Gamer experiencing high ping spikes during an online game, with a lagging and distorted screen illustrating sudden network latency issues.

Category:

How to Fix Ping Spikes

Jun 12, 2026

Most internet problems are easy to spot.

No connection? That's a problem. A router flashing angry red lights? Also a problem.

Ping spikes aren't nearly as helpful. Your broadband looks fine. Your Wi-Fi looks fine. Every speed test insists everything is working exactly as it should.

Then your game freezes. Your stream drops to potato quality for a few seconds. And just as you're about to investigate, everything goes back to normal.

It's enough to make you question your broadband, your router and your sanity.

The tricky thing is that ping spikes don't always mean your connection is slow. In fact, they can happen on some of the fastest broadband packages around.

And if you've been dealing with them, there's a good chance the root cause isn't what you think.

Let's unpack what's happening behind the scenes and how to get your connection back on an even keel.

What Are Ping Spikes?

Ping measures how long it takes data to make a round trip between your device and a server.

It's measured in milliseconds (ms).

The lower your ping, the faster your connection can respond.

The higher your ping, the more delay you'll notice between your actions and what happens on screen.

A ping spike is when that latency suddenly shoots up for a few seconds before dropping back down again.

That's when games lag, video calls stutter and streams start behaving badly.

For example:

Normal ping: 18ms
Ping spike: 250ms
Your character: now teleporting through walls

Funny the first time it happens. Rage-inducing every other time after that.

What Causes Ping Spikes?

Ping spikes usually come down to one of a few things:

Network Congestion

Your connection might be fast, but it still has limits.

When lots of devices are trying to use the internet at the same time, bandwidth gets stretched. Streaming, gaming, video calls, downloads and cloud backups all compete for a slice of the same pie.

As the network gets busier, data can start queuing up.

That's when latency rises and ping spikes become more likely.

Wi-Fi Interference

Wi-Fi is clever stuff. But it's also surprisingly easy to disrupt.

Walls, floors, neighbouring networks, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors and even microwaves can all interfere with your wireless signal.

The more obstacles and interference your Wi-Fi has to deal with, the harder it becomes for data to move reliably between your device and your router.

That can lead to packet loss, increased latency and, you guessed it, ping spikes.

Background Downloads and Apps

While your PC updates Steam games, Windows and cloud backups, it’s also eating through your available bandwidth.

Even when you’re not actively downloading anything, background apps may still be using your connection heavily enough to trigger latency spikes.

Router or ISP Issues

Your router could be:

Overheating
Outdated
Poorly configured
Struggling with traffic prioritisation

Or your ISP could be:

Congested at peak times
Routing traffic inefficiently
Having network issues entirely outside your control

How to Fix Ping Spikes

Now we know what ping spikes are, what causes them, and why they suck on a grand scale, let’s find out how to fix them.

Use an Ethernet Cable Instead of Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi has come a long way. But it still has one major disadvantage: it's wireless.

Every packet of data has to travel through the air, competing with walls, neighbouring networks, Bluetooth devices and countless other sources of interference.

Most of the time, that's not a problem. But if you're trying to eliminate ping spikes, "most of the time" isn't really good enough.

A wired Ethernet connection gives data a direct route to your router, reducing the chances of delays, interference and retransmissions along the way.

The result is a connection that's not necessarily faster, but far more consistent.

And when it comes to latency, consistency is what matters most.

A stable 20ms ping is usually far better than a ping that bounces between 10ms and 100ms throughout the day.

That's why gamers, streamers and home office workers often choose Ethernet whenever they can.

Restart Your Router

Yes, yes. We know. It’s the oldest fix in the book… because it works.

Routers can build up:

Memory leaks
Congestion issues
Temporary software bugs

Turn it off completely for around 30 seconds before powering it back on.

A simple restart gives your router a clean slate. It clears temporary glitches, refreshes network connections and forces the router to re-establish a fresh connection with your ISP.

In many cases, that alone can help reduce latency and ping spikes.

Move Closer to Your Router

Distance matters way more than most people realise.

The further your device is from the router, the weaker the Wi-Fi signal becomes. And as that signal weakens, data is more likely to be delayed, lost or resent along the way.

Those retransmissions might only take milliseconds, but they can quickly add up and create the latency spikes you're noticing.

In short:

Weaker signal
More retransmissions
Higher latency
More chance of ping spikes

So if your gaming setup is tucked away upstairs, behind three walls and a kitchen full of appliances, your Wi-Fi could be working a lot harder than it needs to.

