🔄 League of Legends “Reconnect Loop” Error: The Complete 2025 Fix Guide
Few things in gaming are as infuriating as launching League of Legends, loading into a match, and immediately seeing the dreaded “Attempting to Reconnect” screen — followed by a forced client restart… only for the game to throw you right back into the same loop 😭🔥. You reconnect, disconnect, reconnect again, wait helplessly, and watch your champion stand AFK while your team slowly begins to wonder whether you rage-quit a ranked match. Meanwhile, you’re sitting at your desk, sweating, shouting at your router, and praying that the client finally stabilizes.
This infamous Reconnect Loop problem affects players across every region and every hardware type. It can appear before loading into a match, after champion select, during the loading screen, or even mid-game during combat. What makes this error uniquely frustrating is that it does not always reflect your internet quality; sometimes it’s caused by corrupted League files, outdated DNS routes, firewall interference, Riot server instability, IPv6 conflicts, packet losses that are too small to notice but large enough to break game synchronization, or even problems with your ISP’s backbone routing to Riot servers.
The good news 😊🎮? Reconnect Loop errors are fixable — and most of the solutions are easier than you think. This guide offers a fully comprehensive, conversational, expert-level breakdown so you understand not only how to fix it, but also why it happens.
⭐ Definition: What Is the League of Legends Reconnect Loop?
The Reconnect Loop occurs when the League client repeatedly loses connection to Riot’s game server during or after loading into a match. The client attempts to reconnect, fails the authentication handshake, and cycles endlessly.
The loop happens because the client cannot complete:
• real-time synchronization
• ping-pong heartbeat signals
• session validation
• encryption key exchanges
• region handshake
• packet confirmation
If any of these fail, the client assumes a network timeout and forces a reconnect attempt… again and again.
⭐ Why Reconnect Loop Errors Are a Big Deal
Reconnect Loops impact the game more severely than typical lag:
• you may miss entire teamfights
• ranked LP losses occur
• teammates report you
• the match becomes unwinnable
• dodge penalties happen during champ select
• the game sometimes crashes after multiple loops
In competitive environments, a reconnect loop can ruin an entire session.
⭐ Most Common Causes of the Reconnect Loop
1️⃣ DNS Routing Issues
Your PC cannot reach Riot servers through proper routing paths.
2️⃣ Firewall Blocking or Throttling
Packets are filtered and League loses heartbeat.
3️⃣ Misconfigured IPv6
League often handles IPv6 poorly depending on ISP.
4️⃣ Network Packet Loss
Even tiny drops can trigger disconnect loops.
5️⃣ Wi-Fi Instability
Interference or weak signal causes intermittent drops.
6️⃣ Corrupted Riot Client / League Files
Damaged networking components cause synchronization failures.
7️⃣ ISP Backbone Routing Issues
Some ISPs route badly to Riot’s game servers.
8️⃣ VPN or Proxy Interference
Changes your region routing unexpectedly.
9️⃣ Background Applications Hooking Network Traffic
Overlays, firewalls, AI filters, or bandwidth limiters.
🔟 Router NAT Conflicts
Strict NAT interrupts UDP game communication.
⭐ Table: Symptom vs Likely Cause
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Endless reconnect attempts | Packet loss or DNS failure | Heartbeat fails repeatedly |
| Able to browse internet but not stay in-game | ISP routing issue | Traffic to Riot servers failing |
| Reconnect loop mid-teamfight | Wi-Fi instability | Micro drop causes DC |
| Game boots you out instantly | Firewall blocking | League’s UDP ports closed |
| Only fails in ranked | Routing changes per server | Different Riot cluster |
⭐ Full Fix Guide: How to Fix the Reconnect Loop Problem
1. Disable IPv6 (Top Fix!)
IPv6 often misroutes League traffic.
Steps:
Control Panel → Network → Adapter Settings → Right-click your connection → Properties → Uncheck IPv6
Restart PC.
This alone fixes the reconnect loop for countless players.
2. Switch DNS to Google or Cloudflare
Google
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
Cloudflare
1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1
This provides cleaner routing to Riot servers and eliminates broken ISP DNS paths.
3. Repair the Riot Client
Open Riot Client → Settings → Repair
Rebuilds networking components and missing manifests.
4. Delete League’s Config Files (Non-Destructive)
Go to:
Documents → League of Legends → Config
Delete everything.
League recreates these files on next launch.
5. Reset Winsock and Network Stack
Open Command Prompt (Admin):
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
Restart your computer afterward.
6. Use a Wired Connection Instead of Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi spikes cause micro disconnects.
7. Temporarily Disable Antivirus or Firewall Filters
Games often get blocked by:
• Bitdefender
• Avast
• Kaspersky
• McAfee
Make sure League and Riot Client are whitelisted.
8. Restart Router & Modem
Power-cycle:
- Turn off router
- Wait 10 seconds
- Restart
Clears broken NAT tables and routing.
