5 Reasons Why Your Ping So Inconsistent (Explained)

why is my ping so inconsistent
why is my ping so inconsistent

High internet speed has become everyone’s ultimate need, particularly the gamers and people who like to stream HD content. However, packet loss and ping spikes can result in lagging internet speed and can result in internet interference and congestion on the internet route. Similarly, the inconsistent ping can directly influence the internet speed, and no one likes fluctuations in the internet connection, right? So, if your internet connection has an inconsistent ping, we are here to share the reasons and solutions.

Why Is My Ping So Inconsistent?

The ping can be impacted by the wireless connection interference and signal quality. So, the quality and consistency of ping directly rely on the wireless internet connection. In addition, inconsistent ping is a result of interference and/or congestion on the wireless route, particularly the one that’s needed for sending the data. Now that you know the common reasons behind inconsistent ping, let’s see how you can make it consistent and improve the internet speed.

1. The Internet Bandwidth & Internet Speed

It doesn’t matter if you need a high-speed internet connection for gaming or streaming; you don’t always need a business-speed internet connection. However, your internet connection must provide 15Mbps to 20Mbps if you play video games but don’t forget to think about the bandwidth. If you are sharing the internet connection with multiple users in the household and use the internet, it can obviously pressurize the internet bandwidth,

The activities like file downloading and video streaming consume too much internet and bandwidth since it requires an immense amount of data. Having said that, it can slow down the internet speed. For this reason, the only solution is upgrading the internet connection to get higher bandwidth or trying to reduce the internet-based activities to make sure more bandwidth is available for your use.

2. Opt For Low Latency

Network latency illustrates how long it takes to communicate and share data between the destination and source. You might not know this, but lower latency is always better. On the other hand, if the latency rate is high, the gaming experience and other internet-based activities will be slower. For this reason, you should opt for a high-speed internet connection, particularly the one with a lower latency rate. A reasonable latency rate will provide a ping rate of fewer than 150 milliseconds, and it’s best to aim for 20 milliseconds.

Latency relies on the network hardware, broadband connection, internet connection, router, and the location of the remote server. So, when data packets are shifted from the source to destination, there will be multiple points on the route – a longer route means more stops, which leads to more delay and ping. So, as long as the latency rate is low, you will be able to achieve a better internet connection.

3. Distance From The Router

It is common for wireless internet signals to get hindered by furniture, floor, walls, and other physical items. For this reason, you need to improve the Wi-Fi signal and enhance the connectivity by moving the console or computer closer to the router. If you are experiencing lag and inconsistent ping and you cannot change the router’s position, you can simply move closer to the router yourself. This is a practical solution because it reduces signal interference and creates a direct signal transmission route.

4. Close The Background Programs

The websites like YouTube and Netflix are known as bandwidth-heavy websites, and they can significantly impact the latency rate and ping rate. For this reason, you should close down the background programs and website to make sure the internet connectivity is enhanced. In addition to closing these background programs, you could also try reducing the number of devices connected to the wireless connection to reduce bandwidth consumption.

5. Use Ethernet Cable

If none of these solutions are working out in making the ping consistent, it’s time that you give up on the wireless connection and connect your device to the router with the help of an Ethernet cable. This will make sure that there are no interruptions in the internet signals, and you will be able to optimize the internet speed to streamline the gaming or streaming experience.

The bottom line is that these solutions are pretty reliable, but if you are still worried about inconsistent ping, you will need to talk to the internet service provider.

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