A simple change of location can sometimes make a bigger difference than upgrading your broadband package.

Want to get the best possible signal? Our guide to router placement explains how.

Switch to the 5GHz Wi-Fi Band

Most modern routers broadcast two Wi-Fi bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

While 2.4GHz offers better range, it's also the busiest part of the wireless spectrum. Neighbouring networks, smart home devices, wireless speakers and countless other gadgets all compete for space there.

That congestion can introduce delays, interference and the occasional latency spike.

The 5GHz band is typically:

Faster
Less congested
Better suited to gaming and video calls
More responsive for latency-sensitive activities

The trade-off is that it doesn't travel quite as far as 2.4GHz, so performance can drop off more quickly as you move away from the router.

But if you're close enough to get a strong signal, switching to 5GHz can often deliver a smoother and more stable connection.

Stop Background Downloads

Check for:

Steam downloads
Console updates
Cloud syncing
Torrent clients
Windows updates
Streaming devices

While these tasks don't always max out your connection, they can create bursts of network traffic that increase latency and trigger ping spikes.

If your connection suddenly feels laggy, it's worth checking whether another device is helping itself to your bandwidth.

Or better yet, let your router handle it.

Quality of Service (QoS) can prioritise latency-sensitive traffic such as gaming and video calls, helping them stay responsive even when other devices are busy downloading in the background. More on that below!

Enable QoS (Quality of Service)

QoS creates a pecking order for your network traffic, ensuring activities like gaming and voice chat take priority over background downloads and updates.

If your router supports QoS, turning it on can make a noticeable difference during busy periods.

Instead of treating every device and task equally, your router can prioritise activities that need fast response times, helping reduce lag and latency spikes. Which in our book is always a win.

Update Your Router Firmware

Updating your router firmware is one of the easiest hacks to improve network stability and performance.

Much like software updates on your phone or laptop, firmware updates help keep your router secure, stable and performing at its best. They often include bug fixes, security patches and network optimisations to improve compatibility and help your network handle traffic more efficiently.

The problem is that most people never think to update their router.

It gets plugged in, tucked away in a corner and left to run for years on the same firmware it shipped with.

That's why it's worth checking your router's admin panel or the manufacturer's website every so often to see whether an update is available.

It only takes a few minutes, and it's one of the simplest ways to keep your home network running smoothly.

Change Your DNS Server

DNS won't directly reduce your ping, but that doesn't mean it's irrelevant.

Every time you visit a website, launch an app or connect to an online service, your device uses DNS (Domain Name System) to find the correct destination.

If those lookups are slow, your connection can feel slower and less responsive than it should.

Many people stick with the DNS service provided by their broadband provider, but there are faster public alternatives available, including:

Google DNS: 8.8.8.8
Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1

Cloudflare is particularly popular with gamers because it’s fast and privacy-focused.

While DNS isn't usually the cause of ping spikes, switching can help make your browsing experience feel a little snappier overall.

How to Test for Ping Spikes

Don’t worry, you don’t need fancy software to test for ping spikes.

Use Command Prompt on Windows

Open Command Prompt and run:

ping google.com -t

Watch for:

Sudden jumps in latency
“Request timed out” messages
Inconsistent response times

Stable internet should look relatively consistent.

If it’s bouncing wildly between 20ms and 300ms, something’s up.

Use PingPlotter or WinMTR

These tools help identify:

Packet loss
Routing problems
Network instability
Provider-side congestion

Very handy if the issue keeps happening and you want to collate some evidence before contacting your ISP.

Having data, timestamps and connection logs gives support teams something to work with.

And the easier you can prove there’s a fault, the quicker you should be able to get a solution.

What’s a Good Ping for Gaming?

Consistency is king.

A stable 60ms connection is often better than one constantly jumping between 15ms and 180ms.

Can Your Broadband Package Cause Ping Spikes?

Absolutely.

Speed isn’t everything.

You can have:

Gigabit download speeds
Fancy marketing claims
A router with seventeen antennas

…and still get awful latency if the network quality is poor.

Things that matter more for ping stability:

Network congestion
Routing quality
Fibre vs copper infrastructure
ISP traffic management
Router quality
Wi-Fi performance

Fibre Broadband Usually Helps

Sometimes the problem isn't your Wi-Fi setup, your router or your devices. Sometimes it's the connection itself.

Full fibre broadband delivers a more direct and reliable connection than older copper-based networks, helping to reduce the delays and inconsistencies that can contribute to latency issues.

The benefits include: