📉 Packet Loss Test
Packet loss happens when data sent over your connection never arrives. Even small amounts can cause choppy calls and dropped connections.
About Packet Loss Test
Packet loss is data that's sent but never arrives — a chunk of a video call's audio, a piece of a downloaded file, a game input that has to be resent. This tool approximates it by sending a batch of small network requests to a test server and counting how many fail to complete, reporting the failure rate as a percentage. Browsers can't send genuine ICMP pings the way command-line tools like `ping -c` do, so a failed-request rate over HTTPS is the closest browser-based proxy for true packet loss.
Even a small percentage of loss has an outsized effect on real-time traffic. A file download or web page just resends lost data automatically with a barely noticeable delay, but a video call or online game has no time to wait for a resend — lost packets show up directly as a frozen frame, a garbled word of audio, or a rubber-banding character in a game. That's why packet loss numbers that sound tiny (1-2%) can still produce very noticeable, frustrating symptoms.
Loss is often intermittent and location-specific — it might happen on a congested Wi-Fi channel, at a faulty cable connection, or several hops into your ISP's network rather than on your line at all. If you see meaningful loss, it's worth testing at different times of day and, if possible, on a wired connection, since a bad Wi-Fi signal or a damaged Ethernet cable are both common and fixable causes.
Frequently asked questions
What is packet loss?
It's the percentage of data packets that fail to reach their destination. Your browser can't send real ICMP pings, so this test uses failed network requests as a close approximation.
What packet loss is acceptable?
0% is ideal. Under 1% is generally unnoticeable. Above 2–3% you'll likely notice choppy audio/video or dropped connections.
What causes packet loss on Wi-Fi specifically?
Weak signal strength, interference from other wireless networks or devices (microwaves, Bluetooth), and too many devices competing for airtime on the same channel are the most common Wi-Fi causes.
Can a bad cable cause packet loss?
Yes — a damaged, poor-quality, or overly long Ethernet cable can introduce loss on an otherwise wired connection. Swapping the cable is a quick way to rule this out.
Does packet loss mean my ISP is at fault?
Not necessarily. Loss can occur on your home network, at your router, on your ISP's local infrastructure, or anywhere along the internet path to the test server — this tool can tell you loss is happening, not exactly where.