What is Jitter?
Jitter is the variation or fluctuation of speeds your data gets transmitted to and from the devices within your network to the internet. Another way to say it is that it is the time delay between when a signal is transmitted and when it is received.
If your network constantly reports that the fluctuation is above its normal threshold, then there may be something wrong with the network.
What causes Jitter?
Network congestion – Network congestion caused by insufficient bandwidth is a common problem. Networks become overcrowded with traffic congestion when too many active devices are consuming bandwidth. There are steps you can take to reduce network congestion which we'll discuss later.
Poor Hardware Performance – Older networks with outdated equipment including routers, cables or switches could be the causes of jitter.
Wireless jitter – One of the downsides of using a wireless network is a lower-quality network connection. Wired connections will help to ensure that voice and video call systems deliver a higher quality user experience.
Not implementing packet/traffic prioritization – For VoIP systems in particular, jitter occurs when audio data is not prioritized to be delivered before other types of traffic.
What can I do?
Managing network jitter comes down to understanding what causes jitter in computer networks. Doing a regular network jitter test can reduce the prevalence of jitter within your network or fixing the possible causes.
How does SteadyNet Help?
SteadyNet runs the test constantly on your network and informs you if there is a significant change in your network's Jitter. You can view this Jitter statistic on the Site Overview Page.
Traffic Congestion and Traffic Prioritization is prevented by the unit to help create a better environment for your Network. This should allow devices to minimize the effect of Jitter to any of the devices your network.