What are ping, jitter and latency? A simple guide
Updated: 11 October 2026
Ping (or latency) is how long a tiny message takes to go from your device to a server and back, in milliseconds (ms). Speed is how much data moves each second; ping is how quickly anything starts to move. A line can be fast but laggy, or slow but snappy.
Jitter
Jitter is how much the ping changes from moment to moment. Video and voice calls need data to arrive at a steady pace; high jitter makes voices break up even when the average ping is fine.
Rough guide
| Good | OK | Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ping | under 30 ms | 30–100 ms | over 100 ms |
| Jitter | under 10 ms | 10–30 ms | over 30 ms |
Ping under load
Our test also measures ping while it downloads. If that figure jumps far above the normal ping, your router or line is queueing too much data ("bufferbloat"): calls and games lag whenever someone in the house streams or downloads. Routers with "SQM" or "smart queue" settings can fix it.
Lowering your ping
- Use a cable or sit close to the router.
- Stop large downloads and uploads on other devices.
- Choose servers in India in games and apps.