lower latency compared to copper cables . Network equipment also affects latency because every time data passes through a router or switch , there ' s a processing delay as these devices determine the data ' s next path . More hops mean more processing time , hence higher latency .
Just like road traffic used earlier in the highway metaphor , data traffic can get congested . High network traffic can slow down data transmission , increasing latency . Different network types like LAN , WAN , or wireless networks have different inherent latencies .
Wireless networks generally have higher latency compared to wired networks . Network Quality of Service can prioritize certain types of traffic over others , which can impact latency for lower-priority data . The server processing capacity can also impact latency as this is the time it takes for the receiving server or host to process the incoming data . Although bandwidth doesn ' t directly affect latency , low bandwidth can lead to network congestion , indirectly increasing latency .
Another factor is throughput especially if you are going to use the provider for VPN and WAN . Throughput is the actual rate at which data is successfully transferred over the network in a given period , usually measured in bits per second ( bps ). Throughput is influenced by the network ' s bandwidth , latency , and any packet loss or errors that occur during transmission . It ' s a measure of how much data is effectively
transmitted , considering all network conditions and limitations . This is important when you have geographically separated branches and departments that have mission critical applications to run from a central location .
Other considerations when choosing an ISP include SLA ’ s , usage polices and data limits , quality of customer support and failover links . In a nutshell , when selecting an ISP put in mind that ; wired connections have lower latency than wireless connection , wired links are also more consistent than wireless links , dedicated links offer more value than shared links , in mobile networks , more superior network technology offer lower latency than their predecessors e . g . 5G over 3G .
Given the current market rivalry it is therefore safe to conclude that fiber is almost always faster , more reliable , and more cost-effective than satellite internet where Starlink lies . Fiber has a much faster maximum and median speed and significantly less latency . With fiber , you can typically get speeds of up to 1 Gbps , which is ten times faster than Starlink ' s current maximum speed of 100 Mbps .
A network administrator can optimise their network by using network Quality of Service to prioritise traffic on mission critical applications ensuring applications like enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) solutions on cloud are given a bigger share than say Netflix and online gaming .
Modernising networking hardware like network adapters , switches and APs , for instance choosing a Gbps ethernet adapters and switches over Mbps ensures network devices can communicate at optimal bandwidth speeds .
In wireless networks , Wi-Fi 6 offers superior lower latency than the predecessors thus it will serve as a good match for the wired connections . Configuring Wi-Fi channels appropriately also helps to mitigate overlaps and interferences . Systems administrators can also help by running product release , updates and patches locally from one server or schedule during non-business hours to ensure bandwidth is not hogged during working hours .
Use of monitoring tools can also help monitor , analyse , troubleshoot and optimise the network . To wade off bad actors that may end up clogging the bandwidth among other cyber security reasons and for bandwidth throttling / shaping one can use firewalls and Unified Threat Management solutions .
Murithi Magiri is the Lead IT Consultant at Magtech Solutions . You can commune with him via email at : Solutions @ magtech . co . ke .
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