How to Lower Ping and Stop Lag Spikes in PC Games

If you want to lower ping and stop lag spikes in PC games, change your DNS settings, use a network cable, and close background apps downloading files. Adjusting your Windows adapter settings can also cut delay by removing power save limits. Here is a direct step by step guide to fix network lag quickly.

Switch to a Faster Public DNS Server

Your Internet Service Provider often gives you slow DNS servers by default. Slow DNS lookups cause long response times when your game client talks to servers. Switching to Cloudflare or Google DNS gives your PC a faster route.

To change your DNS in Windows 10 or 11, open Control Panel and click Network and Sharing Center. Select Change adapter settings on the left side. Right click your main connection and pick Properties.

Double click Internet Protocol Version 4 in the list. Select the radio button to use custom DNS addresses. Type 1.1.1.1 for Preferred DNS and 1.0.0.1 for Alternate DNS. Click OK to save your changes.

Tune Your Windows Network Adapter Settings

Windows network drivers often come with energy saving features turned on. These settings slow your connection to save electricity, which causes dropped packets and sudden ping spikes during gaming sessions.

Open Device Manager by right clicking your Start button. Click the arrow next to Network adapters to expand the list. Right click your primary ethernet adapter and click Properties.

Click the Advanced tab at the top. Look for Energy Efficient Ethernet in the list and set its value to Disabled. Next, click Interrupt Moderation and set it to Disabled as well. Turning off Interrupt Moderation allows your CPU to handle game packets immediately without waiting.

If you also want to fix stuttering alongside high ping, read our guide on How to Maximize Gaming FPS in Windows 11: Best Settings Guide to keep your graphics running smooth.

Disable Background Downloads and Bandwidth Hogs

Programs running in the background take away speed without asking. Games like Fortnite or Valorant need clean connection routes. Apps like Steam, Discord, and Windows Update can cause ping jumps mid match.

Press Ctrl, Shift, and Escape together on your keyboard to open Task Manager. Click the Network column header to sort apps by network usage. Right click any app using speed in the background and select End Task.

Open your Steam settings menu and select Downloads. Check the box next to throttle downloads while streaming or pause downloads during gameplay. This stops Steam from pulling updates while you play competitive matches.

You can also find useful network scripts and free gaming tweaks directly on the gamingportal. xyz resource directory to help keep your system running clean.

Turn On Quality of Service on Your Router

Quality of Service, or QoS, is a setting on your home router that puts game data ahead of other traffic. If someone in your home streams high definition video, QoS keeps your game packets first in line.

Open your web browser and type your router IP address into the top bar. You can usually find this address on a sticker on the bottom of your router device. Log in with your admin details.

Find the Advanced settings menu and look for Traffic Management or QoS. Enable Quality of Service and select your gaming PC as the highest priority device on the network. Apply the changes and reboot your router.

Turn Off Windows Delivery Improvement

Windows has a built in feature that uploads update files to other computers over the internet. This feature runs quietly in the background and uses your upload bandwidth, leading to sudden network delay.

Open your Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows Key and the letter I. Click Update and Security, then click Delivery Improvement. Turn off the toggle switch that allows downloads from other PCs.

Next, click Advanced options under the same menu. Check the boxes to limit how much bandwidth Windows can use for background updates. Set both limits to 5 percent to protect your connection while playing games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a wired connection lower ping compared to wireless connections?
A wired cable connection provides a direct path that removes interference and signal loss. It delivers much lower ping and far better stability than any wireless setup.

Why is my ping low but my game still stutters?
Low ping with stuttering usually means you are suffering from packet loss or framerate drops. Turning off background apps and updating your network drivers can fix dropped packets.

What is considered a good ping for online gaming?
A ping under 30 milliseconds is fast for competitive gaming, while anything under 50 milliseconds works fine. Once your ping goes above 80 milliseconds, you will notice delay in your actions.

Can changing DNS servers lower actual ping in games?
Changing DNS servers speeds up how fast your PC translates website names and connects to servers. It helps prevent routing delays, giving you a smoother connection to game servers.

Try these network fixes today to get a stable connection. Test your speed in a quick practice match before jumping into ranked games with your friends.