60 Hz
one update every 16.7 ms
What this test sends:
60 packets per second of 250 bytes, matching Call of Duty Multiplayer rather than a generic ping.
estimated
Activision publishes no tick rate. Netcode tests of recent titles measured about 60 Hz in 6v6 modes and less in large modes; this test sends 60 Hz.
How to Read This Chart for Call of Duty Multiplayer
Run the test above for at least 60 seconds. Here is what each
number means for this game specifically.
Red lines (packet loss)
The packet burst icon is the game reporting lost or late packets. If the chart shows red lines at the same time, the loss is on your path. If the chart is clean while the icon flashes, look at the match server or at your own PC: a stalled frame can trigger the same icon.
Jitter (rubber-banding)
Uneven arrival is what makes enemies stutter and pulls you back a step after a slide. Above 10 ms at 60 Hz, updates regularly arrive in a different tick than they were sent for, and the client has to correct its picture.
Ping (time to damage)
Under 40 ms is fine. Between 40 and 80 ms you start to lose close fights you thought you won. Above 100 ms the kill cam regularly shows a version of the fight you never saw. Black Ops 7 matches most playlists loosely on skill and more on connection, so a high ping here usually means a distant data center, not a full lobby.
Symptom to Metric
What you see in game, and which number on this page explains it.
| What you see in Call of Duty Multiplayer |
Look at |
What it means |
| Packet burst icon flashes |
loss |
Packets went missing or arrived late. Red lines here at the same moment put the cause on your line. |
| You die after reaching cover |
ping |
The server decided the fight before your movement arrived. Steady high ping makes this frequent. |
| Enemies stutter, then jump forward |
jitter |
Updates arrived unevenly and the client corrected its picture. |
| Only some matches are bad |
server |
A clean chart during a bad match points to the match server or its route, not your line. |
Why one Call of Duty match lags and the next does not
Call of Duty matchmaking picks a data center for every lobby. In Black Ops 7, where most playlists match loosely on skill, you usually land on a nearby server, but not always: at night or in smaller regions the lobby can be filled from further away. The same line can then measure 25 ms one match and 90 ms the next. That is a route change, not a fault in your connection.
The second variable is the mode. Small modes run at a higher server rate than large ones with dozens of players. A short loss burst hurts more in a 6v6 gunfight, where one missing update is the shot that decided it, than in a large mode where updates are coarser anyway.
That is why one test is not enough. Leave this test running for the length of a few matches and note the times a match felt bad. If the chart is clean at those times, the cause is the match. If it shows loss or a jump in ping, you have a timestamped record you can take to your provider.
How to Fix Call of Duty Multiplayer Lag & Packet Loss
If the chart above shows packet loss or high jitter, work through
these in order.
The Symptom: You cannot tell whether the lag was you or the match.
Under Settings -> Interface -> Telemetry you can show server latency and packet loss during the match. Run this test in a second window at the same time. If both show loss, the problem is between you and the internet. If only the game shows it, the cause is the match server or its route.
The Symptom: Strict or moderate NAT, long matchmaking, lobby disconnects.
Call of Duty uses UDP port 3074 for game traffic. With a strict NAT the game has to relay or retry, which adds delay and can drop you from lobbies. Enable UPnP on your router or forward 3074 to your console or PC. The NAT line above the chart shows what kind of path your connection gets.
The Symptom: Loss in short bursts every few minutes.
Bursts at regular intervals are typical for Wi-Fi: the connection retries, then catches up. One test on a cable tells you whether that is the cause. Consoles placed behind a TV or in a cabinet are the usual case.
The Symptom: Ping rises whenever someone else uses the line.
Call of Duty updates are large, and a console downloading one in the background fills the router queue. Your game packets then wait behind the download. Run the bufferbloat test once; if it grades C or worse, enable SQM or QoS on the router.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the packet burst icon mean in Call of Duty?
The game received a burst of delayed or missing packets. It can come from your line, from the match server or from your own machine stalling. Run this test at the same time: red lines here mean the loss is on your connection.
What tick rate do Black Ops 7 and Modern Warfare 4 use?
Activision does not publish it. Tests of recent titles measured about 60 Hz in 6v6 modes and lower rates in large modes. This test sends 60 Hz and marks that figure as an estimate.
What is a good ping for Call of Duty?
Under 40 ms is good, up to 80 ms is playable. Steady 60 ms feels better than a ping that jumps between 20 and 90 ms, so check jitter as well as the average.
Does Warzone use the same servers?
No. Warzone runs at a lower server rate, about 20 Hz, because of its player count. It has its own test page with that rate.