Packet loss

Meaning

Packet loss means small pieces of data fail to arrive and must be sent again. A few lost pieces are normal and unnoticeable, but frequent loss can cause choppy calls, frozen video and slow page loading, because the connection spends effort repeating itself. It can come from a weak WiFi signal, interference, a faulty cable or a congested network. Testing on a cable connected to the router helps show whether the problem lies in your home network or in the line. See also: Jitter, Latency, and the guide What Mbps Means: Download Speed, Upload Speed and Latency.