Latency, also commonly referred to as ping describes
how long it takes data to get from one place to another. Your computer sends a
small packet of data to a server, the server sends it back again and you time
how long it takes. Poor latency can affect everything about your internet experience;
besides gaming, latency can also increase the time webpages load, or your
upload and download speeds.
Several factors cause latency, and
while some can be fixed, others are part of the average internet experience. Distance
is usually the principal cause of latency; your computer is connecting to
servers all over the world and the further the server is from your computer the
longer it will take (measured in milliseconds) for a request to reach its destination.
Malware, what the content of the website
you’re trying to visit has on it, and the equipment you’re using all play a
role in determining latency as well. Mid Century offers several products that can help. Our mesh extenders can help with your devices that aren't close enough to be hard lined with an ethernet cable, and ProtectIQ can help keep viruses and malware from infecting your devices. If you'd like to learn more, please give us a call.
For a favorable user experience, you
want your latency to be as low as possible, unlike bandwidth where less is not
more. Bandwidth measures how much data your internet connection can download or
upload at the same time. As I mentioned in my symmetrical speeds blog post, fiber
internet makes the lanes your data travels on wider, allowing more data to
transmit at the same time. These “enhanced lanes” reduce the chances of data
packets being delayed which you guessed it; help reduce your overall latency.
Comments
Post a Comment