Latency, Jitter & Co.

UDP-based technologies such as video streaming or VoIP technologies are very sensitive to Ethernet jitter, latency and packet loss issues. Unlike TCP-based services (such as HTTP or SMTP), they need a steady stream of data in order to avoid unwanted interruptions or interferences. Therefore, whenever UDP-based services are used, network administrators need to be especially aware of metrics such as latency, jitter and packet loss.

How can I Measure Latency, Ethernet Jitter, and Packet Loss?

The powerful network analyzer PRTG Network Monitor makes it very easy to stay on top of these parameters: using the QoS sensor or the IP-SLA sensor, you can check round-trip-time (which determines latency and jitter), measure packet loss and reordered and duplicate packets, and configure alarms to warn you when packet jitter or other factors cross a defined threshold.

Bandwidth Monitoring

Of course, besides latency and packet jitter issues, bandwidth bottlenecks can also affect the quality of video conferences or VoIP connections. The PRTG network diagnostic tools monitor network bandwidth (using packet sniffing, NetFlow, or the SNMP client), enabling you to identify which applications are using most of the bandwidth and to prioritize UDP traffic should your network be running low on bandwidth.

However, PRTG offers more than bandwidth monitoring and latency, jitter, and packet loss measurement: the network monitor tool checks the uptime of your network devices, monitors website availability, tracks free disk space, CPU and memory usage, giving you a comprehensive view of your network.

Free Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss Measurement

PRTG Network Monitoring Software is available in two editions. For basic, free packet jitter monitoring, the Freeware Edition may be downloaded and used for personal and commercial use completely free of charge. For more advanced needs, licenses for the Commercial Editions start at $400 / €300.