Rocket League ping spikes and overall unreliable connection.
Rocket League ping spikes and overall unreliable connection.
I've checked my Rocket League connection before and it's stable. About three weeks ago it began to change. I tried using Google Wi-Fi, then switched to an ASUS AC3100 to resolve the problem, but it didn't work. My ping keeps fluctuating and it's becoming frustrating. Online gaming is tough, but my hardware looks fine. Every speed test shows a ping around 10, yet when I join games it swings wildly between 70 and 110, then drops again. The network graphs reveal regular ping spikes, and I'm not sure what's going on. Despite being tech-savvy, I'm at a loss. Could it be related to the router settings or something on both devices? I've restarted and power-cycled my router and modem, but nothing seems to help. I've attached a graph from Rocket League for your reference. Please let me know if you can assist. Thanks, Brian
It looks like you handled most of the problem on your own. If your connection suddenly dropped, it’s unusual that your ping started increasing unexpectedly, and you’ve managed to resolve most of the issues. The last thing I’d consider is switching to a fully wired setup, since it likely points to an ISP problem. I’d probably reach out to them. Their network might be busy right now due to many users online, and there’s little you can do about it.
I didn't divide the 2.4 and 5GHz channels. Should I? You're likely wondering about your data speeds. I receive 240 Mbps down and around 11 Mbps up through the modem, using Ethernet to a PC. My Network Interface Card is an ASUS USB Adapter, and the router is an ASUS AC3100, also from ASUS. The router is located behind a wall about 60 feet away, with the surrounding area open. All four antennas are oriented that way. There are roughly 20 devices connected, including about five Amazon Fire Sticks, though only a couple are active at once. This problem occurs even when I'm the sole internet user, which seems to be the case. Sometimes it feels smoother at night, and I've had long gaming sessions without issues, while other times it's tough. Haha, good job, Plat II so far. Thanks for the advice, Brian.
I performed internet speed checks directly from the modem on my Macintosh, which was the most I could achieve. No gaming was run there, so that should be fine. I contacted my ISP who advised adjusting certain settings related to the channels and bandwidth frequencies, though they were already optimized on the new router. Their evaluations passed without issues. I’ll need to install Rocket League on my Macintosh to verify the problem, as my PC is currently unavailable. Thanks for your assistance!
Best, Brian
It's often assumed that a fast connection improves gaming performance, but this isn't always the case. A weak link can deliver speed but with instability, which aligns more closely with your problem. You might have a gigabit connection to a city building, yet the Wi-Fi channel is heavily crowded, resulting in many dropped packets. Alternatively, your internet provider could be struggling on a busy network segment, causing similar disruptions. I believe one or the other is the cause, especially given how home internet usage has increased dramatically during the recent pandemic. To rule out wireless issues, I'd switch to a wired setup and check if the problem remains.