Navigating Network Latency: Measurement, Optimization, and Troubleshooting

Published on: 2023 September 27

Technology is not without its challenges, and network delay frequently disrupts seamless communication, even though it is now recognized as the "normal" method to interact. Since latency is an inherent component of today's networking ecology, we can only reduce it, not completely eliminate it. But there are important actions you can take to speed up page loads for your users and decrease latency on your website. After all, in the modern internet era, the value of website performance may be measured in milliseconds and can mean the difference between millions of dollars in earnings made or lost. The main conclusions are that network latency, jitter, and packet loss can significantly impede clear communication and have an impact on your user experience (UX) across the board. A low latency frequently ensures a good UX, whereas a high latency might result in a poor UX. This thorough reference has been written to describe network latency, assist in identifying the causes of network latency in computer networks, and help readers comprehend and resolve the most typical issues with network latency. And you can discover the solutions to the following queries concerning network delay in this context:

• What is network latency?
• Why is network latency important?
• How do you measure network latency?
• How to check Network Latency
• How does ping relate to latency?
• What is a good latency for network performance?
• What causes network latency?
• Which applications need low network latency?
• What are best practices for monitoring and improving network latency?
• How can you reduce network latency?
• What are the best tools for improving network latency?
• What's the difference between latency, bandwidth, and throughput?
• How do you troubleshoot network latency issues?
• What are other types of latency?

What is Network Latency?

The delay in network communication is known as network latency. A data packet has to pass through many devices before being received, which takes some time, so it's better to think of it in terms of networking. Low-latency networks offer quick response times, whereas high-latency networks have longer delays or lags. To increase productivity and run more smoothly, businesses prefer networks with low latency and quick communication. Low network latency is necessary for some applications, such as fluid dynamics and other high-performance computing use cases, to meet their processing demands. The performance of the application suffers from excessive network latencies, to the point where it fails.

The goal is to have a latency that is as close as 0. By calculating the round-trip time (RTT) required for a data packet to go from its starting point to its destination and back, network latency can be calculated. High network latency can significantly lengthen the time it takes for a webpage to load, pause video and audio streams, and make an application unusable. Depending on the application, even a slight latency increase can negatively impact the UX. Geographical factors are one of the main causes of poor latency. With their extensive transmission distances, highly distributed Internet Protocol (IP) networks might cause an application to fail. Edge computing is the practice of placing the computer processing the data as close to the data source as possible in situations where the latency between sensing and responding must be extremely low, such as in some autonomous driving activities.

Why is Network Latency Important?

As more businesses go through digital transformation, they increasingly leverage cloud-based services and applications to carry out fundamental business operations. Because of this, latency can seriously affect both network performance and profitability causing bufferbloat. As businesses depend more on Internet of Things (IoT) services and cloud-based applications, this will become more and more important. In real-time processes that rely on sensor data, the lag time from latencies can lead to inefficiency. Even if organizations invest in pricey network circuits, high latency diminishes the advantages of investing more in network capacity, which has an impact on both user experience and customer satisfaction.

Latency has an impact on standard corporate operations, and the results are detrimental to any attempt at future-proofing. High-latency measurements cause inefficiencies and prevent systems from performing at their best, as seen in instances like automated manufacturing and smart sensors. More and more, latency has incredible power and has the potential to mean the termination of internet-based services and/or users' access to them.

When it comes to companies that cater to customers in a particular area, latency is extremely crucial. Imagine you operate an online store in Chicago with 90% of your clients being Americans. Your company would undoubtedly gain from having your website housed on a US server as opposed to one in Europe or Australia. This is due to the significant difference between loading a webpage locally and globally.

How Do You Measure Network Latency?

Here's how to manually obtain information that network monitoring and management programs will automatically obtain. Following the millisecond (ms) time measurement and a list of all routers on the route to that website address, the tracert command will display its results. The sum of all the measurements represents the delay between your device and the relevant website.

Utilizing data like Round Trip Time and Time to First Byte, you may calculate network latency. Any of these metrics can be used to test and monitor networks:

• Time to First Byte: Time to First Byte (TTFB) measures how long it takes the client to get the first byte of data from the server after the connection has been made. The following two things affect TTFB:

  • The time it takes for the web server to process a request and generate a response
  • The time it takes for a response to reach the customer

  As a result, TTFB gauges both network slowness and server processing time. In addition, you may calculate perceived TTFB, which is longer than real TTFB due to the time it takes the client machine to continue processing the response.

