Effective Solution To Fix Overwatch Ping
In video games like Overwatch, every moment matters. Plenty can go wrong, from a lack of good support, mistimed ultimates, to nobody hitting a Genji.
All of these problems would be easily solved if they were simply a matter of skill and practice. More often, other factors come into play that harm your overall performance. Personal skill and team synergy is only one aspect of the game. An opponent that can sometimes be even harder to defeat is your ping.
Ping can cause frustration (and lag spikes) in any multiplayer game. Even if you're playing on an Xbox or PS4, if your game relies on the internet, ping is waiting in the wings. It becomes even worse in high-speed, online competitive first-person shooters like Overwatch and Overwatch 2: Apex Legends. Playing with high ping can make every map feel like it’s Paris. This guide will go through all the solutions to fix your ping in-game.
What Is Ping in Overwatch?
Ping is the amount of time it takes your inputs to reach the game server. Once that data is transmitted, it takes time for data packets to return to you. The measurement of a full cycle — roughly double your ping — is latency. Both cause a wide range of problems.
Lower ping is better. The baseline acceptable ping is under 100 milliseconds (100ms), and 50ms makes for good ping. Gamers looking for the best possible experience should aim for 20ms.
Ping can lead to missed shots, among other issues. Exceptionally bad ping may even lead to lag or you being temporarily disconnected from the server. This is a minor annoyance in quick play but can ruthlessly affect your SR when playing competitively.
Ping causes countless issues, and unfortunately, it can also have countless causes. One of the biggest influences on ping is the physical distance your data takes to transfer.
No matter how fast your data goes, it will always be constricted by your internet speed and the speed of light. Unless you move, the distance between you and the server will always stay the same.
Server distance cannot be fixed in Overwatch. The game automatically connects you to the closest server, and it does not give you options to change your location.
Thankfully, countless other techniques to fix your ping exist. It isn’t a binary, simply caused by good and bad situations. Numerous factors can be minimally or exceptionally improved, leading you towards a smoother gaming experience.
These range from simple tasks like turning on your computer to advanced evolutions in your setup. We will go through all of your options, from the shortest solution to the most heavy-duty answer.
The Simple Solution
In mere minutes, you can do the cheapest fix in terms of time and financial commitment to solving ping on your computer. The first step — and the biggest culprit — is background applications. It can be tempting to stream shows or listen to music in the background while you game. This can have disastrous effects on your performance, resulting in massively higher ping.
The first step is to close other windows so you have nothing open but the game. The next step is to search for the Task Manager in your computer’s search bar and open it. This highlights both active and background applications. Your task manager should also itemize CPU and memory usage, highlighting the biggest culprits affecting your game.
Many downloads and other tasks run in the background without specific input. End these data sinks to improve your ping.
The next way to improve is to adjust how your computer plays Overwatch. Right-click on the desktop icon for the game and select “Properties” at the bottom of the dropdown menu. Of the six headings that appear, click on “Compatibility” and check the box “Run this program as an administrator.”
Running Overwatch as an administrator prioritizes it among all the operations of your computer. This leads to better performance for ping and other functions.
Updating your drivers is the last of the easy solutions to fixing your ping. Use the search box to navigate to your Device Manager. From there, you should see a list of devices. Right-click and search for updates, downloading any that are available.
The above are easy solutions for quick, minor ping issues. The next paragraph examines issues that may lie outside your PC affecting ping. These fixes are more involved than something you might find in a Reddit AMA, but they're well worth the extra elbow grease.
The Medium Solution
Your router and internet connection can have as much of an impact on performance as your setup. Your router drastically affects both the speed of your connection and the quality of your connection. A poor server connection can lead to ping spikes, which can be even worse than generally bad ping.
You can adapt to bad but consistent ping. Ping spikes act like someone periodically stepping in front of your screen, obscuring your ability to react to the game.
The first step in maintaining a strong connection is using a wired connection. WiFi is endlessly practical for phones and other devices but inferior for games. It results in slightly slower connections and horrible instability.
Reducing the number of devices on a particular router can also help improve your overall experience and triage your high ping issues. A given router can only handle so much data at once, which can cause bottlenecking and wireless interference — especially when multiple games are being played. Gaming routers exist for exactly this purpose, handling high amounts of data with reduced packet loss and improved bandwidth.
The simple act of restarting your router can also help at times. To restart your router, unplug it and wait for 10 seconds. This length of time gives a chance for the memory to be entirely cleared.
Of course, it's always important to keep your hardware updated. Whether it's your network adapter or your modem, staying up-to-date matters.
You might also want to renew your IP address and choose an alternative DNS server. You can do this by unplugging your modem, waiting for 60 seconds, and then rebooting your system. Next, navigate to Properties and double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). From there, you can choose another DNS.
Your preferred DNS server is probably the Google Public DNS. Unplugging your modem can also help you disable your proxy server.
These fixes are slightly more involved than using a mouse and keyboard — or CMD + Shift + Esc — but positively impact your game. The next suggestion we have is the most extensive approach, using software to maximize the efficiency of your gaming experience.
The Advanced Solution
WTFast takes a no-holds-barred approach to improving the way people game. We achieve this through the use of our very own route optimizer.
The first thing this utility does is reduce the distance your data travels to the server. While there’s nothing you can do about the physical distance to servers, it is possible to simplify your data route — but not with a normal network driver. Internet providers choose the most cost-efficient traffic route, which is not always the fastest. WTFast manages the path your data uses to optimize your speed.
Part of simplifying your traceroute involves altering the networks your data travels on to improve it for the better. WTFast filters player data through our Global Private Network to ensure easy transmission. The result is data coursing to the server without internet traffic slowing your game down.
Our route optimizer also automatically places your game at the center of your PC’s performance. This provides many of the benefits of running games in admin mode immediately at startup.
Our client also tracks information for supported games in real-time. This lets you examine your ping, any ping spikes you may have, and plenty of other data. You can even examine the exact route your data takes from your PC to the server.
Benefits of Using a Route Optimizer
Using a route optimizer for Overwatch comes with a variety of benefits. The first and most obvious benefit is reduced ping. Secondly, and more essentially, is the fact that we can optimize routes for countless other online titles. WTFast supports over 1000 games at present, with new games added regularly.
The consistent data analytics provided by route optimizers allow you to track your PC performance moment by moment. This can help identify any other issues you may be having, such as ping spikes or game-specific issues.
A subscription to WTFast’s services comes with even more attached. This includes remembering exact settings for previously played games and customized game-specific support. This can help you with Overwatch or any other game you and your squad may play.
Route optimizers work because they change the way people use the internet. They put the player first.
What To Do When Ping Is Reduced
If every step above is followed, you should now witness exceptionally low ping levels. The difference a few conscious steps can make is truly remarkable. With WTFast’s aid, this and other multiplayer gaming issues can become a thing of the past.
Overwatch 2 will come out eventually, with Blizzard Entertainment's recent acquisition hopefully being a signal for good things to come. Until then, with your ping reduced and your Overwatch lag thwarted, you can enjoy the original game as it was intended to be played.
Once you’re done with Overwatch, check out any of the other countless games we support. The possibilities of online gaming have never been more varied.
Sources:
Data, The Speed Of Light And You | TechCrunch
What is the Penalty in Overwatch for Leaving the Game Early? | Alphr
