How to reduce ping (delays) to play on PC, PS4 and Xbox

When we play video games that support online multiplayer, in addition to having a good download and upload speed, we will have to pay particular attention to pinging the connection, which in many cases can make the difference between a fluid and engaging game and a total defeat, seen that our commands or opponent's moves will be delayed on our console or on our gaming computer.
If the problem for online gaming is pinging, in this guide we will show you all the methods that can reduce the ping to play on PC, PS4 and Xbox, which in other words means reducing the lag and delays in online games . Some methods will show you how to act on the home Internet line or modem / router, others how to optimize the console or gaming PC to prevent other programs or services from occupying the line, slowing down the execution of the game.
READ ALSO: Portable PCs to play: which one to choose

How to reduce the ping to play

By following all the suggestions below, we can reduce the ping to play without lag or sudden slowdowns in the performance of the actions on the screen. In addition to ping, we will still have to start from a good Internet connection on a fixed fiber optic network; in this regard, we can read our guide on the Best Optical Fiber: check coverage and offers .

Connect the PC or console via Ethernet cable

One of the most effective suggestions to reduce the ping to play involves connecting the game device (PC or console) to the modem or router at home directly via Ethernet cable, avoiding as much as possible to use the Wi-Fi connection.

All modern consoles and PCs have an Ethernet port to which the cable of the same name can be connected, so as to establish a direct connection with the router / modem; using the Ethernet cable we will have the maximum signal transmission speed, without any interference and with the lowest possible ping (always in reaction to the line we have).
If the PC or console is in another room, we can use the channels of the electrical outlets to pass the cable into the desired room; alternatively we can use the baseboards to fix the cable, taking care to make adequate holes for the Ethernet cable.
The best Ethernet cables to play (even with long lengths), we can find them below:

1. 1, 5m AmazonBasics - Cat6 Ethernet patch cable with RJ45 connectors (pack of 5, 9 €)
2. 3m Cat 7 Network Cable Ethernet LAN Cable (8 €)
3. 5m Ugreen 11271, Network Cable, Cat 7 Gigabit Ethernet Cable (€ 12)
4. 15m IBRA Network cable - Cat 7 Gigabit Ethernet cable (€ 16)
5. 20m Duronic CAT6a Black Crossover Ethernet network cable (19 €)

To obtain maximum performance, we advise you to avoid any type of connection via Powerline, router or intermediate switches : they add interference and significantly raise the ping.
If possible, we avoid using any type of Wi-Fi : even if the wireless connection is convenient, it always adds a delay in data transmission, increasing the ping of the games. If we really have to use a Wi-Fi connection to play, make sure to use the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, faster and less prone to interference (however more sensitive to raising the ping than the Ethernet connection).

Set the modem / router priority on PC or console

Once the cable connection has been set up, we can access the settings of our proprietary modem or the router chosen by us to see if a customizable Boost mode or QoS (Quality of Service) is available, so as to give top priority to the Ethernet connection of the console or gaming PC.

READ ALSO: Activate QoS (Quality of service) on the router to enhance the internet
By setting the Boost mode for the console or gaming PC, the modem / router will provide maximum bandwidth and very low pingo to play, even if there are other devices that require a lot of bandwidth (a Smart TV or a PC with a large file in download).
Obviously this type of optimization is effective when the line is already very fast (over 20 Mega per second), making it not very effective on their already slow connections.
If we do not have a router or modem with an optimized game mode, we recommend that you consider purchasing one of the following routers designed for gaming :

1. Netgear R7000 Nighthawk Smart (105 €)
2. Asus RT-AC86U AC2900 Dual-band Wireless Router (172 €)
3. ASUS RT-AX88U Gaming Router (220 €)
4. TP-Link Primo Gaming Router Archer (€ 283)
5. ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC2900 - Gaming router (€ 288)

To deepen the discussion we recommend you read our guide on the Best Modem to buy (fiber, dual band, wireless AC) .

Optimize your PC for gaming

If we use Windows 10 as the operating system for the gaming PC, we will be able to take advantage of the Game Mode, which can be activated from the Settings app at the Games path -> Game Mode .

By activating the Game Mode button we will be able to reduce the bandwidth used by other Windows services (such as updates) or by installed programs, so as to have the lowest possible ping. In addition to activating this mode, we can reduce the ping by closing any unnecessary programs in auto-start or manually started before the game.
To get a more powerful optimization, we can use other programs to optimize the computer and reduce the ping to play, as seen in our guide on how to optimize the computer for games and video games for PC .

Optimize your gaming console

Gaming consoles are already highly optimized for gaming and multiplayer online gaming, so all we have to do is connect them via Ethernet cable to get the best possible gaming experience right away.

The only advice we can give you is to close any other gaming device on the net (even a gaming PC or a portable console) and to open the doors required by online games or by PSN or Xbox Live services.
If we don't know which ports to open on the router or modem, just look below:
For PS4

1. TCP: 443, 1935, 3478, 3479, 3480
2. UDP: 3478, 3479

For Xbox One

1. TCP: 3074
2. UDP: 53, 88, 500, 3074, 3544, 4500

We don't know how to open router or modem ports "> Guide to open Router ports.

Conclusions

As we have seen we can reduce the ping to play on PC, PS4 and Xbox using the Ethernet cable connection, optimized our router or modem to provide more bandwidth to our console or gaming PC, by activating a simple button on Windows or opening the right ports on the router based on the type of console we have.
If the Internet connection is slow and the ping is very high, we advise you to read our guides Check the internet connection speed and Why the internet is slow and what to do to fix it .
The game on our PC does not start? Make sure you have all the essential programs described in our Guide to Programs needed on PC to play any game .