You didn’t miss. Your ping did.
Let’s talk about why ping matters — especially when milliseconds count.
If you’ve ever wondered why your games lag or your video calls glitch, ping is a big part of the problem. In this blog, we’re breaking down what ping is, how it affects gaming and online performance, and most importantly — how to fix high ping once and for all.
What Does Ping Mean?
Ping is the amount of time (in milliseconds) it takes your device to send a signal to a server and get a response back.
Think of it like a digital echo. The lower your ping, the faster that echo bounces back — and the smoother your online experience.
Ping is often grouped with latency, but they’re slightly different. Ping is the test, latency is the result (but if you’re a gamer, you only care that both are low).
What Does Ping in Gaming Mean?
In gaming, ping determines whether you land the shot or die trying. Every action you take — firing, dodging, jumping — is sent to the game’s server. If that round trip takes too long, you’re out of sync with the game world. If you’ve ever quit a game because the lag was unplayable – that’s ping talking.
Here’s how to read your ping:
| Ping (ms) | Experience |
| < 30ms | Excellent — butter-smooth |
| 30–70ms | Very good — most won’t notice |
| 70–150ms | Playable, but not ideal |
| 150ms+ | Laggy and frustrating |
What Causes High Ping?
High ping happens when your signal gets delayed — usually because of congestion, distance, or interference.
Common causes include:
- Overloaded Wi-Fi networks (everyone streaming at once)
- Distance to the game server
- Low-quality or outdated routers
- Background apps eating up bandwidth
- Bad internet
If you’re using cable or DSL internet, you’re sharing bandwidth with the entire neighborhood — meaning your ping is at the mercy of peak hours and binge-watchers next door.
How to Lower Ping (And Fix High Ping for Good)
If your ping is high and you’re ready to throw your controller in the trash, here’s how to fix it:
- Use a wired (Ethernet) connection – Wi-Fi is convenient, but it’s prone to interference. Plug in when performance matters.
- Move closer to your router – Walls, distance, and other devices can mess with your signal.
- Close background apps – Streaming Netflix, Zoom calls, and software updates can quietly wreck your ping.
- Pick the right game server – Always choose the server closest to your location when given the option.
- Restart your router regularly – It’s basic — but it works.
- Enable QoS (Quality of Service) – Some routers let you prioritize gaming traffic.
- Upgrade your internet connection – If you’re still running on cable or DSL, you’re starting at a disadvantage. Fiber internet gives you low ping by design — no shared bandwidth, no congestion, no nonsense.
How to Get Better Ping? Start with Smarter Internet
You can tweak all the router settings you want, but if your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is the bottleneck, there’s only so much you can do. That’s why more gamers are switching to fiber internet — and never looking back.
Here’s why fiber beats cable for ping:
- Dedicated bandwidth (no slowing down during peak hours)
- Faster response times
- Symmetrical speeds (important for sending data back to the server quickly)
- More stable connections
One IQ Fiber customer told us:
“When I turned on my tv and began streaming, I noticed right off a huge difference in quality. I checked several differently aged shows & was so dumbfounded at the difference that I phoned customer service. The gaming is better as well. I’ll not name the previous ISP, however, I am paying less and have a better quality connection…”
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about gaming — or just want smoother video calls and less buffering — ping matters. And the best way to get lower ping is to stop fighting your network.
Ditch the old-school internet.
Upgrade to fiber.
Check if IQ Fiber is available in your area.