Learning Center
Understand latency, the internet and your connection
44 plain-English guides: from "what is ping?" to p99 percentiles, BGP, CDNs and fixing a slow connection. Read in order like a course, or jump to what you need.
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The basics: what latency is and what a good number looks like.
What is latency?What is latency? Learn how network delay is defined, measured in milliseconds, what causes it, and what typical values look like by distance and network.
Latency vs bandwidth vs throughputLatency vs bandwidth vs throughput explained with analogies and numbers: why a 1 Gbps line can still feel slow and how bandwidth-delay product limits speed.
What is a good latency?What is a good latency or ping? See target values for gaming, calls, trading and browsing, plus minimum possible ms by distance and how to judge your result.
Ping vs HTTPS latencyPing vs HTTPS latency explained: what ICMP echo, traceroute and mtr show, why web timings run higher, and why browser-measured latency reflects real use.
How the internet works
Every layer between your device and a server, and where the milliseconds go.
How the internet worksHow the internet works, explained step by step: packets, IP, routers, ISPs, DNS, TCP, HTTPS and cables, and where network latency comes from along the way.
IP addresses, IPv4, IPv6 and NATIP addresses explained: how IPv4 and IPv6 differ, what private addresses, NAT and CGNAT do, how subnets work, and how all this affects latency and gaming.
DNS explainedDNS explained in plain English: how a domain name becomes an IP address, record types, caching and TTL, public resolvers, and how DNS adds to latency.
TCP and UDP explainedTCP vs UDP explained: how the three-way handshake, retransmission and congestion control work, when UDP is used, and how both affect latency and throughput.
TLS and the HTTPS handshakeTLS and HTTPS handshake explained: certificates, TLS 1.2 vs 1.3 round trips, resumption, 0-RTT, SNI, and how many milliseconds HTTPS adds to a first request.
HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2, HTTP/3 and QUICHTTP/1.1, HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 (QUIC) compared: round trips to connect, multiplexing, head-of-line blocking, caching headers and why cache-busting matters.
Routing, BGP and peeringHow internet routing works: autonomous systems, BGP, transit vs peering, IXPs, hot-potato routing, route changes, and how to read a traceroute for latency.
CDNs and anycastCDN and anycast explained: how content delivery networks cache content near you, how anycast routes you to a nearby site, and what that does to latency.
Data centers, cloud regions and edgeData centers, cloud regions, availability zones and edge locations explained, with typical latency between them and how to choose where to host or connect.
Undersea cables and the speed of lightWhy the internet cannot be faster than light in fibre: how undersea cables carry traffic, the minimum latency between continents, and why real routes are slower.
Wi-Fi, Ethernet, fiber, mobile and satelliteTypical latency of fiber, cable, DSL, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G and satellite internet (GEO and LEO), why each differs, and how to choose or improve your connection for low ping.
Measuring and statistics
Jitter, loss, percentiles: how to read the numbers properly.
Jitter explainedJitter is the variation in latency from one packet or request to the next. Learn how it is calculated, what causes it, good ranges, and how to check yours.
Packet loss explainedWhat packet loss is, how much is acceptable, what causes it (Wi-Fi, congestion, faulty cables), how TCP and UDP react, and how to detect and fix it.
Bufferbloat explainedBufferbloat is the lag your internet gets when a busy link fills its buffers. Learn the causes, how to test for it, and fixes such as smart queue management.
TTFB and web performanceWhat is TTFB (time to first byte)? See what it includes, what a good value is, how latency affects it, how to measure it and how to improve it.
Mean, median, min and maxMean, median, min and max explained for latency and ping tests: what each shows, when the average misleads, and how to read best and worst pass results.
Percentiles: p50, p95, p99What p50, p95 and p99 latency mean, how percentiles are calculated (nearest-rank), why averages hide slow requests, and how to read percentiles in latency tests.
Use cases
What latency means for games, calls, streaming, sites and VPNs.
