Networking.com

packet loss

By Alexander S. Gillis

What is packet loss?

Packet loss occurs when one or more transmitted data packets fail to arrive at their destination. This can cause noticeable performance issues for all types of digital communications.

A packet is a small unit of data that a network protocol routes between an origin and a destination on the internet or any other packet-switched network. Network packets hold small amounts of data that typically include information such as the source and destination address, protocols or identification numbers. From sending emails to downloading videos, every internet activity requires the transfer of packets.

When packets fail to reach their destination, end users may experience disruptions such as slow service or loss of network connectivity. For home network users, the slower service or network loss can create a poor user experience; and for a business, network issues could affect day-to-day operations.

Typically, applications that rely on real-time packet processing -- such as video calling and audio-based programs -- will suffer the most when undergoing packet loss.

Packet loss is typically caused either by errors in data transmission or network congestion. Packet loss rate is expressed in percentages, calculated as the number of packets lost compared to the total number sent.

What are the causes of packet loss?

The causes of packet loss include inadequate signal strength at the destination, natural or human-made interference, excessive system noise, software corruption or overburdened network nodes. Often more than one of these factors is involved. Additional causes include the following:

In cases where the cause cannot be remedied, packet loss concealment may be used to minimize the effects of lost packets.

What are the effects of packet loss?

The effects of packet loss are felt as network performance drops and include the following:

In addition, the effects of packet loss will differ depending on the protocol used:

Different packet loss levels are acceptable in different scenarios. For example, less than a 2% packet loss may cause a VoIP call to be garbled, whereas up to a 10% packet loss may be acceptable for small downloads.

How can you detect packet loss?

One easy way to detect packet loss is to have TCP detect it, since TCP is designed to negate packet loss.

If a user, however, wants to detect packet loss, then they can use a diagnostic tool such as a ping (Packet Internet or Inter-Network Groper) test. The ping network utility program, which is built into every operating system, sends special packets to a given destination and then watches to see if the node at the far end responds correctly. The best way to measure packet loss is to send a large number of pings to the destination and look for the failed responses. For example, if a person pings a destination 50 times and gets only 49 responses, they can estimate packet loss at about 2%.

How do you fix packet loss?

There is no one fix-all solution to packet loss, since it can be caused by a number of issues. As such, there are different methods to fix any occurrences:

How can you prevent packet loss?

One way to prevent packet loss or keep it at acceptable levels is by monitoring the network's performance. Some monitoring tools include sensors that isolate and fix packet loss, while others offer deep packet inspection tools. If an organization scans its devices regularly, they should be able to handle network loads at capacity.

Learn more about how packet loss tests work and how to perform one.

12 Aug 2021

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