• Round Trip Time: The amount of time it takes for the client to send a request and for the server to respond is known as round trip time (RTT). The round-trip delay brought on by network latency increases RTT. Data can transit across a variety of network pathways as it moves from a client to a server and back; therefore, any RTT measurements made by network monitoring tools are only incomplete indicators.

To help you choose the best tool for determining the latency of your internet connection and application, we will describe the functionality of five popular network latency test programs. Let's look at how to test latency like a pro because online latency test sites are typically not accurate enough to identify the source.

The most popular tools for measuring internet latency are as follows:

1. Ping: Network administrators use the ping command to calculate the time it will take for 32 bytes of data to travel and return. It is a method of determining how dependable a connection is. Ping cannot, however, examine numerous paths from a single console or reduce latency problems. You may test latency from your PC using ping and traceroute. They may be used to measure latency in your local network as well as online and over the internet.
2. Traceroute: You can use traceroute as an alternative to ping to determine network latency. All operating systems support this method of evaluating latency. Use these commands from a terminal window:
   • Using the tracert command on a Windows computer
   • The traceroute command on a Mac or Linux computer
3. OWAMP: One-Way Active Measurement Protocol is known as OWAMP. It adheres to the RFC 4656 standard. OWAMP tests network latency in a single direction as opposed to ping/traceroute and does not use the ICMP protocol to determine latency.
4. TWAMP: A variant of OWAMP is called TWAMP, which stands for Two-Way Active Measurement Protocol. It adheres to the RFC 5357 standard. TWAMP can be used to simultaneously check latency in both directions.
5. iPerf: The third iteration of iPerf (iPerf3) is an addition to OWAMP and TWAMP. Although iPerf is primarily intended to measure throughput and packet transfer, it does not test latency. A variety of online network test programs employ the iPerf approach to measure network speeds.

In terms of measuring delay, each offers advantages and disadvantages. Some tests for network latency are good for measuring internet latency, while others are more effective when measuring local or private network delay.

How to Check Network Latency?

Check the amount of time it takes for data packets to transit from one network node to the next and back again in order to determine latency. The steps to determine latency are as follows:

• Select two network nodes between which you wish to compare the latency. These could be two separate Internet destinations, devices, or network parts.
• Send a test packet between two locations. The timestamp of the packet should show when it was transmitted.
• The packet should be instantly sent back to the original location after it has traveled to the other point.
• When the packet is returned, the originating point should contrast the present timestamp with the one on the packet. The round-trip time is the difference between these two timestamps.
• To calculate the one-way latency, divide the round-trip time in half.
• For instance, the one-way delay would be 50 milliseconds if the round-trip duration was 100 milliseconds.

You can perform this procedure several times and average the results to obtain more precise latency readings. You can automate this procedure and obtain real-time latency readings throughout your whole network by using network performance monitoring software, such as Obkio.

Additionally, you can manually verify your latency using Windows if you think your network is operating slowly. Additionally, you could simply ping the server from a Mac, Windows, or Linux computer and check the RTT. Open a command prompt and enter tracert, the destination you want to query.

How Does Ping Relate to Latency?

Nowadays, it's usual to use the terms "ping" and "latency" interchangeably. The two are frequently used interchangeably, even though one refers to the test and the other to the measurement of time.

The test used to calculate latency is called "ping". Ping, which represents latency as an average time in milliseconds, is the unit used to quantify it. Your network frequently tests it by using ping rates. Latency is calculated as the amount of time it takes for a ping message to get from its source to its destination.

However, this is simply a one-way excursion, so it only gives a partial perspective of the complete journey. However, it is a rather quick and accurate method of determining the latency of your network.

Therefore, "latency" refers to the amount of time (often milliseconds) it takes for a round trip to occur between your device and the server where the data is to be obtained and then back to your device. Delays are connected to latency, which is a measurement of the time it takes for traffic to travel round-trip from its origin to its destination. If there is a delay, we can investigate the cause and the location.

Ping and latency have subtle differences. Latency is the amount of time it takes for the ping to return to the device, whereas ping describes the signal delivered from the device to the server.

