How to lower your ping in Fortnite

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

High ping leads to delays in the game, and they lead to wrong decisions, stress and defeat. All of this can often be avoided.

What is ping

Interaction in networks is based on requests and responses. Your computer or smartphone sends a packet of data to another node on the network and waits for some result.

Ping is the time it takes for such a packet to reach the selected server and it will send you a response. The parameter is usually measured in milliseconds (ms) - 1/1000 seconds.

The higher the ping, the slower the data exchange and the less information you will be able to receive and transmit within a certain time. With a high ping, the graphics quality in Fortnite will be low, and the delay in which you can see the actions of other players is large.

What does ping depend on?

There are several options.

• The length of the chain between two nodes. There can be as many intermediate nodes as you want between your computer and the desired Fortnite server. Each of them must accept the data, provide a response, and forward the packet further. Usually, the greater the geographic distance to the server, the higher the ping.
• The quality of your connection. If the provider limits the data transfer rate, uses outdated equipment, divides a small channel into many users, the ping will be low.
• Server characteristics. Even if you transfer data quickly, it can take a long time for a response from the server. The reason is high loads, low power and more.

It is believed that the ping up to 50 ms - excellent result: it will be comfortable to play, you will be able to instantly react to the actions of opponents.

50-100 ms - the norm: let the game not "fly", but rather cheerfully "run".

On ping more than 100 ms delays are noticeable. You will not be able to react instantly, and this seriously reduces your chances of winning.

How to check your ping in Fortnite

1. Go to Fortnite settings: open the menu in the upper right corner, select "Options", in the window provided, go to the "Interface" tab and set "On." for the "Network Debug Statistics" item. Click "Apply" at the bottom and return to the game. After that, the ping values and other network parameters will be displayed on the screen.

2. Start or another similar service: it will test your internet connection and show the average parameters. Here the ping value will be much lower, because the indicator is measured to one of the nearest nodes. The Fortnite servers are probably farther away from you.

You can also install the Speedtest app: there are versions for all popular OS and Apple TV, as well as an extension for Google Chrome.

3. Windows has a console utility called Ping. To call it, press Win + R and write cmd in the window that appears. In the console, enter the ping command and the address you want. If you plan to play on a specific server, enter its address or IP. If you want to test the parameters in general, you can test Google's public DNS servers: ping 8.8.8.8 or ping 8.8.4.4.

On macOS, search for "Network Utility". On the Ping tab, specify the site address (text or IP) and the number of attempts to send.

4. If you play Fortnite through the cloud, you can use the testing facilities provided there. Log in, go to the settings and click "Test network". After checking, look at the information on the "Details" tab.

How to lower your ping in Fortnite

We've ranked the tips from easy to complex. If one recommendation didn't help, move on to the next - this will increase your chances of playing Fortnite without lags.

Change matchmaking settings

In the settings, go to the "Game" item and try changing the matchmaking region. For example, specify "Europe" instead of "Auto" and compare the ping values in the network debug statistics.

Disable programs consuming traffic

Messengers, torrent clients, file download programs, browser, email applications and other software can consume traffic and reduce ping. Disable any apps you don't need right now. Also check to see if automatic updates for the operating system itself or running programs are being downloaded.

Check device for viruses

Malicious software can also consume traffic (for example, when it sends your data to attackers) and increase ping. Scan the system with an antivirus.

Use, for example, one of the free programs:

• (Windows).
• Dr. Web CureIt (Windows).
• (Windows).
• (Windows, macOS).
• (Windows, macOS).
• (Windows, iOS, Android).
• (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS).

Use 5 GHz band instead of 2.4 GHz for Wi-Fi

Many computers and smartphones in recent years, as well as the PlayStation 4/4 Pro and XBox One, support dual Wi-Fi bands. Communication at 2.4 GHz is not so fast and stable: this band is heavily loaded, there is more interference in it. And at 5 GHz, the connection is more reliable, the data transfer rate is higher and the ping is lower.

If your device has a description of 802.11ac or 802.11b / g / n / ac, then it supports both bands. First of all, check your router: if it does not work at 5 GHz, then Fortnite gadgets will not be able to use this option. If your computer, smartphone or console supports 802.11ac, but the router does not, it will not be too expensive to replace it with a new one.

Go to cable connection

Internet access speed using a cable connection is usually faster than Wi-Fi, and ping is lower. Therefore, if it is possible to insert a cable from a provider or at least from a router directly into a computer or console, this should improve the performance of your connection. For example, our ping with a wired connection averaged 43 ms, with Wi-Fi it was 87 ms.

Ping with cable connection - 43ms

Ping with Wi-Fi - 87 ms

It is theoretically possible to connect a smartphone to the cable Internet via an OTG adapter. But often this requires root access (for Android), installing multiple applications and other "dancing with a tambourine." Objectively speaking, the result is unlikely to be worth the effort. Therefore, it is better to try to change seats closer to the router.

Make sure that only you are using the Internet

If you have an important fight, and relatives are watching football or TV shows online, everyone will be uncomfortable. Your internet feed may simply not be enough for fast Fortnite and high definition video at the same time.

Try talking to your family and perhaps setting a schedule for online entertainment. Explain that TV shows are downloadable, but online games are not.

We also recommend changing the password on the router: maybe it was picked up by neighbors or teenagers from the yard. If they are using your internet connection, your ping will go up.

Reinstall drivers for network cards

Often, users do not manually install drivers for network cards on their PCs. Windows finds them automatically, and in general, with such options, access to the Network appears.

But new versions of drivers from the website of the manufacturer of a laptop, PC, or specifically a network card are more efficient than those used by default. Download them and compare your Fortnite connection metrics before and after installation.

Set up your TV and console

Monitors and TVs have an input lag: the time it takes to render a rendered frame on the screen. Professional gamers choose models with latency up to 30ms. In conventional monitors and TV, this figure can reach 150 ms.

If your TV or monitor supports Game Mode, turn it on. Automatically set graphics optimization options will help reduce latency.

If not, go to screen settings and turn off all image enhancement features by the TV or monitor itself, such as noise reduction, anti-aliasing, and so on. This, of course, will not change the ping values, but rendering should speed up.

Install software

Programs seem to build the optimal route from your PC to the nearest server in order to reduce ping. They also increase FPS (frame rate) and make your connection more stable.

Specifically, ExitLag has a free trial for 3 days. You can test it in "combat" conditions and measure the ping in the network debug statistics.

The problem is that sometimes Active anticheat error when start (code 2) again… reacts to such software. Anti cheat. This means that you can suddenly be thrown out of the game at any time.

Change provider or tariff

The more expensive the service package is, the more priority the client is for the provider. These users are provided with the best conditions: high data transfer speed and low ping.

If you've exhausted all your other options, try talking to your service provider directly to find out what the rate change will do. Also check the forums and local groups where they discuss providers, ask your neighbors what their ping is in Fortnite and other games.

It happens that changing the package does not help. For example, if local providers operate on outdated equipment, have not changed cables since installation, and do not expand capacity for new customers. This is usually indicated by a low ping in Speedtest.

In this case, it may be worth changing not the tariff, but the provider. And sometimes this is the only real way to reduce ping in Fortnite.