If you‘re responsible for managing a computer network, you know how important it is to maintain fast, reliable and stable connectivity at all times. However, despite your best efforts and investment in quality hardware and high-speed internet, you may still encounter frustrating issues like lagging, dropped connections, and poor application performance. More often than not, these problems are caused by packet loss.
In this guide, we‘ll take a close look at what packet loss is, what causes it, and most importantly – how you can detect, measure and troubleshoot it using packet loss testing tools. Whether you‘re a network administrator, IT manager, or just curious to learn, you‘ll discover the top solutions available and get practical tips to optimize your network. Let‘s dive in!
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Understanding Packets and Packet Loss
Before we explore the tools, let‘s make sure we‘re on the same page about some fundamental concepts. Data packets are small units of data that are transmitted over a network. Think of them as envelopes containing pieces of information. When you send an email, stream a video, or do anything else online, that data is broken up into packets before being shipped out.
Packets travel from the source to their destination across a network, often passing through multiple "hops" along the way – like different post offices processing mail. Once all the packets arrive, they are reassembled into the original message or file.
However, sometimes packets can get lost, damaged or delayed in transit, just like physical mail. When this happens, it‘s called packet loss. Packet loss is measured as a percentage of packets that don‘t make it to their destination.
Some common causes of packet loss include:
- Network congestion and bandwidth limitations
- Hardware issues like bad cables, ports, routers, etc.
- Software bugs, misconfigurations, or outdated drivers
- Wireless interference and weak WiFi signals
- Security threats like DDoS attacks overwhelming the network
The Business Impact of Packet Loss
Now you might be wondering, what‘s the big deal about a few lost packets? The problem is that even small amounts of packet loss can have a big impact on network performance and disrupt your business.
Packet loss can cause:
- Slow file downloads and uploads
- Stuttering video and audio in streaming or video conferencing
- Laggy VoIP calls and poor voice quality
- Rubber-banding and disconnects in online gaming
- Delays in real-time, interactive applications
- Higher CPU usage and more network overhead to process lost packets
All of this translates to frustrated end-users, reduced employee productivity, and potential loss of sales or customers. Not to mention the wasted time spent troubleshooting network problems. That‘s why it‘s critical to proactively monitor packet loss and address issues before they impact the business.
Top 10 Packet Loss Testing Tools
So what‘s the best way to test for packet loss? Using a dedicated packet loss testing tool will allow you to accurately measure loss rates, pinpoint problem areas in the network, and identify the root cause. Here are our top 10 recommended tools:
1. Paessler PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG is a powerful, all-in-one network monitoring solution that includes built-in sensors for packet loss testing. It allows you to continuously monitor loss rates across all your devices and applications.
Key features:
- Supports multiple methods like Ping, Cisco IP SLA, and QoS Round Trip to measure packet loss
- Provides real-time alerts when packet loss exceeds customizable thresholds
- Correlates packet loss with other metrics like CPU load, traffic spikes, etc. to identify root causes
- Automatically discovers devices and configures sensors using more than 200 pre-built templates
- Intuitive web interface and customizable dashboards for different user roles
Pricing: Starts at $1750 for 500 sensors, with a free 30-day trial
Platforms: Windows
2. SolarWinds VoIP & Network Quality Manager
SolarWinds VNQM is a deep packet inspection tool focused on maintaining the network quality needed to deliver VoIP and other real-time communications. It provides advanced packet loss monitoring and analysis capabilities.
Key features:
- Collects packet loss, latency and jitter metrics from Cisco and Avaya call management systems
- Visualizes end-to-end network paths and quality using dynamic call path graphs
- Intelligently correlates call issues with broader network performance metrics for faster troubleshooting
- Generates alerts when packet loss affects VoIP quality based on configurable thresholds
- Provides vendors-specific remediation steps to resolve packet loss problems
Pricing: Starts at $1,583, with a free 30-day trial
Platforms: Windows
3. ManageEngine OpManager
OpManager is another comprehensive network monitoring platform that offers packet loss testing as part of its suite of tools. It combines packet loss insights with other key performance indicators.
Key features:
- Tracks packet loss rates for critical network paths and WAN links
- Intelligent alerting on packet loss issues with multi-level escalation and workflows
- Presents packet loss data alongside bandwidth usage, errors, discards and more on a single console
- Automatically generates packet loss reports for different time periods and recipients
- Mobile apps for monitoring packet loss and network health on the go
Pricing: Starts at $245 for 25 devices, with a free version available
Platforms: Windows and Linux
4. Omnipeek Network Protocol Analyzer
Omnipeek is a powerful packet capture and analysis tool that provides granular visibility into network traffic and packet loss. It‘s designed for in-depth troubleshooting rather than continuous monitoring.
