10/5/2023, 03:00 PM

Latency, jitter, and other jargon... What are they and what’s their impact on your WiFi speed?  

Ever found yourself stuck waiting for your favourite online show to stop buffering? Or been in the middle of an important moment in your game, only to experience lagging? These are usually the tell-tale signs that there could be something going on with your latency and jitter.  

These might sound like some fancy tech terms, but really, they’re just ways to gauge out the stability of your internet connection. At Lit Fibre, we want to help you to take control of your internet and that starts by cutting through the confusing tech jargon.  

What exactly do we mean when we say latency and jitter?

Latency is the time it takes for a piece of information to go from point a to point b, for instance, the delay from clicking a link to loading the webpage on your laptop. The lower your latency the better, and the smoother your internet will seem.  

This is where jitter comes in – jitter is the inconsistency in latency. Let us explain... High latency and jitter are common reasons for WiFi issues like choppy audio, lagging games, or your video cutting in and out. In short, latency and jitter could make or break your movie night or important work call. But don’t worry, with some extra love and by optimising your router placement, you could improve your internet be lag-free.  

What does this mean for your internet experience?

For your gaming sessions, you want to have the lowest possible latency and jitter to have your game running smoothly. Gamers commonly talk about game lag, but it’s usually latency and jitter that are the culprits behind-the-scene that are disrupting their gaming session.  

The same rule applies to FaceTime calls with your loved ones, catching up on the latest episode, or sharing your screen for your important work presentation. Some apps can’t cope with an unstable connection (so, high jitter) and that’s where dropped connections and buffering come into play.

“We work hard to help our customers navigate through confusing technical language and get the most out of their full-fibre connection. By working a bit harder during set up and installation we can make a big difference to the quality of the solution.”

Matt Headford, Chief Technology Officer, Lit Fibre

The Lit full-fibre difference

With part-fibre networks, there’s only so much you can do to improve your internet speed, jitter, and latency. While there are measures you can take to optimise your network, there is a limit to how much you can boost your internet experience.  

But to be perfectly honest, when you upgrade to full-fibre, you don’t have to worry about jitter or latency, because game lag and buffering videos are a thing of the past.  

Making the switch to full-fibre can make all the difference

To get the most out of your next gaming session or catch-up with your grandparents, full-fibre broadband is the way to go. So, why settle for slow and unreliable internet? Enter your postcode to see if your home can access full-fibre broadband and experience the future of online connectivity.

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