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Latency Explained Simply: How to Improve Your Ping

When online gaming lags, the livestream stutters, and the video conference suffers from delays, it may be due to increased latency. We explain the role of the so-called ping in your home network – and of course, how you can improve your ping.

What is Latency?

Latency refers to the time it takes for a data packet to travel from your device to a web server and back. This time is measured in milliseconds (ms) and affects numerous web applications. Low latency therefore indicates low delay and a smoother browsing experience.

What is Ping?

"Ping" is often used synonymously with latency. A ping test measures latency and determines the time interval between sending a data packet and receiving a response. Ideally, this is between 5 and 30 ms . For comparison: A human blink lasts on average between 100 and 150 ms.


What role does ping play in your home network?

To understand how an internet connection roughly works, you can imagine a virtual packet courier that regularly transports data packets from your device to a server and back. The bandwidth of your internet connection describes the amount of data packets that such a virtual courier can carry – and ping is the time it takes to do so.


Therefore, a good ping also depends on the locations of any servers and the type of your internet connection. The farther away a server location is, the longer the distance the data packets must travel. Latency increases, resulting in a noticeable delay in everything you do on the internet.


This is also the reason why the latency in so-called satellite internet is significantly higher – averaging around 700 ms. No wonder, as the data packets have to make a journey into space and then safely return to Earth. In comparison, with a standard DSL or cable connection, the base latency is usually between 20 and 30 ms.

Latency Times on the Internet – The Most Important Application Areas

High latency is noticeable in almost all areas of the Internet. No matter how high your actual bandwidth is: High latency can slow down even the fastest Internet connection, leading to painfully slow loading times for traditional websites. However, applications that occur in real-time and are particularly interactive or data-intensive are especially affected.

Online-Gaming

Most internet users who are concerned with improving their ping are likely passionate gamers. No wonder: online games – especially at a competitive level – require fast response times on both the player and server side.


If there are high latencies, it is referred to as lags – then every well-thought-out action goes awry, and players jerk and stutter through the game world.

Latency Times – Guidelines for Online Gaming:

  • Under 20 ms: Your ping is ideal and the gameplay is almost delay-free.
  • 20 to 50 ms: You should be able to play mostly without interruptions.
  • 50 to 100 ms: In particularly fast online games, reaction times may be affected.
  • 100 to 150 ms: In all online games, noticeable delays can be expected.

Video Telephony and VoIP

If you regularly make calls over the Internet – either via Voice over IP (VoIP) or even video conferences – a good ping is also extremely important. If data packets take too long to travel from one client to the next, it results in annoying delays.


Quickly, one participant starts speaking over the other, disrupting the natural flow of conversation, video and audio become out of sync, and at times, deafening echoes even occur.

Latency Times – Guidelines for VoIP:

  • Under 20 ms: Your conversation runs virtually without delay, and no one interrupts each other (unintentionally).
  • Up to 150 ms: Slight delays may occur, but they are not overly significant.
  • Up to 300 ms and beyond: Call quality decreases rapidly and becomes unacceptable.

(Live-) Streaming

Enjoy your evening Netflix stream; latency usually plays a minor role. The reason is simple: in the transmission of video-on-demand (VoD) content, your internet connection has enough time to preload the video stream in advance. Except in extreme cases, you may not notice longer loading times.


The situation is different with livestreams: If you enjoy watching live broadcasts of video games, exciting sports matches, and other live events, a low ping is again important. Otherwise, you might hear your neighbor celebrating a goal that has already been scored while the ball is still leisurely rolling through the midfield on your screen. Or you might comment on a particularly dangerous attack in the chat that is already old news.


It becomes particularly challenging when you host live streams yourself. For example, if you broadcast your gaming session, including a camera feed, via Twitch to a wide audience, you want to keep your live stream as smooth and delay-free as possible. Otherwise, you may not be able to respond promptly to chat messages, and your viewers might leave due to fluctuating video quality and lack of interaction.

Latency Test: Measure Ping, Improve Ping

With the devolo Speedtest you can easily measure your latency. Check for each device you are interested in how much bandwidth is being received and what the ping is. Depending on the type of application and the distance to the router, you can then try the tips and tricks below to improve the ping.


Is there enough bandwidth available?

Numerous online applications in the household, such as simultaneous video conferences and series streams, can increase latency. This is because there are simply too many virtual packet carriers operating simultaneously in a limited space, trying to deliver data packets.

The amount of data your internet connection can handle is limited – and should be increased first if you notice insufficient bandwidth through a speed test.


If you are a casual surfer and use the internet only for basic activities like browsing websites, checking emails, and the occasional YouTube video, a bandwidth of 12 to 25 Mbps is sufficient. Gamers, streamers, and home office users should have at least 50 Mbps available. And if multiple users and numerous devices are sharing a connection, it should be 100 Mbps or more.

Nutzen Sie ein Ethernet-Kabel

Aktuelle WLAN-Standards sind zwar schnell, die Kommunikation über ein LAN-Kabel ist aber nach wie vor zuverlässiger und latenzfreier. Ist die Möglichkeit gegeben, sollten Sie Ihr Endgerät also einmal direkt via Kabel mit dem Router verbinden. Keine Sorge: Mit der richtigen Technik müssen Sie das Kabel nicht einmal durch den gesamten Wohnraum verlegen.


Nutzen Sie einfach die vorhandene Stromleitung!

Check Your Firewall Settings

A firewall examines the data packets that our imaginary package courier carries back and forth for potential threats. This increases security in the home network, but can also lead to higher latencies. In the worst case, a firewall may even decide not to allow data packets to pass through at all.


If you trust an application – such as a VoIP or streaming service – you can add it to the whitelist in your firewall settings. The data packets will then be classified as safe and can be delivered without hindrance.

Update Your Hardware

If your hardware is outdated, it can lead to communication problems. This applies to both your router and the actual device: If you suspect a technical bottleneck, it may be worth replacing it with more modern technology – ideally with the latest WiFi standard. Also, keep your software up to date: Firmware updates for your end devices and network equipment can work wonders.


Profitipp: Rüsten Sie Ihr Heimnetz auf

Ist ihr Arbeits-, Streaming- oder Gamingzimmer einfach zu weit vom Router entfernt, verhindern dicke Decken und Wände, dass sich das WiFi optimal in Ihrem Wohnbereich verteilen kann. Dann ist eine schlechte Internetverbindung häufig unvermeidbar. Kein Problem: Mit WiFi-Verstärkern von devolo bringen Sie das Internet ganz einfach über die Stromleitung in den gesamten Wohnbereich.


10 ms in 10 Minuten.

Simply connect, set up, and you're done!

The Powerline technology from devolo Magic transmits the internet signal effortlessly through the electrical wiring throughout your home. This way, you can enjoy optimal WiFi reception at any outlet in the house. For even lower latency, simply connect an Ethernet cable without having to run it through the entire living space. Forget about drilling, dirt, and hassle:


With devolo, you can easily reduce your ping to as low as 10 ms.


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