If your League of Legends ping suddenly rises, first work out whether the problem is on Riot’s side, your internet provider’s route, or your own network. In game, press Ctrl+F to show latency and FPS. Check Riot’s regional service status, then test the same connection over Ethernet and with other downloads paused. Those checks can isolate the cause far more reliably than changing graphics settings or trying random router tweaks. Riot defines latency as the round-trip time between your computer and a game server; jitter and packet loss can also make play feel laggy even when the average ping looks acceptable.
Riot’s current guidance groups connection problems into three broad sources: Riot’s service, the ISP, or software, equipment, and settings on the player’s side. The Basic Connections Troubleshooting Guide also explains latency, jitter, packet loss, and packet buffering.
Make one change at a time and compare the result in a similar match or practice session. Write down the usual ping and whether it is consistently high, briefly spiking, or accompanied by packet loss. There is no universal “good” ping number: distance to the server and the stability of the connection matter.
In a match, press Ctrl+F to show the ping and FPS display. Riot says you can rebind this shortcut under Options > Hotkeys > Display > Toggle FPS Display. A high or jumping latency value points toward the connection. If latency is steady but FPS drops or the picture stutters, check graphics performance, temperatures, and background CPU use instead; changing DNS will not fix a frame-rate problem. See Riot’s in-game latency instructions.
Look up the correct game region on Riot’s service status page. If Riot has posted a connectivity incident, local changes may not help; wait for the service update and test again. If no incident is listed, use Riot’s Connection Troubleshooting Log Reader to review a recent match. It reports average latency, packet loss, jitter, and changes over time. Riot says a connection score of 90 or higher makes a network-related cause less likely.
If possible, connect the PC directly to the router with Ethernet and replay under similar conditions. This is a diagnostic test as well as a possible fix: if spikes disappear on the cable, Wi-Fi signal quality or interference is likely involved. If wired play has the same symptoms, keep testing rather than buying a faster cable or changing wireless channels at random. Riot recommends using a wired connection to remove wireless interference from the troubleshooting process.
Temporarily pause game downloads, streaming, cloud synchronization, large uploads, and torrent activity. If other people share the connection, ask them to pause heavy transfers for one short test. Close or pause the specific application that is using the network; do not assume every open app is consuming meaningful bandwidth. If League becomes stable, re-enable activities one at a time to identify what competes with the game.
Save ongoing work, turn off the modem and router, wait at least 30 seconds, then turn them back on. Wait for the internet connection to return before testing League again. This can clear a temporary device or connection fault. It does not repair an ISP routing issue, and a factory reset is not the same step—avoid factory-resetting a router unless its manufacturer or ISP specifically tells you to.
Disconnect from any VPN or proxy, close its app if needed, and retest on your normal connection. If ping improves, the route through that service was likely adding delay or instability. Do not keep switching VPN locations to hunt for a magic low-ping route; Riot advises using VPN routing tests only when directed by its technical specialists.
On Windows, open Device Manager, expand Network adapters, and check for a driver update for the adapter you use. Riot’s PC troubleshooting checklist also recommends resetting TCP/IP and testing a public DNS provider when connection problems persist. Follow its PC connection troubleshooting steps and note any changes so you can reverse them if needed. DNS changes can help when the Riot Client cannot resolve or reach Riot services; flushing DNS is not a general fix for latency during an already-connected match. Avoid disabling IPv6 or opening router ports unless Riot Support or your network administrator gives you a specific reason.
If the problem persists on Ethernet with other traffic paused and Riot reports no incident, collect the connection log for an affected match and contact Player Support. Include when the spikes occur, your game region, whether Ethernet changes the result, and the log-reader metrics. Riot’s log reader explains where to find the match’s network log, and the support team can use that information to distinguish a local issue from an ISP route problem. Avoid posting account credentials or private information in public forums.
| What you notice | First thing to check |
|---|---|
| Many players in your region report a sudden problem | Riot service status and support updates |
| Ping spikes on Wi-Fi but steadies over Ethernet | Signal quality, interference, and router placement |
| Ping worsens during downloads or streaming | Competing network use and packet buffering |
| Only League has trouble, especially at busy hours | Riot connection log and ISP routing |
| Ping is steady but movement still looks choppy | FPS, frame-time stutter, and PC performance |
If Riot status is clear, the game log shows unstable latency or packet loss, and the same problem remains on Ethernet, share the log with Riot Support and ask your ISP to check the route to Riot’s game servers. Give the ISP the times the issue occurs and explain that the problem persists over a wired connection. That evidence is more useful than a single speed-test number and helps avoid changes that cannot affect the route.
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