League of Legends FAQ — Ping, Servers, Network

Yes. PingAim auto-detects League of Legends.exe and routes its traffic through your optimal network interface using a WFP kernel driver. It is fully compatible with Riot Vanguard — PingAim operates at the Windows network stack level and does not modify the game client, memory, or any game files.

Internet speed (bandwidth) and ping (latency) are different things. High ping in LoL is usually caused by your ISP routing traffic through inefficient paths to Riot's servers. Even on a 1 Gbps connection, if your ISP sends packets through 15 hops via a distant exchange point instead of 5 hops via a nearby one, your ping will be high. Riot Direct can only optimize traffic once it enters Riot's network — the ISP hop is outside their control.

Below 50ms is excellent for competitive ranked play — you have full control over last-hitting, skillshots, and kiting. 50-80ms is playable but you may notice minor delays on precise timing like Flash dodges. 80-120ms makes ADC kiting and skillshot-reliant champions noticeably harder. Above 120ms is difficult for competitive play.

No. Network optimizers like PingAim, ExitLag, and WTFast are widely used in League of Legends without bans. Vanguard detects game client modifications and cheats, not network routing tools. PingAim uses a WFP driver that operates at the Windows network stack level — it never touches game memory or files.

In August 2015, Riot moved NA servers from Portland, Oregon to Chicago, Illinois to provide more equitable latency for all North American players. East Coast players saw dramatic improvements (often 100ms+ to 30-50ms), while some West Coast players experienced increases (from 20ms to 50-70ms). Riot Direct's backbone network helps, but the last-mile ISP routing still varies. If your ISP routes poorly to Chicago, a network optimizer can find a faster path.