Quality, not speed.
PACKET LOSS
Packets that never arrive.
The sender resends them, which costs time.
WHAT CAUSES IT
Congestion Faulty equipment or cabling Weak wireless signal An overloaded link along the path
WHY SMALL LOSS MATTERS
Reliable protocols resend lost data and slow down in response.
A small percentage of loss can halve effective throughput.
JITTER
Variation in the time packets take to arrive.
WHY IT MATTERS
For calls and video, consistent timing matters more than raw speed.
Jitter produces broken audio and stalling video even on a fast connection.
WHAT CAUSES IT
Congestion Wireless interference Equipment struggling under load
HOW TO SPOT THEM
Test tools report loss and jitter alongside speed.
A speed test showing good numbers does not rule them out.
WHAT TO CHECK
Whether the problem appears on wired as well as wireless.
That separates local wireless issues from the connection itself.