9. Change NAT Type to Moderate or Open
For League, open:
TCP: 80, 443, 2099
UDP: 5000–5500
Strict NAT = unstable connections.
10. Avoid VPNs
VPN routing introduces regional conflicts.
11. Update Network Drivers
Outdated drivers can drop packets unpredictably.
12. Close Background Apps
Disable:
• Discord overlay
• Steam overlay
• GeForce overlay
• MSI Afterburner RivaTuner
• Bandwidth limiter apps
These sometimes block packet flow.
13. Test on Mobile Hotspot
If League works on hotspot:
→ Your ISP or router is the problem
→ Your PC is not the issue
14. Use Riot’s Hextech Repair Tool
Automatically checks:
• firewall
• routing
• proxy detection
• DNS
• file integrity
15. Contact ISP if routing is broken
Some ISPs have poor routes to Riot nodes.
They can manually refresh your routing or disable CGNAT.
⭐ Real-Life Examples
Example 1: Reconnect Loop Every Game
Cause: IPv6 enabled.
Fix: disabled IPv6 → loop vanished instantly.
Example 2: Only Ranked Games Disconnect
Cause: different Riot server cluster.
Fix: switched DNS → stable routing.
Example 3: Works Only on Hotspot
Cause: ISP routing conflict.
Fix: ISP reset line profile.
Example 4: Loop Started After Windows Update
Cause: firewall reset rules.
Fix: whitelisted League again.
⭐ Anecdote: The Day Reconnect Loop Destroyed a Promotion Series
I remember playing a best-of-five promotion series. Game three was tied 1–1, momentum was great, everything felt smooth — until the reconnect loop appeared out of absolutely nowhere 😅. The game would load for a second, disconnect, reconnect, crash, and repeat endlessly, while my poor champion stood motionless in lane like a wax statue.
After the match, I discovered my system had silently switched to IPv6 during a router reboot. Turning it off fixed everything instantly.
Lesson learned: League is extremely picky about how your network routes its packets.
⭐ Metaphor: League’s Server Connection Is Like a Heartbeat ❤️
Your PC sends tiny “I’m alive” pings to Riot’s servers many times per second.
If even a few of these heartbeat messages fail to arrive:
The server panics.
It assumes you’re gone.
It kicks you out.
Then your client desperately tries to reconnect.
The reconnect loop is simply your PC repeatedly saying “Hey, I’m still here!” and the server replying “I’m not sure you are…”
⭐ Simple Diagram: Why Reconnect Loops Happen
PC → Router → ISP → Riot Routing Node → Game Server → Heartbeat Response
↑ ↑
Wi-Fi drop ISP routing failure → Loop triggers
If any component breaks, the loop begins.
⭐ Conclusion
The League of Legends Reconnect Loop error is caused by DNS failures, IPv6 misrouting, packet loss, router NAT conflicts, corrupted client files, firewall interference, or ISP routing problems, but with the right steps — disabling IPv6, switching DNS, resetting Winsock, repairing Riot Client, whitelisting firewall entries, using wired connections, restarting router, or contacting ISP for routing adjustments — you can eliminate the loop permanently and enjoy stable gameplay 🔄⚔️😊.
Understanding how League’s heartbeat and routing system functions makes the entire troubleshooting process much more predictable and far less frustrating.
❓ 10 Specific, Niche FAQs About Reconnect Loop Errors
1. Why does the reconnect loop hit only during peak hours?
ISPs throttle or reroute traffic during congestion.
2. Why does League disconnect only during teamfights?
High packet density exposes micro packet loss.
3. Why does reconnect loop happen only in ARAM or ranked?
Different game modes use different server clusters.
4. Why does League disconnect only when using Discord?
Discord overlays hijack network hooks on some systems.
5. Why does IPv6 break League but not other games?
League’s network structure is optimized for IPv4.
6. Why does League throw reconnect loops at champion select?
Client-server handshake fails before loading.
7. Why do reconnect loops happen after using VPNs?
VPN reassigns your routing path and region.
8. Why does Wi-Fi cause loops but Ethernet doesn’t?
Wi-Fi micro-drops break heartbeat packets.
9. Why do Windows updates trigger reconnect loops?
Firewall resets and network drivers update.
10. Why does Riot Client repair sometimes fix network issues?
It regenerates corrupted networking components.
🤔 People Also Asked
1. Why does League say “Trying to Reconnect” with 0% packet loss?
Packet loss may occur between ISP and Riot, not your PC.
2. Why does League work fine on one PC but not another?
Local network driver corruption or different firewall configs.
3. Why do reconnect loops happen more in certain countries?
Regional routing differences.
4. Why does League disconnect when streaming or downloading?
Bandwidth saturation disrupts heartbeat signals.
5. Why does router reboot fix everything temporarily?
Clears overloaded NAT tables.