What is jitter and how much is too much?

Jitter is the inconsistency in how data travels over a network. It happens when there’s is a time delay in the sending of data packets over your network connection to your device and is usually caused by network congestion, timing drift or route changes. 

Jitter can cause a display monitor to flicker, affect the ability of the processor in a desktop or serve, introduce clicks or other undesired effects in audio signals, and lead to data being lost between network devices.  

When you’re online, whether you’re playing a game, making a video call, or streaming a movie, your device sends and receives small packets of data. Ideally, these packets arrive in a steady, even stream so that your online experience stays nice and smooth. 

But when jitter happens, it can disrupt the process of these data packets and lead to stutters in your internet connection. For example, in a video call, jitter might make someone’s voice sound choppy or out of sync with their video. For gamers, it can cause delays or erratic movements, making it hard to play effectively.  

The more jitter there is, the more noticeable and frustrating these issues become, so keeping jitter low is the key to a reliable and seamless online experience. 

Lots of things can cause jitter. But it’s usually because something is interrupting your connection with your network. Some of the most common causes include:  

1. Network Congestion 

One of the most common causes of jitter is network congestion. This happens when too many devices are trying to use the same network at once, like during peak internet hours. Data packets slow down or take longer to get through because there’s simply not enough bandwidth to handle everything smoothly. This congestion can cause delays or uneven arrival times for the data packets, leading to jitter. 

2. Timing Drift 

Timing drift happens when devices on the network aren’t perfectly synchronised with each other. Networks rely on precise timing to send and receive data, and if there’s even a small mismatch, packets might arrive at irregular intervals. This can happen due to technical glitches, differences in device clocks, or issues with how data is queued for transmission. 

3. Route Changes 

Data packets travel across the internet through a series of “hops” between routers. Sometimes, the route that packets take can change unexpectedly, either because of network maintenance or problems along the usual path. These sudden detours can increase the time it takes for packets to reach their destination, and when packets take different routes, they can arrive at different times, causing jitter. 

4. WiFi Interference 

Wireless connections, like WiFi, are more prone to interference than wired ones. Devices such as microwaves, baby monitors, and even other WiFi networks can interfere with your signal. When interference occurs, packets might be delayed or need to be retransmitted, creating inconsistencies in how data flows. 

5. Outdated or Overloaded Hardware 

Using older routers, modems, or devices that can’t handle modern internet speeds can also cause jitter. These devices might struggle to process and forward data packets efficiently. Similarly, if your router or device is overloaded - like when multiple people are streaming, gaming, and browsing at the same time - it can lead to uneven data delivery and then jitter.  

A good target for jitter is typically under 30ms. At this level, the data packets arrive in a smooth, even flow, which is important for things like online gaming, video calls, or streaming. You won’t experience much lag or disruption in your experience. 

If jitter is higher than 30ms but below 50ms, you might start noticing some issues, especially in real-time activities like gaming or video conferencing. The delay can cause a slight disruption in your connection, leading to as choppy video or a delay in character movements in a game.  

Anything above 50ms is generally considered a bad jitter speed, causing noticeable lag, delays and choppy audio or video performance. You may experience freezing, pixelation and frustrating out of sync issues during video streaming or calls. Gaming responsiveness will suffer too. 

For the best performance, aiming for a jitter measurement as close to zero as possible is ideal. This means data packets are arriving with little to no delay, which means you’ll get a seamless and smooth experience when you’re online.  

If you consistently get high jitter results from broadband speed tests, it indicates an unstable connection needing troubleshooting. Checking your broadband router stats can help determine if the issue is within your home network. 

If you're curious the jitter speed on your device, you can measure your broadband jitter using our helpful broadband speed test.  

This will test your jitter, upload and download speed, and latency by mimicking your online activities and testing how long it takes. . If the jitter is lower than 30ms, you’re good to go! If it’s high, you may want to look into ways to improve your connection. 

A jitter buffer is a tool or feature that temporarily stores incoming data packets before delivering them to the recipient. By holding onto packets for a short time, it ensures they are delivered in the correct order and at consistent intervals, even if they arrive unevenly due to jitter. 

When data packets travel over the internet, they don’t always take the same path or arrive at the same speed. Without a jitter buffer, these delays can cause choppy audio, video lag, or dropped frames. The jitter buffer smooths out these irregularities by waiting a fraction of a second to collect packets, aligning them in the proper sequence before sending them on. This small delay helps provide a seamless, uninterrupted experience. 

A jitter buffer can help improve your online experience if your have moderate levels of buffering and jitter, but it does have a limit. If the jitter is too high or packets arrive too late, even the buffer can’t compensate and you’ll probably still noticeable disruptions.  

In that case, you’ll need look at ways to reduce your jitter speed, such as by upgrading your router or switch to a faster broadband package. Use our helpful postcode checker to see what’s available in your area.  

A jitter buffer can help improve your online experience if your have moderate levels of buffering and jitter, but it does have a limit. If the jitter is too high or packets arrive too late, even the buffer can’t compensate and you’ll probably still noticeable disruptions.  

In that case, you’ll need look at ways to reduce your jitter speed, such as by upgrading your router or switch to a faster broadband package. Use our helpful postcode checker to see what’s available in your area.  

Thanks to One Touch Switch, it’s now easier than ever before to our superfast fibre broadband deals and put jitter to bed for good.  

Use our helpful postcode checker to see what packages are available in your area.