Troubleshooting High Ping/Latency

High ping or latency usually happens when data packets take too long to travel across the VPN connection, often due to packet loss or unstable connections.

If you experience connection issues with PIA VPN, you have a few troubleshooting options:

  • Connect to a different, closer VPN server location to reduce data travel time.
  • Use the WireGuard protocol for lower encryption overhead and faster data processing.
  • Switch to small packet sizes to prevent packet fragmentation and retransmission lag.

Read on to learn how to manage these settings on your device. Try the fixes one by one and check if your latency improves before moving to the next option.

Switch PIA VPN Servers

Follow these steps to find and switch to a faster location.

On Windows/macOS/Linux

  1. Click VPN Server on the main dashboard. You’ll see a list of available options organized by latency in milliseconds (ms). 
PIA VPN desktop dashboard with VPN Server locations highlighted.
  1. Select one of the servers closest to your location with a lower ms number.
PIA VPN server list with locations organized by latency.
  1. Click the power button to connect.
PIA VPN dashboard showing an active connection with a green power button.

On Android/iOS

You must be disconnected from the VPN before proceeding. The app can’t update server latency figures while the VPN is running. Next:

  1. Tap Selected VPN Location on the main dashboard.
  2. Find and select a lower-latency server from the list. You’ll be connected automatically.

Change the VPN Protocol

WireGuard is usually a better option for gaming and streaming. It has a lighter codebase to reduce CPU processing delays. It also uses the UDP protocol by default, which prioritizes packet speed.

On Windows/macOS/Linux

  1. Click the menu icon (⋮) and open Settings.
Main menu and settings navigation in the PIA VPN desktop app.
  1. Go to the Protocols tab and select WireGuard.

PIA VPN protocol settings with OpenVPN and WireGuard options.

On Android/iOS

Follow these steps if your app isn’t using WireGuard by default:

  1. Tap the menu button (☰) in the top left corner.
  2. Go to Settings > Protocols.
  3. Tap Protocol Selection and choose WireGuard.

Enable Small Packet Sizes

Sometimes, larger packets may split mid-transit or need to be resent, which can slow down your connection. Here’s how to use smaller packets.

On Windows/macOS/Linux

  1. Go to Settings > Protocols and open the dropdown menu under MTU.

PIA VPN protocol MTU menu.

  1. Click Small Packets.

How to enable small data packets in PIA VPN on desktop.
 

On Android/iOS

You can find this setting under the same Settings > Protocols tab, below Protocol Selection.

Tap Use Small Packets to enable it. The toggle should turn green.

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