League of Legends Network Troubleshooting
High Ping, Ping Spikes, Jitter, and Packet Loss
Separate network lag from low FPS, then identify whether the cause is Riot, your ISP, Wi-Fi, background traffic, or the local Windows connection.
Last updated: July 10, 2026
League of Legends can show a normal frame rate while champions teleport, movement commands arrive late, abilities activate after a delay, or ping suddenly jumps from around 20 ms to more than 100 ms.
These symptoms are usually related to latency, jitter, packet loss, Wi-Fi interference, upload saturation, routing, or a temporary Riot service problem. Lowering graphics quality will not fix a connection problem when the FPS counter remains stable.
A fast 500 Mbps or 1 Gbps internet plan also does not guarantee stable game latency. League uses relatively little bandwidth, but its small packets must reach the game server consistently without being delayed behind uploads, downloads, streaming, cloud backups, or an unstable wireless connection.
Fastest troubleshooting order
Check Riot service status → display ping with Ctrl+F → stop downloads and uploads → test Ethernet → restart the modem and router → check other household devices → disable VPNs and proxies → compare different times of day → reset the Windows network only if necessary → analyze Riot logs.
Do not mix high ping with low FPS
When the entire image becomes rough and the FPS number falls, use the League of Legends low-FPS guide. When the problem appears mainly during large fights, use the teamfight FPS-drop guide.
Jump to a section
- Identify ping, jitter, packet loss, and FPS
- Check Riot service status
- Measure ping with Ctrl+F
- Stop downloads and uploads
- Compare Ethernet and Wi-Fi
- Restart the modem and router
- Check other devices and QoS
- Disable VPNs and proxies
- Test DNS and network reset
- Investigate evening-only ping spikes
- Use Riot connection logs
- Follow the final recovery order
- Frequently asked questions
Identify Ping, Jitter, Packet Loss, and FPS
Before changing the router or Windows settings, identify what actually happens during the lag. Similar-looking problems require different fixes.
Consistently high ping
Actions always feel delayed. Possible causes include distance from the game server, an inefficient ISP route, VPN use, or regional congestion.
Ping spikes and jitter
Ping repeatedly changes from a low value to a much higher value. Wi-Fi interference, uploads, competing devices, or router buffering are common possibilities.
Packet loss
Some network data fails to arrive. The game may show rubber banding, ignored commands, brief freezes, or reconnect messages.
Low FPS
The image itself becomes choppy and the FPS counter falls. Check game settings, hardware usage, temperature, and overlays instead of the network.
| Symptom | Likely category | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Ping remains high throughout the match | Route, region, VPN, or ISP | Disable VPN, test Ethernet, compare another connection |
| Ping jumps from 20 ms to 100 ms | Jitter, Wi-Fi, uploads, or router buffering | Test Ethernet and pause other traffic |
| Champion repeatedly teleports backward or forward | Packet loss or unstable wireless connection | Check signal, cable, router, and connection logs |
| Ping rises only during the evening | Household or regional congestion | Record the time and compare another connection |
| FPS and ping both appear to become worse | Multiple simultaneous problems | Record both numbers and diagnose them separately |
| Only League is affected | Riot route, security software, or game connection | Riot status, log reader, firewall, and support logs |
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Stability can matter more than the lowest number
A steady 35 ms connection can feel better than a connection that averages 25 ms but repeatedly jumps above 100 ms during fights.
1. Check Riot Service Status First
When the problem begins suddenly and many players report login failures, disconnections, matchmaking errors, or unusually high latency, check Riot’s service status before changing Windows or router settings.
- Open the official Riot Games Service Status page.
- Select League of Legends.
- Select the correct region.
- Review current incidents and recently closed notices.
- If Riot confirms an outage, avoid repeatedly reinstalling or resetting the network.
- Test again after the incident has been resolved.
One affected match does not prove a permanent PC problem
Record the match time, region, ping range, and whether the next match returns to normal. A temporary server or route issue may disappear without local changes.
2. Display and Record Ping With Ctrl+F
Press Ctrl+F during a League match to display the current FPS and ping. Record more than one number so that you can identify whether the connection is consistently slow or only unstable at certain moments.
- Enter Practice Tool or a custom game.
- Press Ctrl+F.
- Record the usual ping.
- Record the highest repeated ping.
- Note how often spikes occur.
- Check whether FPS falls at the same time.
- Repeat the test with background traffic stopped.
