Some internet problems do not cause the connection to go completely offline. Instead, users may experience delays, brief disconnections, poor call quality or applications that stop responding.

These symptoms are often associated with packet loss, high latency, jitter or an unstable connection. The checks below help determine whether the issue is related to the internet service, Wi-Fi, the internal network or a specific application.

Important: Do not factory-reset your router or fibre device while troubleshooting. This may erase the configuration and prevent the service from reconnecting.

What do packet loss, latency and jitter mean?

Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from your device to another server and back. It is usually measured in milliseconds, shown as ms.

Packet loss occurs when some of the data being sent does not reach its destination. Even a small amount of packet loss can affect real-time applications.

Jitter is the variation in latency between packets. A connection can have a reasonable average latency but still perform poorly if the delay changes constantly.

Common symptoms

Packet loss or unstable latency may cause:

• Video meetings that freeze or disconnect
• Robotic or broken audio during calls
• Voice-over-IP calls that cut out
• VPN sessions that disconnect
• Remote desktop sessions that lag or freeze
• Cloud applications that respond slowly
• Online systems that repeatedly time out
• Brief internet interruptions without a full outage

Check whether the problem affects everyone

Before running tests, confirm the extent of the problem.

• Are all users affected, or only one person?
• Are both wired and Wi-Fi users affected?
• Does the issue affect every website and application?
• Is the problem limited to a VPN, cloud platform or remote server?
• Does it happen continuously or only at certain times?
• Did the problem begin after a power failure, network change or equipment replacement?

If only one device or application is affected, the internet connection itself may still be operating normally.

Test using an Ethernet connection

Where possible, perform the tests from a computer connected directly to the router or network using an Ethernet cable.

Wi-Fi results can be affected by:

• Distance from the access point
• Walls and building materials
• Wireless interference
• Too many connected devices
• Weak signal strength
• Mesh or range-extender performance

If the problem only occurs over Wi-Fi, see What is wireless interference and how can I reduce it?

Run a continuous ping test

A continuous ping test can help identify delay, packet loss and brief connection interruptions.

On Windows

1. Press Windows Key + R.
2. Type cmd and press Enter.
3. Enter the following command:

ping 1.1.1.1 -t

Allow the test to run for at least five minutes. Press Ctrl + C to stop it and display the results.

On macOS or Linux

Open Terminal and enter:

ping 1.1.1.1

Press Control + C to stop the test.

What should I look for in the ping results?

Review the following:

• Packet loss: The result should ideally show 0% loss.
• Response time: Large or sudden increases may indicate unstable latency.
• Request timed out: Repeated timeouts may indicate packet loss or a temporary interruption.
• Inconsistent results: Responses that jump frequently between low and very high values may indicate jitter or congestion.

Latency depends on the destination being tested. A nearby South African server should generally respond faster than an international server, so compare like-for-like results.

Test the local network separately

It is useful to test the router as well as an internet destination. This helps identify whether the problem begins inside the premises.

On many networks, the router address is one of the following:

192.168.0.1
192.168.1.1
192.168.88.1

Run a continuous ping to the router using the correct local address:

ping 192.168.1.1 -t

If the ping to the router shows loss or unstable response times, the likely issue may be within the local network, Wi-Fi connection, switch, cable or computer.

If the local-router test is stable but the internet test is not, the fault may be further upstream.

Run a traceroute

A traceroute shows the route traffic takes to reach a destination. It may help identify where delays or failures begin.

See How do I perform a traceroute? for step-by-step instructions.

A single slow or unresponsive hop does not always confirm a fault. Some network devices reduce the priority of traceroute responses while still passing normal traffic correctly. PacketSky will interpret the complete results together with your other tests.

Run an accurate speed test

Packet loss and high latency are not always caused by insufficient line speed, but a cabled speed test provides useful additional information.

Before testing:

• Connect using Ethernet where possible
• Pause large downloads and backups
• Disconnect VPN software temporarily
• Close unnecessary applications
• Confirm that other users are not heavily using the connection

See How do I perform an accurate internet speed test?

Check for heavy network usage

High latency can occur when the connection is heavily utilised, especially during large uploads.

Common causes include:

• Cloud backups
• Large file uploads
• Operating-system updates
• CCTV systems uploading footage
• Multiple video meetings
• File synchronisation services
• Guest Wi-Fi traffic
• Large downloads or streaming

If the problem only occurs during busy periods, note the time and check whether heavy upload or download traffic is taking place.

Check whether the issue is destination-specific

Test more than one service or destination.

For example:

• Try several websites
• Test another cloud platform
• Compare local and international destinations
• Disconnect from the VPN and test again
• Try the affected service from a mobile hotspot

If only one application or remote server is affected, the problem may be with that provider, its hosting environment, a VPN configuration or the route to that specific destination.

What should I send PacketSky?

When reporting the fault, include:

• Business name and affected site
• Date and time the issue occurred
• Whether all users are affected
• Whether wired and Wi-Fi users are affected
• The applications or services affected
• Screenshots of continuous ping results
• Traceroute results
• Speed-test results
• Whether the problem occurs continuously or intermittently
• Any recent power, cabling or network changes

Where possible, run the tests while the problem is happening. Results captured after the connection has returned to normal may not show the cause.

See What information should I provide when reporting a business internet fault? for the full reporting checklist.

Log a support ticket

Submit the test results and fault details through the PacketSky Customer Portal.

For instructions, see How do I log a support ticket in the PacketSky Customer Portal?

How PacketSky uses the results

PacketSky will review the tests to determine whether the likely problem is:

• Inside the customer’s local network
• Related to Wi-Fi or internal cabling
• At the router or access circuit
• On the Fibre Network Operator’s network
• Related to congestion or heavy utilisation
• Specific to a remote service, application or route

Clear timestamps and test results allow our support team to compare what the customer experienced with the network information available at the same time.