The time it takes for a data packet to get from A to B (or from your device to your server) is still referred to as latency and ping rate, respectively. Because they lessen lag and enhance gameplay smoothness, low ping rates are consequently perfect for gaming.

Ping determines the round trip time by comparing the times at which it sent and received each request packet and reply packet. Ping is mostly used to check for network connectivity (i.e., can you contact the target server; if not, you won't receive an Echo Reply) and network delays.

It monitors the delays experienced by packets as they travel through a network. The two-way latency, or the length of time it takes for a packet to travel to and from a distant server, is what ping provides as the round-trip number.

What is a Good Latency for Network Performance?

Ping rates of less than 100 ms are regarded as acceptable latency; however, for the best performance, latency in the 30-40 ms range is preferred.

What is a Good Latency for Online Gaming Performance?

The more technical name for lag, or when you experience response delays when gaming, is latency (sometimes called "ping"). Everyone is aware that lag makes gaming much less fun and that high latency causes greater lag. Less lag and more fluid gaming result from low latency.

When testing your ping, a speed of 40 to 60 milliseconds (ms) or less is typically considered acceptable, whereas a speed of over 100 ms will typically indicate a perceptible lag in gaming. Basically, you want your gaming device's latency to be as close to 0 ms as possible, as this ensures that responses from one device to another happen quickly.

However, there is discussion regarding the impact of latency and player activity on the functionality of online games. Due to the influence of latency on players' experiences with online games, it is simpler to design games that minimize their negative effects and meet players' expectations. Larger latency between the client and the server reduces the responsiveness of the game to players' actions and decreases player performance in most online games since they run on a client-server architecture with a single, authoritative server built to handle game logic. The time it takes for an Internet Protocol (IP) packet to transmit and receive the action encoded within it, for the packet to propagate from one link to the next, and for the packet to sit in a router queue under network congestion are the main causes of latency. The precision and deadline of a player's action determine how latency will affect it. Network designers are required to build the infrastructure for delivering quality of service (QoS) for online gaming.

What Causes Network Latency?

A client device and a server interact via a computer network, according to network jargon. Both the client and the server send data requests and responses. The computer network is made up of a number of components, including switches, routers, and firewalls, as well as linkages like cables and wireless transmission. Data requests and responses travel over links, hopping in the form of little data packets, from one device to the next, until they arrive at their final destination. Data packets are continuously processed and routed through various network channels made of wires, optical fiber cables, or wireless transmission mediums by network equipment, including routers, modems, and switches. As a result, network operations are intricate, and a number of variables influence the pace at which data packets move. The following are typical causes of network latency.

• Website development: The way websites are built has an impact on latency. Heavy content, large graphics, or pages that load content from multiple third-party websites may cause websites to load more slowly because browsers must download larger files in order to show them.
• A means of transmission: As data travels over a transmission medium or link, latency is most affected by that medium or link. A fiber-optic network, for instance, has lower latency than a wireless network. Similar to this, the network adds a few extra milliseconds to the total transmission time each time it changes from one medium to another.
• User problems: While network issues might initially be to blame for the delay, RTT latency occurs when the end-user device lacks the memory or CPU power to respond in a timely manner.
• The distance traveled by network traffic: Network latency rises when endpoints are separated by great distances. For instance, end users could encounter increased latency if application servers are located far from them geographically.
• Physical problems: The elements that transfer data from one location to another are typical causes of network latency in a physical setting. physical cabling for WiFi access points, switches, and routers. Other network devices, such as application load balancers, security equipment, firewalls, and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), affect latency.
• Network hops count: Data packets must make more hops as a result of multiple intermediary routers, which increases network latency. Additionally, network device operations like analyzing website addresses and looking up routing tables lengthen the delay.
• Data amount: Due to the potential processing capacity limitations of network devices, a high concurrent data volume might exacerbate network latency problems. Because of this, application latency might increase on shared network infrastructure like the internet.
• Server functionality: The effectiveness of the application server may be the cause of perceived network delays. In this instance, the servers' tardy responses, rather than network problems, are to blame for the delay in data transfer.

Which Applications Need Low Network Latency?

