How To Get Better Ping In South Africa

Below is How To Get Better Ping In South Africa

What is ping? Ask any gamer, and they might say it’s the biggest bane to their gameplay. That’s because when video games lag, the signs most often point to a too-high ping.

Ping is a measure of latency, or how quickly a signal is sent from and returned back to your computer.

To put it in a gaming context, it’s the amount of time a game takes to recognize your gameplay. For example, when playing Zelda, you want to know right away if Link slews his enemies, not wait for your computer to register if they’ve even crossed paths.

How To Get Better Ping In South Africa

Close background programs and applications

There are a lot of things fighting for our computer’s attention, programs, and applications running being one of them.

By force closing these, you’re directing your device’s attention entirely toward what’s important: your game. You’re also minimizing your internet bandwidth because there are fewer programs and applications nursing off of its connection. Some common programs to consider closing include Spotify, Zoom, Netflix, and even Twitch, if you’re not live-streaming yourself.

Temporarily disable updates

Enabling automatic updates for software and applications is a great way to stay on top of your cybersecurity and ensure your devices are running optimally. Still, these updates can require a lot of your computer’s attention. For this reason, if you’re experiencing lag in video games,  you might want to consider temporarily disabling your updates so that they don’t hinder your gameplay. Just be sure to enable them once you push pause for the day.

Use an ethernet cord

Think of an ethernet cord like an IV. It’s providing direct nourishment to your device — in the form of an internet connection — because it’s plugged directly into your device. While it’s not the most convenient of ways to lower ping, because your ethernet cord might not be near your gaming setup, you can invest in a powerline adapter to connect to an ethernet cable away from your router.

Still, using an ethernet cord most often provides a more stable internet connection versus Wi-Fi, which is being tugged and pulled by many users and devices. In the event, Wi-Fi is your only option, be sure you’re on a 5GHz network versus 2.4 GHz.

Remove other devices from your network

Just like those programs and applications that fight for our device’s attention, our connected devices, too, are competing for our Wi-Fi. And when you consider the rise of IoT, our routers have to juggle a lot.

There are smart TVs, computers, cell phones, smartwatches, even our wireless gaming headsets. Then, multiply that by how many people live under one roof and your internet connection might simply be overwhelmed. If you’re experiencing lag in your video game, consider disconnecting these other devices or even users from your network — looking at you, a roommate who’s always on TikTok.

Check the game server’s ping

It can sometimes be the case that it’s not you or your internet connection’s fault for a high ping — it might be the server of the game you’re playing that has a low ping. If you know the game server’s IP address, you can check this or you can visit sites such as Game Server Ping that list popular video games. If the game server’s ping is high, that could be a clear indication of why your ping is also high while gaming.

Select a gamer server closest to you

Another thing to consider is how close a game server is to your device, physically. The farther apart you are, the longer it takes for the two to communicate, so the higher your ping will be. Just think of how fast you can communicate with someone sitting beside you versus someone in another country.

The good news is some games allow you to choose which game servers your device communicates with. If this is the case for your game, always pick the gamer server closest to your physical location.

Adjust your frame rate

Nowadays, gaming visuals are downright impressive. But the better the visuals — consider HD quality versus standard — the more energy it takes for your device to compute them. If you’re experiencing high ping, you may need to optimize your game’s settings, beginning with your frame rate. Worth noting is the higher your frame rate, the better quality your game’s animation will be. In your game’s settings panel, try lowering the frame rate on your game and see if it improves your gameplay.

Upgrade your router

The fact is equipment deteriorates over time, including the router that supports our internet connection and, in turn, affects lag in video games. Consider how old your router is and also consider upgrading it if the rest of these troubleshooting steps and tips haven’t been a success.

A newer device should give you the latest and greatest range and strongest signal for your wireless connection. Avid gamers might even want to consider springing for a gaming router that, as the name alludes, is optimized for gaming. Some include a Quality of Service feature that means the router will prioritize gaming traffic above other internet traffic.

Contact your internet service provider

If you can’t seem to find a solution for the lag in your video game, it might be time to call in the professionals. Contact your internet service provider for advanced troubleshooting tips to lower your ping and, finally, reduce lag in video games.

How to improvs a ping in Fortnite SA?

If you notice your ping has increased, it could be due to external factors such as your internet service provider routing. However, if the issue is on your end, below are common solutions that may improve your ping or latency:

Restart your modem and router: Unplug your modem and router for 30 seconds and then plug them back in. 

Use an ethernet cable connection: Wireless connections can easily get interrupted and have signal degradation which results in lag. Connecting to your modem or router with an ethernet cable eliminates this possibility and provides you with the fastest connection possible.

Try a different router: If your existing router is defective this could be creating the lag you’re experiencing. Try a different one or connect directly to your modem to see if this improves your performance.

Make sure your router is in an ideal location: If your router is located in a closet, the basement, or hidden behind objects or furniture this can heavily impact signal quality. The ideal place for your router is to be up high, centrally located, and without any obstructions. Test various locations and then use tools such as SpeedTest.net to see what provides the highest speed.

Upgrade router firmware: Firmware is software that provides low-level control of your router. This can improve performance similar to a graphics driver.

Adjust your router WiFi band: Routers nowadays usually have two bands: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. 2.4 GHz is a common band for most household devices so if you have a lot of these connected to your WiFi network it can cause congestion and result in lag.

Your 5 GHz band is used a lot less but doesn’t travel as far so if your router is not in a good position to connect to your computer it can result in poorer performance too. Be sure to try both brands to see which works best for you. Changing this setting varies from router to router so be sure to check with your manufacturer on how to do this.

Who is the best South African Fortnite player

Adam ‘Neymer’ Bhamjee

Adam ‘Neymer’ Bhamjee from Bravado Gaming is regarded by many in the community as the best Fortnite player in South Africa.

Adam ‘Neymer’ Bhamjee from Bravado Gaming is regarded by many in the community as the best Fortnite player in South Africa.