NETWORK NOTES
Latency and packet loss
Latency measures time, while throughput measures data transferred per unit of time. A connection can have low latency and limited throughput, or high throughput with noticeable delays.
| Measurement | What it describes |
|---|---|
| Round-trip time | Time for a request and its response |
| Jitter | Variation in delay over multiple samples |
| Packet loss | Packets that do not reach their destination |
Use repeated measurements
One sample is not a diagnosis. Compare a short series under similar conditions, then repeat during the period when a problem occurs.
Interpret ICMP carefully
Routers can limit or deprioritize diagnostic replies. Loss at an intermediate hop alone does not establish end-to-end loss. Compare the final destination and actual application behaviour.