Although all businesses prefer low latency, some industries and applications require it more. Low network latency is necessary for some applications, such as fluid dynamics and other high performance computing use cases, to meet their processing demands. Here are some examples of use cases for low network latency:

• Apps for streaming analytics: Multiplayer games, online betting, and real-time auctions are just a few examples of the streaming analytics applications that ingest and analyze real-time streaming data from various sources. These applications' users rely on precise, real-time information to guide their judgments. They desire a network with low latency because it can have an impact on their finances.
• Real Time Data Management: Data from numerous sources, including other software, transactional databases, the cloud, and sensors, is frequently combined and optimized in enterprise applications. They gather and process data changes in real time using change data capture (CDC) technology. Network latency issues can easily hinder the performance of these applications.
• Integrating APIs: An application programming interface (API) allows two separate computers to communicate with one another. System processing frequently pauses until an API responds. This leads to poor application performance due to network delays. For instance, to find out how many seats are available on a certain flight, an airline booking website will make an API call. Website performance may be impacted by network latency, rendering it unusable. Someone else might have reserved the ticket by the time the website restarts after receiving the API answer, and you would have missed out.
• Teleoperations with video capabilities: Some workflows necessitate the use of video for remote machine control, including those involving endoscopic cameras, drill presses with video capabilities, and drones for search and rescue. High-latency networks are essential in these situations to prevent potentially fatal outcomes.

What are Best Practices for Monitoring and Improving Network Latency?

Everyone has encountered latency in a variety of day-to-day business activities, and it can seriously jeopardize deadlines, anticipated results, and eventually ROI. This is the situation where thorough network monitoring and troubleshooting shine. The main reasons for latency can be rapidly and precisely diagnosed and identified, and solutions can be put in place to lessen and enhance the issue.

Before you can take any action to reduce network latency, you must first understand how to compute and assess it. You'll be much more able to debug if you're familiar with your latency.

You need to do more than just monitor your latency to ensure that it won't increase for any reason. Additionally, you must closely monitor your rivals to ensure that you are not falling behind them in terms of the caliber of your service.

In order to analyze and improve network latency, you should also be able to answer the following questions and modify your apps accordingly:

• How to Measure Network Lag: Checking your current network latency is the first thing you should do if you suspect your network is operating poorly. Open a command prompt in Windows and type tracert, followed by the website you want to query, such as cloud.google.com.
• How to Calculate Network Lag: Following the millisecond (ms) time measurement and a list of all routers on the route to that website address, the tracert command will display its results. The sum of all the measurements represents the delay between your device and the relevant website. IT administrators or specialists frequently use network monitoring and management solutions to automatically obtain this data.
• How to Cut Down on Network Lag: There are several actions you may take at various places throughout the network when thinking about how to reduce network latency. Make sure no one else on your network is streamlining or downloading excessive amounts of data in order to increase latency. Then, examine application performance to make sure no applications are behaving erratically and stressing the network. Your network's overall latency can be decreased by subnetting since it allows you to bring together endpoints that communicate with one another most frequently.
• How to Fix Network Latency Problems: You can try unplugging computers or network devices and restarting all the hardware to see if any of the devices on your network are specifically creating problems. You must make sure that network monitoring is set up. After examining all of your local devices for latency issues, the issue may originate from the location you're attempting to connect to.
• How to Measure Network Lag: With the help of the ping, traceroute, or My TraceRoute (MTR) tools, network latency can be tested. More complete network performance managers allow for testing and verification of latency in addition to their other features.

It is impossible to overestimate the significance of measuring and lowering latency because a key component of running a successful organization is maintaining a high-performance and dependable network. Using the right management protocols and tools is essential for any professional firm since network issues can develop into a significant business risk if they are not handled properly.

Best Practices for VoIP Latency

A VoIP call might be ruined by VoIP audio lag or delay. So, for better call quality, here are nine strategies to lower VoIP latency:

1. Reduce the number of Devices and Apps Sharing Bandwidth: Due to the fact that VoIP calls rely on the Internet for the delivery of audio data packets, some of the most frequent causes of delay include sluggish Internet speeds and insufficient router capacity. Reduce the number of devices and apps using your local network's bandwidth at once, especially data-intensive programs like video games and streaming, if you want to make room for VoIP conversations.

2. Connect an Ethernet cable to your computer: Compared to an Ethernet cable connection, Wi-Fi radio waves are more susceptible to interference. Obstacles and disruptors, such as other Wi-Fi users, walls, and even appliances like microwaves, can all prevent or slow down the delivery of data packets, resulting in delays or failed conversations.

