What is network latency?
Latency is a time delay or how long it takes data to travel between the sender and the receiver — or between a specific user action and the response. Network latency is a significant internet connectivity issue that can be caused by several things that will dramatically impact a user's internet experience. In other words, network latency refers to how long it takes information to travel from an internet browser to a network server and back again. This is known as round-trip time (RTT).
RTT usually involves three steps:
1. The computer intermittently sends a limited amount of information to a network server.
2. The computer then waits for a response or acknowledgment from the server that the information has been received.
3. The computer gets the confirmation and takes that as a cue to send more information to the network server. This is referred to as the time to first byte (TTFB).
What is a good network latency?
There are two types of network latency: high latency and low latency. Since latency refers to a time delay, a good network latency would be a low latency. The higher the response time (high latency), the worse the connection and the longer the TTFB.
Theoretically, the internet is supposed to move at the speed of light. However, due to factors like refraction and distance, among other things, latency tends to increase. As a result, this causes a time lag on the network connection speed.
A good latency means a network can retain a good connection regardless of the amount of user data being communicated to the server. Although milliseconds is the standard measurement unit for latency, latency can also be defined in terms of graphic updates, known as the ping rate.
To have good network performance, you'll need a suitable bandwidth, good throughput, and low latency. Latency variation, known as jitter, also has to be taken into account to some extent. Another factor that can influence latency is the connection type. According to the FCC's tenth Measuring Fixed Broadband Report, typical latency differs based on the connection type:
- Fiber: Typical latency would be 10 to 12 ms.
- DSL: Typical latency would be 11 to 40 ms.
- Cable: Typical latency would be 13 to 27 ms.
- Satellite: Typical latency would be 594 to 612 ms.
Latency issues can also be impacted by your internet service provider. That's why it's important to go with an ISP that provides fast internet plans and a reliable network, like Frontier® Internet. Whether you're interested in high-speed broadband internet or even faster fiber-optic internet, Frontier has an internet plan that can work for you. Check availability in your area today.