How to Check Your Minecraft Server's Ping

How to Check Your Minecraft Server's Ping

Ever feel a delay between your actions and what happens in the game? That's called latency, or "ping," and it's a measure of how long it takes for data to travel from your computer to the server and back.

A lower ping means a smoother, more responsive experience. Here’s how you can check it to troubleshoot lag!

Method 1: The In-Game Method (Easiest)

This is the quickest way to see your connection quality directly within Minecraft.

1. Launch Minecraft and click on Multiplayer.
2. Find your server in the list.
3. On the right side, you'll see a connection signal icon (like Wi-Fi bars). Hover your mouse over these bars.
4. A small tooltip will appear showing your exact ping in milliseconds (ms). The more green bars you see, the better your connection!

Method 2: Using Command Prompt (Windows)

If you want to test the raw network connection to the server's address, you can use the Command Prompt on your Windows PC.

1. Open the Start Menu and search for cmd, then open the Command Prompt application.
2. Type ping followed by your server's numerical IP address. For example:

ping 35.20.197.176

Press Enter. The time=XXms value in the reply is your ping.

Method 3: Using Terminal (macOS & Linux)

This is the equivalent of Command Prompt for macOS and Linux users.

1. Open the Terminal application.
2. The command is the same. Type ping followed by the server numerical IP:

ping 35.20.197.176

Press Enter. You'll see a continuous stream of replies with the ping time listed. You can stop it by pressing Ctrl + C.

What is a Good Ping?

So you have your number, but what does it mean? Here’s a quick guide:

• Excellent (0-50ms): Perfect! The connection is super responsive.
• Good (50-100ms): Very playable with almost no noticeable delay.
• Fair (100-200ms): You might notice some lag, like blocks reappearing for a moment after being broken.
• Poor (200ms+): Expect significant lag, making gameplay difficult.

Checking your ping is the first step in troubleshooting lag. If your ping is high, the issue could be with your internet connection, your distance from the server, or the server's network itself.