Multiplayer — LAN vs. WAN, Ping & Servers

Multiplayer gaming connects players around the world — or across a living room. Understanding LAN and WAN networks, ping, and server performance is essential for smooth and competitive online play.

LAN vs. WAN

LAN (Local Area Network): low latency, local connections for in-person events.
WAN (Wide Area Network): global servers over the internet, enabling online play.

What Is Ping?

Ping measures latency — the time (in milliseconds) it takes for data to travel to the server and back.

Excellent: <50ms
Acceptable: up to 100ms
Poor: >150ms (noticeable lag)

Servers and Lag

Dedicated servers host matches and ensure fairness, while peer-to-peer setups rely on one player’s connection. Lag arises from high ping, poor Wi-Fi, or overloaded networks.