What is network jitter? Definition, causes, and how to fix it

The definition of a network jitter

Network jitter basically describes the disruptions your internet connection encounters when delivering data packets to your device’s screen. In more technical terms, it’s described as the variation in the delay or latency between when a signal is sent and when it’s received.

How does the technology behind network jitter work?

To understand how the technology behind network jitter works, you first need to have a basic idea of how the internet works. But don’t worry, we’ll keep it short and simple.

Say you want to watch a movie. You find it on your favorite website and press “play.” The browser begins to stream it. Since movies are typically large chunks of data, to optimize and deliver it to your browser as soon as possible, the internet chops it into small data packets and sends these packets from the designated server to your browser upon your request (when you press “play”).

These data packets consist of header, payload, and, often, trailer parts, all of which are necessary for servers and browsers to identify, unpack, and reassemble the data in the correct order. You can think of them as Lego pieces, each with detailed information about where exactly the piece should be put.

Since the internet is all about optimization, the journey of data packets is not linear. Instead, each one travels a different path (through numerous servers) and is only reassembled and combined with others when it reaches your computer. If your internet connection is fast, you won’t be able to tell that any of this has happened because these processes typically take milliseconds.

However, if you have network issues, such as slow internet speed or network congestion, the data packets travel slower or even get stuck somewhere along the way. This causes network jitter and interrupts your movie time with annoying loading wheels and similar issues.

What are the types of network jitter?

The network can jitter for various reasons. However, the most common types of jitter are:

• Constant jitter. This type of jitter describes the regular fluctuations that might happen while using the internet. Since these fluctuations are predictable and constant, it’s easier for devices to manage and compensate for the timing issues. While it’s not ideal, gaming and video calling is still bearable.
• Transient jitter. Unlike constant jitter, transient jitter consists of unpredictable, usually short-term fluctuations that can happen due to sudden connectivity changes or outside interference. Transient jitter can cause audio chopping and video freezing, souring the browsing experience.
• Short-term jitter. Like transient jitter, short-term jitter is sudden, quick, and does not last long. It could be a few milliseconds of lag while you’re having a video chat or a quick drop in audio quality while you’re watching a video on social media.

What are the effects of network jitter?

The effects of network jitter can vary from a ruined mood to potential data loss. Jitter usually hurts VoIP communication (video calls), streaming, and video/audio quality. In some cases, high jitter can also cause packet loss (if they arrive too late to be useful), leading to errors, lost data, or the need to reload pages.

What is an acceptable level of jitter?

While you may want to browse the internet without jitter, internet networks work in mysterious and unpredictable ways, making such a wish difficult to fulfill at times. So instead, you should focus on keeping jitter as low as possible, ideally below 30 milliseconds. As for ping, 150 ms one way and 300 ms round-trip time (RTT) should be the minimum benchmark for an optimal connection (though keeping RTT below 100 ms is generally preferred for a smooth experience).

Additionally, for apps to work smoothly, latency should be as low as possible, and data packet loss should be no more than 1%. This will help maintain uninterrupted video streaming, clear and continuous audio in VoIP calls, and a lag-free browsing experience.

What causes network jitter?

The causes for network jitter can vary from hardware to software and beyond. However, network jitter usually results from software issues, such as network congestion or network equipment failure. In addition, your network traffic may jitter because of:

• Slow or overcrowded wireless networks.
• Poorly implemented packet prioritization.
• Poor hardware performance.
• Data packet loss.
• Network congestion.
• Bandwidth testing.
• Bandwidth throttling.
• Firmware/software bugs.
• Internet service provider (ISP) issues.

How to measure network jitter

The tools for measuring network jitter depend on the types of internet traffic they measure and can include:

• Single endpoint jitter testing. This type of measurement evaluates jitter from one device or location to another single point in the network. You can test single endpoint jitter by using reputable single endpoint measuring tools, pinging your IP address, or performing a traceroute.
• Double endpoint jitter testing. Double endpoint jitter measurement revolves around calculating jitter on the round trip of data packets — essentially measuring the jitter on the path from the source to the destination and then back to the source. You can perform the test by using reputable double endpoint measuring tools that can support RTT and instantaneous jitter measurement.
• Bandwidth testing. This type of testing measures how much bandwidth (data transfer rate) is available on a network connection. While its main focus is the capacity of the connection, it also indirectly affects the network jitter. Since packets are delayed or dropped during the network jitter test, congested networks with insufficient bandwidth cannot function properly, exposing their flaws. To get credible results, you should perform the test using reputable bandwidth testing tools a few times throughout the day.

How to fix network jitter

Let’s be clear: Fixing network jitter is difficult due to the unpredictable nature of internet networks. However, you have tons of options to choose from to minimize the jitter as much as possible.

Set up jitter buffering

Jitter buffering limits the effects of jitter by temporarily storing incoming data packets and then reordering them before delivering them to the application. It can balance out the throughput and packet arrival times, making real-time communications like VoIP and video conferencing smoother.

Upgrade Ethernet cable

Poor-quality Ethernet cables can significantly deteriorate your network performance. Upgrade older or lower-grade cables to Cat 6 or Cat 7 to increase their capability of supporting high data transfer rates and you won’t have to worry about increased jitter.

Prioritize packets

Prioritizing packets, particularly for real-time applications (such as VoIP or video streaming), ensures that these critical packets are sent first and can help reduce the likelihood of network congestion and jitter.

Monitor your device frequency

Wireless devices that operate on the same frequency can cause interference, leading to jitter. Monitor and manage your active devices’ frequency bands to avoid this problem. Use a dual-band router to separate devices between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, reducing interference and improving network stability.

Reduce unnecessary bandwidth usage

A huge number of devices and applications using your network simultaneously can dramatically increase network congestion, resulting in high jitter. Avoid streaming videos and other simultaneous high-bandwidth activities to reduce ping, packet loss, and overall jitter.

Enable Quality of Service (QoS)

QoS is a feature on many routers that allows you to prioritize certain types of traffic on your network. Switching the priority to time-sensitive data, like VoIP or video streaming, can help minimize jitter and ensure smoother performance.

Schedule updates for apps and operating systems

Software updates can use significant bandwidth and processing power. To minimize the impact on network performance, set your devices to perform updates late at night or during periods of low network usage.

Choose a good quality VoIP provider

The quality of your VoIP provider plays a crucial role in the level of jitter you experience during calls. Find and choose a VoIP provider with a strong reputation for reliability and low network latency to avoid jitter issues.