Latency for gamingLatency for gaming explained: what ping is good for FPS, MOBA, MMO and fighting games, how tick rate and lag compensation work, and how to test your route.
Video calls and VoIPWhat latency, jitter and packet loss are acceptable for video calls and VoIP, why calls glitch on Wi-Fi, and how to diagnose a bad call with live monitoring.
Streaming and cloud gamingHow latency affects video streaming, live streams and cloud gaming: why buffering hides delay, input latency budgets, frame time, and how to test your link.
VPNs and latencyHow a VPN affects latency and ping: extra distance, encryption overhead, server load and protocols. When a VPN can help, how to choose a server and how to test it.
Websites and APIsHow network latency affects website speed and API response times: round trips, handshakes, TTFB, regions and caching, with worked examples and fixes.
Testing CDN performanceHow to test CDN performance: measure latency to the edge, cache hit vs miss, TTFB and regional differences, with a practical method and worked examples.
Fixing problems
A practical path from "it feels slow" to a fix.
How to reduce latencyHow to reduce latency at home and on the web: wired connections, bufferbloat fixes, closer servers, DNS and VPN choices, plus what cannot be fixed.
Troubleshoot high latencyTroubleshoot high latency step by step: find out whether the cause is your device, Wi-Fi, router, ISP, the destination or distance, and what to do at each branch.
Talking to your ISPHow to talk to your ISP about high latency: what evidence to gather, what to say, which tests to run first, and how to escalate when support blames your setup.
Using GlobeLatency
Every feature of the tool, step by step, with what to expect.
How GlobeLatency measuresHow GlobeLatency measures latency: real HTTPS requests timed in your browser, cache-busting, passes, timeouts and what the numbers include. Not ICMP ping.
Running a testStep-by-step guide to running a GlobeLatency test: choosing destinations, templates, passes, stopping a run, the progress dock and what to expect.
Reading your resultsUnderstand every number in your GlobeLatency results: average, best, worst, p95, p99, colours, verdicts, flags like Down, Slow and Unstable, and the summary cards.
The world comparison explainedHow GlobeLatency compares your latency with the world average for each destination, the ratio bands, the 30 ms and 50 ms safeguards and why results are relative.
Saved reports and sharingHow GlobeLatency saves finished tests, how to share a results link, what the report contains, what is never stored and how test history works in your browser.
Live map guideHow the GlobeLatency live map works: continuous monitoring, pin colours, the You marker, how servers are located, the detail drawer, settings and limits.
Monitor guideHow the GlobeLatency Monitor works: live cards, sparklines, the Needs a look strip, the trend chart, sorting, filtering, compact view and what each statistic means.
Destinations and custom hostsHow to choose destinations in GlobeLatency: templates, categories, regions, search, select all, uncheck all, and how to add and measure your own URLs correctly.
Alerts and thresholdsHow GlobeLatency alerts work in Map and Monitor: warning and critical percentages, the 30 ms guard, down detection, the 2000 ms threshold, per-host limits and beeps.
Privacy and dataWhat GlobeLatency stores and what stays in your browser: saved test reports, IP address, localStorage keys, Map and Monitor data, analytics, and how to clear it.
Accuracy and limitationsHow accurate is a browser latency test? What affects GlobeLatency results: Wi-Fi, VPNs, extensions, background tabs, connection reuse, anycast, and how to test cleanly.
Troubleshooting GlobeLatencyFix common GlobeLatency problems: destinations with No reply, stuck or stopped tests, missing You marker, old colours after an update, alerts, history and mobile issues.
Reference
Quick lookups.
GlossaryPlain-English glossary of latency and networking terms: ping, RTT, jitter, packet loss, bandwidth, throughput, TTFB, DNS, TLS, CDN, anycast, BGP, percentiles and more.
FAQAnswers to common questions about GlobeLatency and latency: what it measures, a good ping, accuracy, reports, the map and monitor, privacy and fixing high latency.