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Fortnite latency and ping troubleshooting

What is latency or ping?

Latency (also called ping) is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to a Fortnite server and back. We measure ping in milliseconds (ms).

What affects latency or ping?

Several factors can change your ping:

  • Congestion: how busy your connection is. If another device fills your connection, Fortnite's data may wait in line behind it and cause your ping to increase.

  • Routing: the path your data takes to reach Fortnite servers.

  • Matchmaking: the exact game server your match runs on, which can differ from match to match.

A sudden increase in ping is usually caused by how your internet service provider (ISP) routes traffic. ISPs use internet exchange points to send data. If one of these points is down or congested, your ping can spike.

Fortnite Subregions and ping endpoints

A Matchmaking Region can include more than one Subregion. For example, Europe includes Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Matchmaking can place you in any of the Subregions within your Matchmaking Region, balancing ping, queue times, and fairness.

You can test your ping to Fortnite’s Subregion endpoints below. This test shows the path from your network to a datacenter in that Subregion.

It’s important to note that different Fortnite experiences can run in different datacenters within a Subregion, which may result in small variations in ping.

North America

Europe

Brazil

Asia

Oceania

Middle East

How to test your ping

Windows 11

  1. Click Start.

  2. Type cmd, then press Enter.

  3. Type this command. Replace the host with the endpoint you want to test:

    ping ping-va.ds.on.epicgames.com -n 50

  4. Press Enter. This sends 50 packets and shows your average latency.

macOS

  1. Open Terminal.

  2. Type this command. Replace the host with the endpoint you want to test:

    ping -c 50 ping-va.ds.on.epicgames.com

  3. Press Enter. This sends 50 packets and shows your average latency.

Reading your results

The test gives you three useful numbers.

  • Average is your typical ping.

  • Packet loss should be 0%. Anything consistently above about 1% will cause problems in game, even if your average ping is staying within the range of a few ms. Refer to How can I check if I have packet loss while playing Fortnite? for additional information.

  • Jitter matters as much as the average, and should be low. Compare Minimum and Maximum: they should be reasonably close.

A test on an idle connection can look perfect even when your connection struggles under load. If your ping is bad while someone else is streaming or a download is running, try running the test again under similar load.

How to improve your ping

Start with your home network. Then compare the test result with the ping you see in Fortnite.

  • Restart your modem and router. See How to restart your modem or router.

  • Use a wired Ethernet connection. Wireless can add delay due to signal loss.

  • Avoid large downloads, uploads, or video streams on the same network while you play. Uploads are the most disruptive, because most home connections have much less upload capacity than download.

  • Select a Subregion Preference in-game, under Settings > Game > Language and Region to ensure you land on your ideal Subregion more often.

    this setting may increase queue times and reduce match quality.

  • For PC, pre-download High Resolution Textures by right-clicking Fortnite in the Epic Games Launcher and selecting Options > High Resolution Textures.

  • Turn on QoS or gaming mode on your router, if it has one. This keeps Fortnite's data moving ahead of large transfers from other devices, so your ping stays steadier when the network is busy.

    Look for "QoS," "Quality of Service," "Smart Queue," or "Gaming Mode" in your router settings. See your router manual for the steps and contact your hardware manufacturer in case of any issues related to this mode.

  • Try a different router. A faulty router can affect performance.

  • Place your router in a better location. Avoid closets, basements, or blocked spaces.

  • Update your router firmware. Firmware updates can improve performance.

  • Switch Wi-Fi bands:

    Test both. Use the best result for your setup. See your router manual for the steps.

    • 2.4 GHz covers more distance but can be crowded.

    • 5 GHz is faster but has a shorter range.

If ping stays high after these steps, contact your internet service provider (ISP). Send the host you tested, the test result, and the ping you see in Fortnite.

When you contact your ISP, mention that this test uses ICMP, while Fortnite gameplay traffic uses UDP which might help the ISP identify any issues on their side. Many networks give ICMP lower priority, so a normal-looking test result may not rule out a problem on the path the game actually uses.

If you continue to have latency issues after following the steps above and contacting your ISP, please contact our support team for further assistance. Make sure to include the same test data and the experience where you are having issues with (eg. Fortnite: Zero Build, Reload, Ranked, etc.). The more specific you are in your reports, the easier it is for us to troubleshoot.