If you have an IT background then you might be aware of packets and how data is transferred. To and from the networks and computers, data transfer takes place in the form of packets over the Internet. And so here we are sharing some information about these packets, packet loss and how to fix packet loss. You might know that the foundation of all your data and applications is the network. And so when data fails to reach its destination over a network, it is due to packet loss. Thus, packet loss leads to performance issues. Mostly this issue plaques every ISP and wireless connections. While there are various reasons that lead to it, the various organizations that are becoming a victim of it are coming up with ways to fix it.
Here is a complete guide that will take you through different sections of Packet loss. Get to know what packet loss is, what causes it and how to fix this loss here.
What exactly is Internet Packet Loss?
To begin with, let us first know a bit about packets. The Network carries units of data in the Internet traffic. These units are called as Packets. And so packet loss occurs when these data containing packets fail to reach their destination. The destination in such cases can either be your computer which you plug directly into the network via wire. Or it can be your mobile or any other similar device that is connected to the router or network via Wi-Fi.
The Packet loss most often occurs on the congested networks. These kinds of networks actually try to transfer the amount of data that it cannot handle. And so when such kind of condition appears, some packets are dropped. Apart from congested networks, there are some more reasons that cause serious packet loss. So before we move on to know how to fix packet loss wireless, let us first know what are its causes.
What Causes Packet Loss?
Packet loss can be easily fixed on the computer if you are aware of the reason that is causing it. Here we are sharing the four main issues that usually cause packet loss. Have a look-
Congested Network
As mentioned above, one of the reasons that lead to packet loss on a common basis is Congested Network. When some networks try to carry information beyond their capabilities, packet drops occur. The packet drops due to congested network sometimes go unnoticed but most of the time they are pretty obvious to be seen. Also, the former condition depends upon the nature of the gadget and its use.
You experience packet loss due to congested behavior mostly when you are playing online games. In such case, the time when you face the lag is the exact time when packet loss or packet drop takes place. It has always been the primary concern of the people who stream online videos and games. Packet drop during gaming is annoying as hell, and so as you will move forward you will know how to fix packet loss.
Network Driver Bugs
You might consider the Network Driver Bugs as irrelevant and therefore they go unnoticed. But when we face the performance issues on our system, these bugs play an important role. When the performance of our system gets low due to whatsoever reason, we begin to notice these bugs. With the help of system logs, you can detect the bugs that go unnoticed for a while.
The Network Driver Bugs are like the little pesky pests that bring your system to crawl by causing real network issues. All of this results due to excessive packet loss. And so you must know how to resolve packet loss error on computer or Mac, as network devices are pretty complex.
Device Performance (Firewall/ Router/ Switch)
It is possible that you face an error with your router, firewall or switch even when your bandwidth is adequate. And if you are facing network issues, then outdated routers or switches can be the primary reason behind the packet loss, and in turn the device performance.
Another reason is that your device may be incapable of keeping up with the upgraded traffic. The CPU of the device or the memory might max out and so they could not handle the extra traffic. As a result packet loss takes place for all the traffic that the computer cannot handle.
Faulty Hardware or Wiring
If your traffic reports and hardware utilization is working properly, then the reason behind the loss may be some physical component. The malfunctioning of the physical component like cable or hardware is also a common reason leading to packet loss.
In the case of a faulty hardware, the error message will automatically display in your system log. While in the case of wiring issue, the error message displays typically on your PC and becomes visible when you ping your IP address. Both faulty hardware and cabling contribute profusely to packet drop or packet loss.
How to fix Packet Loss?
After going through the problems that cause packet loss, you might be wondering that to fix packet loss is a difficult task. But let me tell you that there are a few basic solutions that will help you fix it. All of these methods are recommended and are particular for the reasons that cause this loss. And so rectify the reason for yourself and know how to fix the loss of packets from here.
You can fix Internet Packet loss issue by the following methods:
Congested Network- You can reduce the effect of packet loss by these two methods.
- Try to increase the bandwidth of the congested link(s).
- Prioritize your real time network traffic with the help of QoS. Quality of Service helps to prioritize your applications depending upon the importance and your requirement.
Both these methods are ideal in case of the congested network as they lead to perfect bandwidth utilization.
Network Driver bugs- In case you think that your system is facing packet loss due to the software issue or bugs then only one remedy is recommended to apply. To fix the issue due to bugs, upgrade the software on the affected appliance.
Device/ Hardware Performance- The next in line is device performance that you can fix by replacing the hardware with a new device that can handle the complete throughput. If you do not want to change it then you can cluster it with some additional hardware so that its throughput increases.
Faulty Cabling- In the case of faulty cabling, you must repair it immediately. Either replace the faulty hardware or inform the ISP so that they carry out the repair as soon as possible.
Also Read: Fix Err_Spdy_Protocol
And so this was all about packet loss and the four main reasons that lead to it. Also, we hope that the four ways by which you can recover packet loss will come in handy. But if you are not able to find the root cause of it, then we recommend you to go through a network assessment and a detailed troubleshooting. However in the worst case scenario, you always have the line to your ISP open, I’m sure they would be able to help you. For any further information or query, use the comment section below.
