PingPlotter Insights

Sustained Packet Loss Discovered

While some packet loss at intermediate hops can be expected to occur without any impact on performance (see KB: Packet Loss or Latency at Intermediate Hops) - that all changes when PingPlotter finds packet loss at the final destination as it has found in your trace. By stepping back one hop at a time from your destination we can see which intermediate hops (if any) started the packet loss process we measured at your target host.

Solution

Packet loss is almost always bad when it occurs at the final destination. Packet loss happens when a packet doesn't make it there and back again. Any amount of packet loss for real-time-services such as VoIP or Video Conferncing can cause issues. Packet loss over 2% for any period of time is a strong indicator of problems.

Wireless networks are especially susceptible to packet loss. Router placement could be another factor leading to packet loss. Try moving closer to the router, or placing the router in an elevated location away from large appliances. If you're connected to the Internet via WiFi, try connecting via an Ethernet cable to see if that makes a difference.

For those already on a wired connection, start by replacing the Ethernet cable. See if there are any other devices between you and the router, like a network switch, and swap those out. Try swapping out hardware until you find which one was the problem.

If the packet loss is starting outside of your local network (usually after hop 1), then work with your Internet Service Provider to find a solution. Hint: share the data you've collected using Liveshare to facilitate that communication.