Key features:
- Performs live packet captures from multiple network points and decodes over 1000 protocols
- Applies expert analysis to captured packets to measure loss rates and locate missing packets
- Visualizes traffic flows and bandwidth consumption to identify network congestion
- Reconstructs application and VoIP sessions to assess the impact of packet loss
- Filters packet data and creates custom reports for specific investigations
Pricing: Starts at $1395 for a single license
Platforms: Windows
5. Ping Plotter
Ping Plotter is a graphical traceroute and ping utility that charts packet loss over time. It focuses on long-term packet loss monitoring and analysis.
Key features:
- Continually tracks packet loss and latency on the routes to specified target hosts
- Generates graphs of packet loss patterns and variability for up to months at a time
- Correlates loss with trace route changes to pinpoint problematic network hops
- Offers tabular and timeline views to slice packet loss data in different ways
- Can export packet loss reports in shareable text and image formats
Pricing: Starts at $39.99, with a free version available
Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
6. Cisco IP SLA
Cisco IP SLA is an embedded monitoring tool available on many Cisco routers and switches. It allows you to generate active traffic to measure packet loss and other network metrics.
Key features:
- Simulates real application traffic using UDP jitter probes to assess packet loss
- Tracks one and two-way packet loss metrics between network endpoints
- Measures loss by QoS class to ensure service levels for priority applications
- Integrates with Cisco IOS IP SLA responder for loss monitoring on non-Cisco devices
- Provides command line and SNMP access to packet loss data
Pricing: Included with Cisco devices and IOS software
Platforms: Cisco network devices
7. Two Trees PingInfoView
PingInfoView is a simple, free Windows utility that lets you ping multiple hosts simultaneously and measures packet loss over time. It‘s a quick and easy tool for basic loss testing.
Key features:
- Continuously pings a list of IP addresses or host names at a set interval
- Displays sent, received and lost packet counts for each target in a table
- Highlights hosts that exceed a specified loss percentage in a different color
- Allows you to copy, export or save all or selected ping results
- Can run in the background and log data to file
Pricing: Freeware
Platforms: Windows
8. NetQCheck
NetQCheck is a lightweight tool that runs in any web browser to measure packet loss, latency and jitter. It uses modern WebRTC capabilities to simulate VoIP traffic.
Key features:
- Performs packet loss tests to any destination right from a web page
- Supports advanced settings like packet rate, duration, and acceptable loss percentage
- Measures one-way and round-trip packet loss with geographic latency breakdown
- Approximates MOS scores to quantify the impact of packet loss on VoIP quality
- Visualizes results on graphs and provides a shareable test report link
Pricing: Free
Platforms: Any modern web browser
9. Packet Loss Test Online
Packet Loss Test Online is another browser-based utility that measures packet loss between your device and global test nodes. It provides a quick way to check regional loss rates.
Key features:
- Tests packet loss from your location to dozens of worldwide servers
- Requires no installation and works on any device with a web browser
- Uses WebSocket protocol to transmit and track test packets
- Specifies packet loss as a percentage along with ping response times
- Allows you to compare loss results from multiple test nodes
Pricing: Free
Platforms: Any modern web browser
10. Netrounds
Netrounds is a software-based network performance monitoring and testing tool that replicates real user transactions to measure their quality. It includes advanced packet loss testing capabilities.
Key features:
- Deploys software agents to source/destination pairs to generate and monitor test traffic
- Emulates actual application packets and measures loss, delay, jitter and more
- Enables programmable test intervals, thresholds, and reactions to loss events
- Integrates packet loss and network service quality data with orchestration and trouble ticketing systems
- Offers hands-free, automated packet loss testing as part of CI/CD pipelines
Pricing: Not publicly available
Platforms: Windows and Linux
Tips for Preventing Packet Loss
In addition to using these packet loss testing tools to detect and troubleshoot issues, there are some proactive steps you can take to minimize packet loss in the first place:
- Ensure network devices are not overburdened by distributing traffic and enabling QoS
- Implement redundancy for critical network components to avoid single points of failure
- Use network monitoring tools to track utilization and preempt congestion-related loss
- Perform regular maintenance on network hardware and keep software/firmware up-to-date
- Correct any cabling or configuration errors that could cause physical layer loss
- Eliminate sources of wireless interference and ensure strong, consistent WiFi coverage
- Protect against malicious traffic and security threats that can overwhelm the network
Conclusion
We‘ve covered a lot of ground in this guide, from understanding packet loss fundamentals to evaluating the top testing tools and learning prevention tactics. Equipped with this knowledge, you‘re well on your way to keeping packet loss in check and ensuring a high-performing network.
Remember, proactively monitoring packet loss and jumping on issues quickly is key to delivering great user experiences and maintaining IT productivity. Don‘t let packet loss slow you down—grab one of these powerful tools and take control of your network quality today!