How the League of Legends ping test works
In a competitive online game like League of Legends, latency is the gap between the moment you act and the moment the server registers it. This test sends HTTPS requests to cloud data centres (AWS) in the same regions where the game's servers run and measures the round-trip time to each one. Game servers do not answer ping requests for security reasons, so this is an approximation. Because the route to a data centre in the same region is very similar to the route to the game server, it is a reliable way to see which region is closest to you in network terms.
An HTTPS request involves slightly more processing than the small UDP packets a game uses, so the value you see in-game is usually a few milliseconds lower than the result here. The ranking between regions generally stays the same.
How to use the results
- Pick the best region: if the game lets you choose, go with the region that returned the lowest result. Automatic selection sometimes sends you further away based on player population.
- Compare the gaps: if two regions are within 10 ms of each other, choosing the one with shorter queue times can make sense.
- Repeat the test: a test in the evening reflects what you will actually get during peak hours.
- Understand “unreachable”: if a region does not respond, a filter on your network, a VPN or a temporary routing problem may be the cause; try again in a few minutes.
Low ping but still stuttering?
Teleporting opponents, shots that do not register and rubber-banding in League of Legends are usually caused not by high average ping but by packet loss and jitter. The client and server exchange dozens of small packets every second; losing a few of them, or receiving them unevenly, can make even a 30 ms connection feel unplayable. To find these problems, run the packet loss test with a small packet size and a high rate for at least a minute. It also shows whether the loss happens on upload or download.
Showing network stats in game
Comparing the result on this page with the numbers inside the game is the best way to pin down the source of a problem.
In League of Legends, press Ctrl+F during a match to toggle the ping and frame-rate display in the top-right corner. If ping jumps during team fights, your connection may be struggling under load.
Connection tips for League of Legends
- Use an Ethernet cable if you can; Wi-Fi fluctuations are the most common cause of jitter.
- Pause anything that uploads heavily while you play, such as cloud backups, game updates or streaming.
- If your router has QoS or gaming prioritisation, give your gaming device priority.
- If you use a wireless headset, check your audio and microphone with the headphone and microphone test.
For an overall picture of your connection, the ping test measures latency, jitter and stability to our own servers.