3. Establish QoS Rules: By instructing the router on which Ethernet ports, devices, and apps to prioritize, Quality of Service (QoS) settings make sure that these applications continue to operate without interruption even when network traffic is heavy.

4. Replace your router: The router on your network has a significant impact on VoIP performance, especially when sharing bandwidth with numerous devices. The majority of routers on the market employ Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), which has a quick 5 GHz band and the capacity to accommodate several users and devices at once.

   These have more than enough bandwidth for single users and small families, but if 10 or more users are simultaneously using data-intensive services, such as VoIP calls or video conferencing, they may get overloaded. A small firm or on-site call center probably won't be able to function with only one Wi-Fi 5 router.

   Modern Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) routers can support up to four times as many users thanks to their increased network capacity, faster download speeds, and data allocation technology.

5. Use a Free VoIP Speed Test to Track Latency: The majority of VoIP service providers, including RingCentral and 8x8, provide free online speed tests that gauge crucial VoIP parameters, including latency, jitter, and download speed. You can utilize this information to identify the underlying reason for your latency problem.

   A download speed above 20 Mbps, jitter above 30 ms, and latency below 250 ms are necessary for smooth VoIP calls.

   Speeds outside of these ranges indicate a bandwidth and Internet connection issue, whereas speeds inside these limits indicate that your operating system, VoIP application, or VoIP provider is to blame for the latency.

6. Modify Your Routing Configuration: A local area network (LAN) normally comprises a number of technological components, including computers and devices with their own operating systems, routers, modems, switches, cables, and connectors.

   Any of these devices, or the link between them, could have a problem that would cause latency and interfere with the transfer of audio data. If your VoIP devices are Wi-Fi-capable, consider relocating them closer to the network while making sure there are no barriers or walls in the way.

   If you have a switch, see if you can increase download speeds by bypassing it and connecting the modem straight to the router. The switch may need to be changed. Replace all wires and connectors, if necessary, to finish.

7. Upgrade all programs: Ensure that both your computer's operating system and VoIP application applications are completely up to date for maximum VoIP functionality. Restart your device after applying any required updates to both, then check to see if the latency problem still exists.

8. Think about switching Internet service providers (ISPs): Depending on your region, each Internet service provider offers a range of speeds and data transfer restrictions. For instance, Verizon is renowned for having minimal latency, whereas Google Fiber is known for having fast Internet speeds.

   Inquire with your VoIP provider about which ISP can offer you the fastest connection, or compare your ISP to other choices.

9. Move from an on-premises PBX to a cloud-hosted PBX: Your organization may need to replace or perform maintenance on the physical equipment if it employs an on-premise PBX system and SIP trunk for VoIP.

   For an on-site SIP trunking system, you can continue to maintain the hardware yourself, but by signing up with a cloud-based VoIP operator like Vonage or Zoom Phone, they can take care of managing the PBX system for you.

   In addition to all of this, there is something more crucial you should be aware of. A distant server is the cause of higher latency, which results in slower loading times and lower user engagement. Hosting location affects server response time. Closer servers produce faster responses and more fluid navigation.

How Can You Reduce Network Latency?

Verifying that no one else on your network is excessively streaming, downloading, or taking up your bandwidth unnecessarily is a quick and easy technique to reduce network latency. Check application performance next to see if any programs are acting strangely and maybe stressing the network.

Uninstalling pointless apps, improving networking and software setups, and updating or overclocking hardware are all additional ways to decrease latency and boost speed.

By streamlining your network and application code, you can decrease network latency. Here are a few recommendations for better network latency:

• Network infrastructure upgrade: Using the most recent hardware, software, and network configuration options available on the market, you can upgrade network equipment. Network latency can be decreased and packet processing speed improved with routine maintenance.
• Keep track of network performance: Tools for network management and network monitoring can carry out tasks like mock API testing and end-user experience evaluation. They can be used to diagnose network latency problems and perform real-time network latency checks.
• Assemble network endpoints: Network endpoints that commonly communicate with one another are grouped together using a technique called subnetting. To save pointless router hops and reduce network latency, a subnet works as a network inside a network.
• Use techniques to shape traffic: By giving different types of data packets more priority, network latency can be reduced. For instance, you can configure your network to prioritize some types of traffic over others by routing VoIP conversations and other high-priority applications first. On a network with high latency, this reduces the unacceptable latency for crucial business processes.
• Cut back on network distance: By hosting your servers and databases closer to your end users, you can enhance the user experience. If Italy is your target market, for instance, putting your servers in Europe or Italy rather than North America will improve performance.
• Cut down on network hops: Network latency increases with each hop a data packet makes as it travels from router to router. To get to your destination, traffic typically travels across the public internet in many hops over potentially crowded and nonredundant network channels. To reduce the distance network communications must travel as well as the number of hops the network traffic must make, you can employ cloud solutions to execute applications closer to their end users.