- Compare Wi-Fi and Ethernet when possible.
| Recorded pattern | Interpretation | Next test |
|---|---|---|
| Ping remains close to one value | Connection is relatively stable | Compare the value with your normal baseline |
| Ping rises when another application uploads | Upload saturation or buffering | Pause the upload and check router QoS |
| Wi-Fi spikes but Ethernet is stable | Wireless interference or weak signal | Improve router placement or use Ethernet |
| Every connection shows high ping at the same time | Riot, ISP, or regional route | Check status, logs, time pattern, and ISP |
A general speed-test ping is not the same as League ping
A speed test normally connects to a nearby test server. League traffic can use a different route to Riot’s game infrastructure, so a normal speed-test result does not rule out a game-specific route problem.
3. Stop Background Downloads and Uploads
Uploads can be especially disruptive because many home internet connections provide much less upload capacity than download capacity. When uploads fill the available connection, League packets may wait in a queue and ping can spike.
- Steam, EA app, Xbox app, and Epic Games downloads
- Windows Update
- OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and photo backups
- Browser downloads
- Torrent and peer-to-peer applications
- OBS streaming
- Discord screen sharing
- Cloud-camera or CCTV uploads
- Console and smart-TV updates
- Phone photo and video synchronization
- Open Task Manager.
- Sort the Processes list by Network.
- Pause applications using the connection.
- Check other devices connected to the same router.
- Restart League and repeat the Ctrl+F measurement.
A small displayed transfer can still create latency
The connection does not need to show its maximum download speed for ping to rise. Upload saturation and long router queues can create latency before a bandwidth graph appears completely full.
4. Compare Ethernet and Wi-Fi
The clearest way to identify a wireless problem is to connect the PC directly to the router with an Ethernet cable and repeat the same League test.
Ethernet is stable
The PC, Riot account, and basic internet route may be working. Focus on Wi-Fi signal, interference, router placement, mesh hops, or the wireless adapter.
Ethernet also spikes
Check household traffic, the modem, router, cable, Riot status, ISP routing, and the time of day.
When Ethernet is not available
- Move closer to the router.
- Reduce walls and large objects between the PC and router.
- Compare 5 GHz or 6 GHz at close range.
- Compare 2.4 GHz when the router is farther away or behind walls.
- Avoid unnecessary wireless repeaters and mesh hops.
- Move the router away from microwaves and crowded electronic equipment.
- Update the wireless adapter driver from the PC or adapter manufacturer.
- Temporarily disable Wi-Fi power saving for comparison.
5 GHz is not automatically more stable at every distance
It can provide more capacity at short range, but its signal may weaken more quickly through walls. Compare the actual League ping instead of choosing a band based only on its name.
5. Restart the Modem and Router Correctly
- Exit League of Legends and the Riot Client.
- Shut down the PC.
- Unplug the router and modem.
- Wait approximately 30 seconds.
- Power on the modem first.
- Wait until its internet connection is ready.
- Power on the router.
- Start the PC and test League again.
If restarting the equipment fixes the problem temporarily but the spikes return after several days, investigate router firmware, temperature, memory limits, the number of connected devices, and hardware age.
Check the Ethernet cable and router port
A damaged cable, loose connector, or failing LAN port can create intermittent packet loss. Compare another cable and another router port.
6. Check Other Devices and Router QoS
A gaming PC can be idle while another device fills the shared connection. Temporarily pause high-bandwidth activity throughout the home network.
- 4K streaming on a television
- Console and PC game updates
- Cloud and NAS backups
- Phone photo uploads
- Live streaming
- Video calls and screen sharing
- Security-camera uploads
- Large browser downloads
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QoS or SQM may help when the connection becomes full
Supported routers may allow game-device prioritization or smart queue management. Configure the feature using the router manufacturer’s instructions, and compare the result instead of assuming that every QoS mode improves latency.
7. Disable VPNs, Proxies, and Network Boosters
A VPN or proxy adds another network path between the PC and the game server. That path may improve an unusually poor ISP route in a specific case, but it can also increase latency, create instability, or cause connection errors.
- Exit the VPN application completely.
- Disable company or school proxy settings when permitted.
- Disable browser VPN extensions.
- Exit gaming VPNs and network accelerators for the baseline test.
- Restart the Riot Client.
- Compare the same time period using the normal internet connection.
Do not use a VPN as the first permanent fix
First confirm that Ethernet, local traffic, the router, and the basic ISP connection are stable. A VPN comparison can be useful evidence of a routing problem, but it does not repair the original route.
8. Test DNS and Windows Network Reset Last
DNS translates service names into IP addresses. Changing DNS can help with name-resolution, login, website, or patch-service problems, but it does not normally change the route used by packets after a League match is connected.
