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Start by checking whether Riot has reported a regional service issue. If not, compare your connection on wired Ethernet, remove VPN or proxy routing from the test, and note whether the in-game ping rises when lag spikes or disconnections occur. These steps help narrow the cause; none guarantees lower ping. Riot groups connection trouble into three broad sources: its services, your internet provider or network path, and your own device, software, or equipment.
First, work out what kind of problem you have
Latency, or ping, is the round-trip time for data to travel from your computer to a Riot game server and back, measured in milliseconds. Lower is better. Riot identifies physical distance to its servers as the largest contributor when a connection is otherwise working normally, so a troubleshooting step cannot eliminate the effect of distance.
Packet loss means packets fail to reach your computer or Riot’s servers; Riot says it should be as close to 0% as possible. Jitter is variation in latency over time and should be as close to 0 ms as possible. These can produce lag spikes, rubber-banding, or disconnections. FPS drops and graphics stutter are different symptoms: if your ping stays steady and there is no connection evidence, investigate performance rather than assuming a network fix will help.
During a match, note the displayed ping and whether it rises at the same time as rubber-banding, an “Attempting to Reconnect” message, or a disconnect. That timing is useful when comparing tests and when reporting the issue.
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Check Riot’s regional service status
Before changing settings, check Riot’s regional server status. If it reports an issue affecting your service, local changes are unlikely to resolve the underlying outage. When there is no reported issue, Riot recommends consulting the region’s Lag Report, where available. After you sign in, it aggregates data from recent games into a Connection Score and compares your connection with other players and ISPs in the area. Treat it as diagnostic context, not proof of a particular cause.
Test wired Ethernet against Wi-Fi
If you normally play over Wi-Fi, connect the computer directly to the router with Ethernet and compare the results. Riot recommends this test because wireless interference and other radio signals can contribute to lag spikes or packet loss. It is a way to isolate the wireless part of your setup, not a guaranteed ping reducer.
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- Connect the computer to the router with an Ethernet cable, then play under conditions similar to your usual Wi-Fi test.
- Compare ping stability, packet-loss indications, and whether spikes still coincide with activity from other devices or applications on your local network.
- If the wired test is steadier, focus next on the Wi-Fi path and local environment. If both tests behave similarly, keep investigating the service, ISP path, or device.
If you need a cable for the test, choose one long enough for your setup with connectors that fit your equipment. Riot does not specify a required category, brand, speed rating, or length.
Remove VPN or proxy routing from the test
Disconnect any VPN or proxy you use to connect to League, then check whether the problem changes. Riot warns that these services can cause connection issues. Do not use a VPN as a general ping fix; Riot says VPN routing tests should be used only when advised by its technical specialists.
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Use DNS troubleshooting only for Riot Client connection trouble
Changing DNS is not a general remedy for high in-match ping or poor routing to a game server. Riot’s guidance says updating DNS and flushing the cache may help when the Riot Client has trouble connecting to Riot services. Its public DNS instructions list Google and Cloudflare resolver addresses and setup steps for Windows 11 and Mac.
Some ISPs block third-party DNS. If changing DNS causes internet access to fail, restore your previous DNS settings. Use this step only when the connection symptom fits the Client or service-name connection problem described by Riot, not as an expected way to reduce match latency.
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Check drivers, operating-system updates, and client permissions
Riot’s connection guidance identifies outdated network adapter drivers as a possible source of trouble and provides Windows Device Manager steps for checking or updating them. It also recommends checking for operating-system updates. These are sensible checks when your device or network adapter may be having trouble, but they are not evidence that an update will lower ping in every case.
Riot’s PC guidance notes that current Windows updates include security, bug, and compatibility fixes. It also says running Riot Client as administrator may help when Windows blocks actions or files. Consider that permission step if the Client is failing to connect or operate correctly; it is not a routine latency optimization.
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Collect connection logs if the problem persists
If the basic checks do not resolve the issue, follow Riot’s connection troubleshooting guide and its current instructions for the Connection Log Reader. For a support request, Riot’s guide identifies Network Analysis, Trace Route, and Process List as useful diagnostics. Attach the files that the support workflow requests rather than gathering every possible log.
For Mac, Riot’s Network, System and Logs guide explains that a match network log is created for each game and contains connection information useful for lag, rubber-banding, and disconnections. Riot says support usually needs only one or two files. Submit a ticket through Riot Support and include the requested logs.
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