Common Causes of Network Jitter & How to Resolve Them. Fluctuations in network speed can be incredibly frustrating, whether it’s choppy audio or video, delayed communication signals, or a flickering display monitor.
To understand common causes of network jitter, you need to understand how data is transferred across networks.
Data is transmitted from one device to another in data packets which are sent over a set period at regular intervals.
If there is a delay in sending the data packets over your network connection, this can lead to network jitter.
The common causes of network jitter
Network congestion:
One of the primary causes for network latency and jitter is an overcrowded network with too many active users and devices.
More bandwidth is consumed as more devices are active, which results in poorer performance for everyone.
To understand the common causes of network jitter, you need to understand how data is transferred across networks.
Data information is transmitted from one device to another in data packets which are sent over a set period at regular intervals. If there is a delay in sending the data packets over your network connection, that can result in latency and jitter issues.
Poor hardware performance:
One more potential explanation for your current predicament could be the presence of outdated or otherwise faulty equipment within your network.
Take a look around and see if you can identify any particularly old routers, cables, switches, etc. that may be impacting performance.
Wireless network:
We originally thought that a wire-free network would be the most efficient. However, we’ve found that sometimes using a wireless network can lead to a lower quality connection.
To keep things running smoothly, you might want to consider keeping some of your more important connections, like voice and video calls, wired. That way, you can offer a better-quality user experience when it matters most.
How to resolve network jitter
Jitter buffering
Jitter buffering is a great way to ensure that your audio quality is top-notch. By using jitter buffers, you can store a specified number of packets and realign them into the correct order.
This results in minimal audio distortion. However, there are times when a jitter buffer does not work properly.
If it is too small, too many packets are discarded, which leads to poor call quality. If it is too large, then the additional delay can lead to conversational difficulty.
Perform a bandwidth test:
Anyone can test their network connection by regularly checking their bandwidth and average data speed between any two points. To do this, files are sent over a network from one computer to another.
The time it takes for the files to reach the destination is then measured, which gives you a theoretical data speed between the two points.
However, there are a number of factors that can affect bandwidth tests – things like internet traffic, noise levels on data lines, file sizes, and how much demand is placed on the server at the time of testing.
Use an Ethernet cable:
It may be worthwhile to use a WiFi internet connection instead of an Ethernet cable if you use a desktop computer. It can provide a more reliable connection with less jitter, and you will usually be able to surf the internet at faster speeds as well.
Upgrade your Ethernet cable:
When you’re using old Ethernet cables, routers and switches, you may start to experience high jitter issues.
If this happens, one potential solution is to upgrade to the latest cables that transmit data at a rate of 250 MHz instead of 125 MHz.
Reduce network congestion:
There are different ways to reduce network congestion. One is by increasing the bandwidth of your network. You will be able to support more devices and more data simultaneously which will reduce jitter and increase the speed of connections with fewer interruptions.
You need to continuously monitor your networks, cloud servers, and devices to avoid any potential network jitters and to allow your network to function at an optimal level at all times.
