What Is Ping?
Ping rate, used to determine internet latency or “lag,” is the reaction time of your internet connection. It’s a measure of the response time it takes for a message to go from your computer to a server (a website or program you are visiting on the internet) and back. A responsive connection is recognized by a low ping, measured in milliseconds. For online activities like gaming and streaming, ping rate is especially important. Low ping rate means smooth streaming, browsing and gaming with little to no buffering.
What Affects My Ping Rate?
Two big components that can affect your ping rate are bandwidth and speed.
Many people get bandwidth and speed confused or think they are the same. They closely relate to one another, but they are two different things. Bandwidth can be described as the amount of speed available for use. For example, you may have an internet speed plan package of 16 Megabits per second (Mbps). This does not mean the full bandwidth of that speed is always available to you on every device in use.
Every device connected to the internet at any given time takes up speed, narrowing the bandwidth available to other devices at the same time. They are sharing the speed provided by your ISP. So if mom is checking emails on the desktop, dad is scrolling through Facebook on a tablet, sister is playing a computer game and then brother hops on the game console, he’ll have less bandwidth available than he would if the rest of the family weren’t connected to the internet at the same time.
Therefore, your connection speed often correlates to your bandwidth, which affects your ping rate. A higher connection speed allows you to send and receive data faster, and sufficient bandwidth is necessary for data to be sent back and forth with limited latency, keeping your ping rate low.
It is also important to note that equipment limitations are a factor in your ability to utilize the full speed and bandwidth offered, especially with our extreme-speed Fiber packages. If your laptop or other internet-connected device is unable to support gigabit speeds, you will not be able to attain them without an upgrade.
GVEC Internet Internet Has The Speed You Need
GVEC Internet Internet has the speed you need to give you the bandwidth necessary to keep your ping rate low. Our Wireless Internet plans offer speeds up to 25 Mbps, allowing you to handle multiple users, work from home, stream videos, and game online. Our Fiber Internet offers even faster service with speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps).
Call 800-699-4832 today to find out which service is available in your area, or visit GVEC Internet to check our internet availability map!
