Ping, Jitter and Packet Loss Explained for Online Games
Understand the three network metrics behind delay, stutter, rubber-banding and disconnects in online games.
What is ping?
Ping measures round-trip time between your device and a server. Lower is usually more responsive, but latency alone does not guarantee a stable session.
What is jitter?
Jitter is the variation in latency over time. A stable 50 ms connection may feel better than an unstable connection that averages 30 ms.
What is packet loss?
Packet loss means some data never reaches its destination. It can cause rubber-banding, missing voice chat or disconnects.
How to test properly
- Use a stable Wi-Fi link or Ethernet.
- Pause background downloads and uploads.
- Compare the same game region and server.
- Repeat measurements at different hours.
Takeaway
Judge ping, jitter and packet loss together. No single number describes the entire quality of an online gaming connection.