What are the Best Tools for Improving Network Latency?

Assuring a quick, seamless connection with as few packet losses as possible is one of network administrators' toughest concerns. The top network delay tools are listed below:

• SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor: When it comes to network monitoring software, SolarWinds is a reputable company. One of SolarWinds' premier monitoring tools is the Network Performance Monitor. It is a fantastic network monitoring tool that can handle all of the demands of IT professionals. It appears to have been created with network administrators' needs in mind, making it the suggested option for all network administrators.

  A highly thorough monitoring tool is the network performance monitor. In spite of this, its user-friendly UI and customizable dashboard make it simple to use. The dashboard may be readily customized to meet your monitoring requirements and only track the parameters that are important to you. Additionally, you can compare different metrics side by side on a regular timeline to determine the exact reason for your latency problems. NPM's scalability is one of its most important benefits. Businesses of all sizes, from startups to large corporations, can benefit from the monitoring services offered. It is a complete monitoring tool that will assist you in resolving problems as they arise, not just a testing utility.

  NPM can offer comprehensive data on bandwidth utilization across your network, enabling you to identify specific areas of congestion. Additionally, it includes the ability to graph bandwidth use data, allowing users to see how much bandwidth they are using over time. It has a network map that enables you to visually inspect particular paths that are generating latency problems between devices. The time spent troubleshooting is greatly decreased by the network map. The quality of experience dashboard also offers details on different response times and network latency. Additionally, NPM makes it very simple for customers to keep an eye on server CPU loads, circuit congestion, and network utilization.

• SolarWinds Engineer's Toolset: Another piece of software from SolarWinds is the Engineer's Toolset. The software has more than 60 utilities measuring a wide range of variables, making it quite feature-rich. With its extensive range of functions, such as real-time monitoring, automated network discovery, device health monitoring, and many more, the Engineer Toolset is made to help you maintain your network in top condition.

  The response time monitor keeps track of devices in real-time and displays latency and bandwidth utilization data as a table for easier comparison. All newly connected devices are tracked by the response time monitor and automated network discovery. Real-time CPU load monitoring is done by the CPU monitor, which lets you establish restrictions for individual devices and alerts you when those limits are reached. A memory monitor can instantly determine how much memory is available and being used. In-the-moment data on linked routers is provided by interface monitors. The traceroute tool enables you to examine the efficiency and latency of hops over particular paths. ETS aids in testing the DNS and DHCP functionalities for a variety of devices.

• SolarWinds NetFlow Traffic Analyzer: Another feature-rich tool from SolarWinds is the NetFlow Traffic Analyzer. NTA gives customers a greatly condensed picture of information about network traffic and bandwidth usage. The information can then be utilized to identify the network segments that might be contributing to latency issues by correlating it with the connected devices and the applications. Eventually, the source of the issue can be identified.

  Through data transmission patterns, NTA assists users in identifying the users or apps utilizing the most bandwidth and display the information in time-series graphs. You may spot both short-term and long-term patterns using the graphical representation of data. Similar to Network Performance Monitor, NTA can assist you with side-by-side statistic comparisons. To assist you in evaluating the efficacy of network policies and the adoption of new approaches, NTA maintains a record of historical data. You can use the performance review to guide your decision-making for the long-term smooth running of the network.

• PTG Network Monitor by Paessler: An extremely thorough networking monitor that may provide you with a thorough study of your network is Paessler's PRTG Network Monitor. It covers a wide area and will keep an eye on servers, networks, and software. As a result, it is a great option for medium-sized or large companies that depend on a significant number of servers, switches, and firewalls. PRTG's centralization, which enables you to monitor the whole network from a single platform, is its strongest feature. You can perform a full network assessment with the aid of having access to all of your networking data from a single spot. Another feature of PRTG is auto-discovery, which automatically collects monitoring information from all recently connected devices.

