Network & Connectivity

High Packet Loss

High packet loss occurs when data packets fail to reach their destination, causing degraded application performance, choppy VoIP calls, disconnections, and slow page loads. Packet loss above 1% is generally noticeable, and above 5% severely impacts most real-time applications. Causes range from network congestion and faulty hardware to ISP issues and misconfigured QoS.

Symptoms

  • Website pages loading intermittently or timing out
  • VoIP and video calls with choppy audio/video
  • SSH and RDP sessions disconnecting frequently
  • Ping results showing dropped packets (Request timed out)
  • TCP retransmissions visible in network captures

Common Causes

  • Network congestion at peak traffic times
  • Faulty network cable, switch, or router
  • ISP backbone issues or peering congestion
  • Wireless interference causing dropped packets
  • Overloaded server dropping connections under load
  • MTU mismatch causing fragmentation and drops

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

  1. 1

    Run ping test

    Ping the destination to measure packet loss percentage and round-trip time.

    Use Ping & Traceroute →
  2. 2

    Run traceroute

    Identify which network hop is introducing packet loss.

    Use Ping & Traceroute →
  3. 3

    Check server availability

    Verify the destination server is up and responding.

    Use HTTP Headers →
  4. 4

    Check ISP and ASN routing

    Identify if the issue is within your ISP's network.

    Use ASN Lookup →
  5. 5

    Contact ISP or hosting provider

    If packet loss occurs outside your network, contact the responsible ISP with traceroute evidence.

Recommended Diagnostic Tools

Ping & TracerouteASN LookupHTTP Headers

Monitor Network Quality

Track packet loss and latency to detect degradation early.

Related Problems

Frequently Asked Questions