Nothing is more annoying than when your internet connection is running slower than usual. You may notice a lag between when you perform an action and when you see the result while gaming or you may experience buffering and bad video quality while trying to stream a movie. Those delays you experience are called “latency.” Knowing what latency is and how it affects your connection is key to getting the most out of your internet.
Latency is the lag you experience when you’re using the internet. It’s the time it takes for a data signal to travel from your home to your internet service provider’s server and back. You’ll notice latency when you see a delay between when you perform an action online and when you see the result. Latency can affect online gaming, shopping, browsing and streaming.
Any internet network and connection can be affected by latency. During peak hours, it’s common to notice more of a lag because of too much traffic. The infrastructure of your internet network plays a big role in what your latency will be. A is more likely to have higher latency because it takes more time for data to transfer through a satellite connection. All West has Fiber and Coax connections available, depending on where you live. Having a wired connection, like fiber and coax, can help enhance your experience and help you receive the highest internet performance you can.
We do a few different things to help reduce latency for our customers. One of the benefits of All West’s fiber network is the fact that we use a PON to G-PON system. This means that customers don’t share lines, which helps increase efficiency while eliminating latency due to network traffic. On Coax, we have increased our amount of nodes. Nodes help disperse traffic so fewer households are sharing a connection. We also use a redundant network, which is a secondary connection that kicks on if your primary connection goes out. Think of it like having a backup generator, but for your internet service. This helps make your connection more reliable. Because we value fast and reliable internet, we also have enough bandwidth to help prevent latency and handle a high volume of customers.
Latency and bandwidth are similar concepts and can get mixed up, but they are not the same thing. Bandwidth is the amount of data that can pass through your network over a given period of time. Latency is the amount of time it takes for that data to pass to an internet service provider’s server and back. Taking a speed test will help you know what your connection’s latency is. Latency is measured and reported as “ping.” You want your ping to be a small number, which means you’ll have a smoother internet browsing experience. If your ping is a high number, you have high latency and will experience more lag.
There are many factors that can cause latency, including the network server’s location, your router and its location. If you take a speed test and find that you have high latency, you can change your server to one closer to you. The farther away your server connection is, the worse your speeds and latency will be. Make sure to check you’re connected to an All West server closest to you to have an optimal connection.
Another factor in latency is your router. Your router makes a big difference when it comes to your connection’s strength, speed, reliability and latency. Because latency affects both your internet speed and performance, it’s important to have up-to-date hardware. Your router’s main job is to connect your devices to your internet connection. We suggest using Plume for your home’s router. Plume can help provide your home with full-strength connectivity no matter how many computers, laptops, tablets and other devices you have. Your router’s location matters too. Walls, TVs, furniture and other objects can block the wireless signal from your router. To improve your connection, move your router to a more central location in your home. In the case that you’re still experiencing high latency after trying to improve your connection, reach out to your broadband provider for help.
If you need high-speed internet that keeps up with your needs, All West offers internet plans that help you quickly connect to what matters most. If you don’t know what speed you need, take our internet speed analyzer here. To have the best internet connection, you want high-speed internet with low latency. We understand the frustrations of lag when watching TV or working from home, which is why we bring reliable internet to our communities so you can get the most out of your connection.