High packet loss rate observed.
High packet loss rate observed.
Hey, I'm trying to enjoy League of Legends with my roommate. But I'm facing really inconsistent ping and those annoying spikes above 200 ms. It seems like it fluctuates randomly, even though sometimes it works fine for a bit. Both of us are on Wi-Fi in an apartment building, but my laptop stays stable at around 12 ms, while mine occasionally dips below 50. The issue isn’t with my MacBook Pro—it’s definitely happening on my laptop too. We live in a high-rise with strong signals, but the router is in someone else's room, so running Ethernet isn't an option. I could consider using Powerline connectivity, but I’m unsure if it’ll work given the building’s size and age. League runs smoothly on other networks and my regular internet too. I ran PingPlotter on the server and attached the results. From what I see, there’s packet loss and latency spikes at the first hop, plus a 91% packet loss at hop 3. I’ve tried many fixes: closing apps, resetting both devices, reinstalling League, using a Wi-Fi extender, adjusting power settings, adding firewall exceptions, using the Hextech tool, and even rolling back network drivers. My Windows machine is fine, but my laptop keeps getting these problems. If you could help me figure out what’s going on, it would be super useful! Also, I should note that sometimes a friend with a Windows PC never gets this issue. My laptops are:
- Laptop #1: 4700MQ, 765m, 16GB RAM, Windows 10 64-bit (version 1903)
- Laptop #2: 8130u, integrated graphics, Windows 10 64-bit (1903)
- Roommate’s MacBook Pro 13", 2018, touchbar
A wireless extender can help boost signal distance, though it may add extra delay that regular browsing usually tolerates, while sensitive applications like gaming could be affected more. Additionally, wireless boosting at either the access point or adapter end can create similar issues, particularly with mismatched hardware. It’s advisable to disable these settings (you might find this surprising!). From your perspective, you can adjust these options via your WiFi card’s hardware settings.
To identify the issue, check your WiFi adapter model. Are you enabling roaming too often? Is it broadcasting on 2.4GHz or 5GHz? Which band is your adapter using? How crowded is the local WiFi environment? Consider performing a site survey with a WiFi scanner. Overlapping channels and heavy usage can cause interference. Try avoiding 2.4GHz and opting for 5GHz instead. If congestion exists, narrow the channel width (e.g., 20MHz on 2.4GHz and 40MHz on 5GHz) at the expense of higher speeds.
When sharing a network with neighbors, slowdowns often stem from others using bandwidth-intensive tasks like large downloads. This is typical in shared spaces such as college dorms. If anyone is consuming significant data, it can impact everyone else unless traffic prioritization is properly managed on the router.