  The vast array of tools that PRTG offers are referred to as sensors. For instance, the Ping jitter sensor can help you identify the source of lag by providing details on the RTT of different packets. PRTG keeps an eye on network bandwidth, connected IoT devices, cloud services, and disk utilization. Additionally, PRTg may track and report on packet loss, jitter, and packet arrival order. An adaptable dashboard from PRTG enables thorough macro and micro assessments of numerous variables. Additionally, you may compare the metrics over time by having them save historical data. You may locate network performance problems graphically with the help of a color-coded map on the dashboard. The many sensors on the dashboard let you quickly optimize the network while determining the various bandwidth needs of multiple servers.

  Instead of the widely used MySQL and Microsoft SQL, PRTG employs its own proprietary database, which might lead to compatibility issues and restrict the administrator from developing their own SQL queries. Additionally, it is a highly thorough monitoring tool that takes time to thoroughly study.

• ManageEngine Free Ping Tool: A good tool for efficient on-site troubleshooting is the ManageEngine Free Ping Tool. In contrast to other applications that quickly generate comprehensive reports, it delivers a small number of key diagnostic utilities. ManageEngine offers tools for Ping and Traceroute as well as a tool to gauge website response time.

What's the Difference Between Latency, Bandwidth, and Throughput?

Understanding and maximizing the speed of data transfers inside a network has become essential as enterprise and internet service provider networks become more sophisticated and customers depend more and more on flawless access. The three most important network performance metrics, latency, throughput, and bandwidth, offer information on the "speed" of a network. Despite the fact that they are intricately related but essentially different, these phrases frequently cause confusion.

Throughput, bandwidth, and latency all have an equal impact on the effectiveness of communications. Although these three factors complement one another, they each have distinct significance. You may picture how data packets would move through a pipe to better understand it:

Bandwidth: The pipe's width is the bandwidth. Less data is permitted to pass back and forth across a pipe the narrower it is. The wider a communication band, the more data may pass through it at once. Therefore, a network's maximum data transfer capability is its bandwidth. It specifies the maximum amount of data that could theoretically be sent through the network in a specific amount of time.

Latency: The speed at which data packets move through the pipe from the client to the server and back is known as latency. It is an indicator of a packet's latency and the rate at which data moves through the network. The physical distance that data must travel over cables, networks, and other means before it reaches its destination determines packet latency. Because there is less delay on a network with low latency, the end user perceives the network as being faster.

Throughput: The amount of data that can be transferred in a given amount of time is called throughput. It demonstrates the network's ability to handle data transfer, which is frequently taken to be the network's actual speed. The physical setup of the network, the number of concurrent users, and the nature of the data being transported are only a few of the variables that affect network throughput.

Although maximum bandwidth denotes the greatest amount of data that can be transferred, it doesn't always correspond to how quickly data travels over the network. Throughput represents the actual data transfer rate in that situation.

Regardless of throughput, latency is a vital component that affects the pace at which data is delivered. Even on a high-throughput network, high latency can slow down data transmission since data packets take longer to get to their destination. In contrast, decreased latency enables data to reach its destination more quickly, giving users the impression that the network is faster even when throughput is not very high.

Throughput and latency can sometimes have an inversely proportional relationship. For instance, a network that is designed for high throughput might accomplish this by reducing latency by processing data more effectively. It's crucial to realize that this isn't a rigid relationship, though. In some cases, a network may have both high throughput and high latency, and vice versa.

Numerous variables may make this interaction more difficult. For instance, even on a network with substantial bandwidth, throughput may be limited if latency is high because of network congestion, ineffective routing, or physical distance. Similar to this, a network with great throughput may nonetheless provide a subpar user experience if it has high latency.

It is crucial to know the differences between and how bandwidth, throughput, and latency are related in order to measure, monitor, and optimize network speed.

How Do you Troubleshoot Network Latency Issues?

You might try unplugging computers or network devices and rebooting all the hardware to be sure latency problems are occurring on your network. Make sure a network device monitor is installed as well, so you can check to see if any particular network devices are creating problems. Be cautious that even if you manage to eliminate a bottleneck from your network, you can just cause another one elsewhere.

After carefully examining all of your local devices, if you're still experiencing latency issues, it's conceivable that the issue is originating from the location you're attempting to connect to.

