What is Latency & How Does Fiber Internet Improve It?

Have you had a bad online gaming experience recently? Perhaps you complained about your videos buffering all the time, and your tech-savvy friend said something about internet latency and bandwidth. You may have nodded as if that makes perfect sense, but we know you need more context to get the whole picture.

Latency and bandwidth are two different things. The bandwidth of a network is the maximum amount of data it can transmit per unit of time (measured in bits-per-second), whereas latency can be defined as the time required for a signal or data packet to travel between two points. High bandwidth and low latency are the duo that enable the fastest internet speeds.

So now you have a vague idea about what latency implies, but what does it have to do with fiber internet? Let’s talk about latency in detail and then we’ll get to the next part.

What is Latency (in more detail)?

Let’s try speaking of latency in gamer terms. Suppose you’re playing a street-fighting video game with a random opponent from another corner of the world. You press a button on your keyboard to throw a punch and then you see your game avatar hit the avatar of the other player. The time-lapse between pressing the button and watching the action happen on screen is a visual representation of latency.

If you’re not a gamer, let’s just say that latency is the delay between request and response – the time consumed by a data packet to transfer from sender to receiver. Latency is calculated in milliseconds (ms) and is also referred to as “ping” or “ping rate” in gaming lingo. To conclude, the lower the latency of your internet connection, the smoother your online experience.

Why does Latency Matter?

When you’re opening a mobile application or a website in a browser, you want it to load quickly, right? Similarly, if you’re watching a movie or streaming a show, you’d prefer to watch it in high resolution without buffering. If your internet latency is high, you’ll be looking at tiresome loading times, frequent buffering, disoriented visuals/audio, etc.

Latency is all the more noticeable during real-time online communication, such as multiplayer gaming and video conferencing. Lags during gameplay, holdups during streaming sessions, and disrupted audio/video calls greatly decrease the overall user experience. To sum up, latency matters because we all want to keep frustrating online experiences at bay.

What Causes Latency?

Comparison of Latency by Connection Type

What is Considered Good Latency?

What is my Internet’s Latency or Ping Rate?

Now you know why latency is important, as well as the acceptable range for it. However, you first need to measure your internet connection’s latency or ping rate to determine if it’s really an issue that concerns you.

The straightforward and convenient method is to conduct an online speed test that tells you the ping rate, download speed, and upload speed delivered by your internet provider.

Another way to measure your network’s latency is to perform a “Ping Test” on your computer. For Windows, you can use Command Prompt:

How Does Fiber Internet Improve Latency?

Fiber internet delivers much lower latency compared to other traditional connection types because it can transfer data at a greater speed. Fiber-optic cables have more bandwidth than conventional copper cables, which allows more data to travel along at a time. This reduces the probability of delays, and so network congestion is averted.

Fiber-optic is said to be the best type of internet connection for low latency because it combines fast data transmission with negligible signal loss and resistance to interference. Moreover, the fiber-optic technology supports ‘full-duplex communication’ which means that data can travel to and fro in the same medium simultaneously!

To elaborate the concept better, we’ll compare key components of fiber optic cables and coaxial/copper cables:

Should I Switch to a Fiber Internet Provider to Improve Latency?

If you’re unhappy with the overall speed and ping delivered by your current non-fiber ISP, making the switch to a 100% fiber internet provider is a promising solution. Fiber-optic cables outperform all other types of internet connections in terms of latency, download & upload speeds, bandwidth, and overall reliability.

If you’re looking for the best fiber internet providers near you, we suggest checking out the following ISPs:

Benefits of Switching to a Fiber Optic Network

How Else Can I Fix Latency Issues?

Fiber internet is accessible to about 55% of households across the United States, which means that it is still out of reach for a large proportion of the population. If you reside in one of the areas where no fiber internet services exist, you may have to make do with whatever is available.

The fiber-optic network is gradually expanding in developed cities, but the extension to rural regions is not in the cards right now. Therefore, if you’re annoyed by high internet latency and switching to fiber is not a possibility yet, we have a few other solutions for you.

1. De-clutter Your Network

Excessive network traffic is a common cause of high latency. When too many devices are connected to the same network, the bandwidth is thinned out and the internet becomes slow. You may de-clutter your network by disconnecting unused devices.

Many devices continue using background data even when idle, so removing them from the network will free up bandwidth. You can also reduce network congestion by clearing cache and cookies and closing unnecessary applications/programs running on your devices.

2. Restarting/Resetting Devices

Restarting or resetting your internet equipment is a preliminary troubleshooting step that often effectively resolves connectivity issues. If you do not remember the last time you switched off or turned on your modem and router, do it now.

Restarting the device may trigger the download of updates; these updates include bug fixes, security patches, and elements to tweak the overall performance. Keeping your devices up-to-date is likely to put off high latency issues.

3. Update Hardware & Software

Regularly updating the drivers and firmware of your devices is yet another way to ensure that your internet works without a glitch. An outdated router, CPU, or other hardware can also thwart the performance of your connected devices. Investing in cutting-edge technology and getting rid of obsolete hardware/software will readily improve the ping rate.

4. Switch from Wi-Fi to Ethernet

If you’re playing an online game or running a video call on Wi-Fi, you are likely to experience higher latency. Wi-Fi connections are susceptible to signal interference, fluctuations, and congestion, so if you want better ping, switch over to ethernet instead. A wired connection offers greater stability, consistent speeds, and better latency.

5. Upgrade your Internet Plan

Perhaps your internet plan’s bandwidth is insufficient to accommodate heavy data transfers along with all the users who share your network. Upgrade to an internet plan with greater bandwidth to improve overall speed and performance.

6. Connect to Nearby Servers

When gaming online, prefer connecting to nearby servers. The greater the distance from the host server, the higher the corresponding ping. In case you use a VPN, it’s best to connect to the server of a country nearest to you.

7. Switch to a Better ISP

Just because you cannot get a fiber optic connection, doesn’t mean you can’t switch to a better ISP. You may change your connection type or simply look out for a more reliable internet provider near you. If you’re currently using wireless internet, we suggest looking up the best cable internet providers in your area. Wired internet offers much lower latency and cable connections are widely available.