Use DNS as a late comparison rather than the first high-ping fix. Record the original automatic or manual values before making changes.
| Provider | Preferred IPv4 | Alternate IPv4 |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 |
| Google Public DNS | 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 |
Run Windows network commands
When Windows name resolution or the network stack appears damaged, open Command Prompt as an administrator and run the following commands one line at a time.
Restart Windows after running the commands. Network reset can remove and reinstall adapters or clear customized settings, so use it only after simpler tests have failed.
Do not change managed work or school networks without permission
A company, school, or managed PC may require specific DNS, VPN, proxy, certificate, and adapter settings. Record existing values and follow the administrator’s policy.
9. When Ping Spikes Only During the Evening
When League is stable during the day but develops high ping at approximately the same evening hours, compare household usage, Wi-Fi congestion, the ISP connection, and regional routing.
| Comparison result | Possible cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet is also slow only in the evening | ISP or regional congestion | Record times and contact the ISP |
| Only Wi-Fi spikes in the evening | Crowded wireless channels | Use Ethernet or compare another Wi-Fi band |
| Every device slows down together | Router, modem, or ISP issue | Power cycle equipment and contact the ISP |
| Only League is affected | Riot route, service, firewall, or security software | Check Riot logs and service status |
| A mobile hotspot is stable at the same time | Home ISP, modem, router, or route | Report the comparison to the ISP |
Record useful evidence before contacting the ISP
Include dates, exact times, wired or wireless connection, normal ping, highest ping, other device activity, router restarts, and the result from another internet connection.
10. Use Riot Connection Logs and the Riot Repair Tool
When League repeatedly has connection problems while normal browsing appears stable, use Riot’s official connection tools instead of guessing which server or route failed.
- Record the affected match date and time.
- Open Riot’s Connection Troubleshooting Log Reader.
- Use the recent game connection data when available.
- Review the reported latency, jitter, packet loss, or connection score.
- Run the Riot Repair Tool as instructed by Riot Support.
- Select League of Legends and gather the relevant logs.
- Attach the generated log archive to a Riot Support ticket.
- Include the region, ISP, connection type, and troubleshooting already completed.
Logs are more useful than a single speed-test screenshot
A support log can show information associated with the affected League connection, while a nearby speed-test server may not use the same route.
Final League of Legends High-Ping Recovery Order
Key takeaway
Reducing League ping is mainly about keeping latency stable, not increasing the advertised download speed. Stop uploads and downloads, compare Ethernet with Wi-Fi, check other devices, remove VPN routing, and record the time pattern. Treat DNS as a late connection test, not a guaranteed in-game latency fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does League ping suddenly jump above 100 ms?
Common possibilities include Wi-Fi interference, upload saturation, traffic from other devices, router buffering, a VPN, ISP congestion, or a temporary route or Riot service issue.
Why is my internet fast but League ping is high?
Download throughput and game latency measure different things. The route to Riot, connection stability, packet loss, jitter, and upload queues can be poor even when a speed test reports high bandwidth.
Will changing DNS lower League ping?
Usually not by itself. DNS helps locate services but does not normally control the in-match packet route after the connection has been established.
Is 5 GHz Wi-Fi as stable as Ethernet?
It may work well near the router, but wireless interference and signal changes remain possible. Ethernet is the better comparison when diagnosing ping spikes.
Why is ping high only in the evening?
Check household streaming, backups, downloads, nearby Wi-Fi congestion, regional ISP congestion, and routing. Compare Ethernet and another internet connection at the same time.
Why do abilities fail when FPS and ping both look normal?
Check the mouse, keyboard, key conflicts, screen-lock shortcuts, overlays, and simultaneous-input problems. Not every missed command is caused by the network.
Will replacing the router always lower ping?
It may help when the router is overloaded, old, overheating, or providing unstable Wi-Fi. If Ethernet directly through the existing connection also has high ping, investigate the modem, ISP, route, and Riot service.
Why does only League have ping spikes?
The route to Riot may differ from other games and websites. Check Riot status, disable security or VPN interference only for testing, analyze the recent match log, and submit Riot Repair Tool logs when the issue repeats.
Official references
- Riot Games Service Status
- Riot Support: Basic Connections Troubleshooting
- Riot Support: Troubleshoot a PC Connection
- Riot Support: Connection Troubleshooting Log Reader
- Riot Support: League of Legends Logs
- Riot Support: Riot Repair Tool
- Microsoft Support: Fix Ethernet Connection Problems
- Cloudflare: Set Up 1.1.1.1 on Windows
- Google Public DNS Setup
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