, including what it means, how it impacts your games when you’re online, and how to reduce high ping
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- 4 July 2025
What is ping?
Ping is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to the game server and back. It’s measured in milliseconds (ms), with a lower ping giving you a faster connection and a higher ping leading to lag when you’re playing online.
When you play an online game, every action you make is sent to the server of the game you’re playing. The server then processes this information and updates the game for everyone. The total time taken for this round trip is your ping.
The lower the ping, the smoother and more responsive your gameplay will be. But if your ping is too high, there will be a delay between your actions and when they happen in the game, which can make playing online more difficult than it needs to be.
Why ping matters in gaming
Your ping affects how fast the game responds to your actions. When you play an online game, every move you make has to be sent to the game server. If your ping is high, there is a delay in when this process, and your actions may take longer to appear in the game.
In fast-paced games like first-person shooters (FPS), racing games, or battle royales, this can be the difference between winning and losing. A player with low ping can react faster than a player with high ping, which means they might shoot or move before their opponent even sees it happening. But if a player has high ping, their actions might not register in time, or they might get hit before they even see the enemy.
High ping can also cause problems like lag or rubberbanding where a character moves back and forth unexpectedly. This make playing difficult because your movements may not happen as you expect. In some cases, high ping can even cause disconnections, kicking you out of the game completely.
Why is my ping high?
There's loads of things that can cause high ping, most of them linked to your internet or how your network is set up. Here are some of the most common causes:
If your internet speed is too low, the data between your device and the game server takes longer to travel, leading to high ping. This is especially common if multiple people are using the same internet for activities like streaming videos or downloading large files, and there won’t be enough bandwidth to go around for everyone.
Looking for an upgrade? Check out our gaming broadband deals to find an ultrafast broadband package that’ll keep your gaming experience nice and smooth.
The farther you are from the game server, the longer it takes for data to travel to the server and back. Even though data travels fast, the extra distance adds up and creates noticeable delays when you’re gaming. So, If the server is located in another country or on the other side of your own country, your ping will be much higher compared to playing on a local server.
Many games let you choose a server region, so picking one closer to you can help reduce this.
When multiple people are using the same internet connection at the same time, the available bandwidth gets split among all the devices. So if someone gaming online, another person is on a video call, and someone else is downloading files, the network can get overloaded. As a result, your gaming device may not get enough bandwidth, or data packets may be delayed while waiting for their turn to go through. This kind of congestion can lead to spikes in ping, especially during peak internet usage hours in your household.
The only workaround the this is getting a broadband package with higher bandwidth that can handle multiple devices at once.
WiFi signals can be disrupted by physical obstacles like walls or furniture, interference from other electronic devices, or even competing networks from nearby homes. When the signal strength is low, your device struggles to maintain a steady flow of data to and from the game server. This can cause packet loss, delays, and sudden spikes in ping. Even small drops in signal quality can lead to inconsistent performance, especially in fast-moving online games where reliable timing is critical.
Other programs running on your computer or console might be hogging your bandwidth without you realising it, leading to higher ping . These apps often upload or download large amounts of data without warning, which can slow down your network connection and lead to high ping in games. If you’re playing on PC, security software, update managers, or even browser tabs left open can add to the problem, especially if your internet connection isn’t very fast to begin with.
Why is high ping bad?
High ping is always bad for online gaming because it causes delays between your actions and what happens in the game. When your ping is high, your movements, attacks, or commands take longer to register, making gameplay feel slow or unresponsive. This can be a nightmare in fast-paced games where quick reactions are the difference between winning and losing.
What’s a good ping for gaming?
For fast-paced competitive games like first-person shooters (FPS), fighting games, and battle royales, a ping of 0-30ms is considered excellent. This means you can react fast, gets smooth gameplay, and there's no noticeable delay when you play. A ping between 30–50ms is still good, but you may notice slight delays in intense situations.
For online multiplayer games that are less dependent on reaction time, like role-playing games (RPGs), strategy games, or casual multiplayer games (likes Minecraft, World of Warcraft, or The Sims), a ping of 50-100ms is usually fine. You may experience some minor lag, but it won’t ruin your gameplay experience.
If your ping is over 150ms, online gaming of any kind will become frustrating due to the lag, and at 200ms or higher, it’ll be unplayable.
Here's a table comparing all the different ping levels and what they mean for you:
)
How can I test my ping?
You can measure your speed using our helpful broadband speed test.
Our tool tests your ping along with other factors that can impact your gaming experience, like download speed, latency and jitter. It works by mimicking your online activities and testing how long it takes. If your ping is higher than 100ms, you may want to look into ways to reduce ping on your device.
How can I reduce my ping?
There are several ways you can lower you ping and make your games fun smoothly.
Here are some things to try:
A wired Ethernet connection offers the fastest and most stable internet connection for gaming. Unlike WiFi, which can be affected by walls, other devices, and signal interference, an Ethernet cable provides a direct link between your gaming device and the router, reducing the chance of ping. If your router is too far from your gaming setup for an Ethernet , consider using a WiFi booster instead to extend your internet connection without running long cables.
Many online games allow you to manually select a server region. If the game automatically connects you to a faraway server, try switching to a closer one in the game settings. Some games even display server ping values, so you can choose the one with the lowest number.
If no nearby servers are available, consider using a gaming VPN that optimises routing (though regular VPNs usually increase ping).
Other applications running on your computer or console can use up bandwidth and slow down your connection. Programs like Steam, Epic Games Launcher, or Windows Updates might be downloading updates in the background without you noticing.
To free up bandwidth, check your Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc on Windows) or Activity Monitor (on Mac) to close unnecessary apps. On consoles, disable automatic updates and downloads while gaming to ensure your connection is dedicated to the game.
Restarting your router and modem can help refresh your internet connection and clear minor technical issues. To do this:
Turn off your router and modem.
Unplug them from the power source for about 10–30 seconds.
Plug them back in and wait for the connection to fully restore.4
If you experience frequent ping spikes, consider resetting your router to factory settings to remove any misconfigurations. Some modern routers also allow you to schedule automatic reboots to keep performance stable.
Using a VPN or proxy server while gaming can increase ping because it adds extra distance to your internet connection. VPNs reroute your data through different locations, which can slow down communication with the game server.
If you use a VPN for security reasons, try disabling it while gaming. However, some specialized gaming VPNs claim to optimise routing and reduce lag, if you need a VPN, choose one specifically designed for gaming.
Still got high ping? It may be time for an upgrade
If you have tried everything and are still experiencing high ping when you’re gaming, it may be time to upgrade your broadband. With one of our superfast fibre broadband packages, you’ll be able to enjoy smoother, lag-free gameplay when you’re online.
If you’re unsure what you need, check out all of our gaming broadband deals and enter your postcode to see what’s available in your area.
Browse the Virgin Media range
)
)
)
)
Virgin Media services are only available in eligible Virgin Media network areas. All of the products on this page are subject to survey, network capacity and a credit check.