Here are some actions you may take to discover and address the main reasons behind network delays.

• A network connection check: Make sure your network connection is solid and quick enough for your needs by checking it first. To assess the latency, bandwidth, and packet loss of your connection, utilize tools like ping, traceroute, and speedtest. Ping communicates with a server and monitors how long it takes to respond. The route and hops your data takes to get to a destination are displayed by Traceroute. Your connection's download and upload speeds are measured by Speedtest. These tools might assist you in figuring out whether the issue is on your end or elsewhere in the network.
• Determine the cause of the lag: The next step is to isolate the services and components that are involved in network communication in order to pinpoint the source of latency. For instance, if you're using a web application, you can examine the network activity and see how long it takes for each request and answer using browser tools like Chrome DevTools or Firefox Developer Tools. Additionally, you can test the API endpoints using programs like curl or Postman to check whether they are sluggish or unresponsive. To evaluate the status and efficiency of your resources and functions when using a cloud service, employ its monitoring and logging tools.
• Optimize the settings on your network: The final stage is to optimize your network settings and configuration to lower latency and increase productivity. Compression and caching can be used to reduce the size and frequency of data transfers, and techniques like HTTP/2, WebSocket, or gRPC can be used to reduce overhead and latency. Additionally, you can distribute traffic using load balancing and failover, and you can serve data from places nearer to your users using a CDN (content delivery network) or edge computing. In addition, network restrictions or interference can be avoided by using a VPN (virtual private network) or proxy.
• Check and gauge the performance of your network: Testing and measuring network performance is the last stage to determine whether your troubleshooting efforts have had an impact. To evaluate the performance and loading times of your web pages, utilize programs like WebPageTest, Lighthouse, or GTmetrix. You can record and examine network traffic and packets using programs like Wireshark, tcpdump, or nmap. To simulate and stress-test your network's load and capacity, you can utilize programs like JMeter, LoadRunner, or Locust.

What are Other Types of Latency in Computing?

A computer system may encounter a variety of latencies, including operational, disk, and fiber-optic latency. The following are significant latency types:

1. Latency on disk: Disk latency gauges how long it takes a computer to read and store data. Because of this, writing many small files as opposed to one large one may cause storage delays. For instance, solid-state devices have lower disk latency than hard drives.

2. VoIP latency: The speed of sound plays a role in the causes of audio delay. The time delay between the time a voice packet is delivered and when it arrives at its destination is known as latency in VoIP. For VoIP calls, a delay of 20 ms is typical; a latency of up to 150 ms is barely perceptible and thus acceptable. But once you go above that, the quality starts to suffer. When it reaches 300 ms or more, it is wholly inappropriate. High latency can have a significant negative impact on VoIP call quality, resulting in:

   • Lagging and sporadic phone talks
   • Conflicting sounds, with one speaker cutting off the other Echo
   • Disruption of voice and other data type synchronization, notably during video conferencing

3. Optical fiber latency: The amount of time it takes for light to travel a specific distance across a fiber optic cable is known as fiber-optic latency. To calculate the latency for any fiber optic route, one must additionally take into account the fact that delay rises with distance traveled.

   When traveling across space at the speed of light, there is a 3.33 microsecond latency for every kilometer. Because light moves more slowly through cables, the latency of light moving across a fiber optic cable is around 4.9 microseconds per kilometer. Every curve or flaw in the wire might slow the network speed down. In order to reduce latency in a network, fiber optic cable quality is a key factor.

4. Interrupt latency: The amount of time it takes for a computer to respond to a signal instructing the host operating system (OS) to pause so it can decide what to do in response to an event is known as interrupt latency.

5. Operational latency: The lag in time caused by computing activities is known as operational latency. It is a contributing component to server delays. Operational latency is the total amount of time that each individual operation takes when they are performed sequentially. The slowest operation in a parallel process determines the operational delay time.

6. Device latency: The time it takes for a mechanical system or device to produce the required output is known as mechanical latency. With the exception of quantum mechanics, the mechanism's constraints are based on Newtonian physics, which dictates this delay.

7. OS and computer latency: The total delay between an input or command and the desired output is known as computer and operating system latency. Insufficient data buffers and discrepancies in data speed between the CPU and input/output (I/O) devices are two factors that affect computer delay.