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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/tech-network-latency-delay

What does network latency measure?

Latency measures the time data takes to travel.

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  1. The maximum data rate a link can carry
  2. The number of routers on the path
  3. The time data takes to travel ✔

Why: Latency is delay between sending data and its arrival, commonly measured in milliseconds. A connection can have high bandwidth yet still feel sluggish when its latency is high.

Huh, didn't know that: Interactive voice, games, and remote controls are especially sensitive to delay.

The dad joke
Latency arrived late, which was perfectly on brand.
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References

Answer: The time data takes to travel. Latency is delay between sending data and its arrival, commonly measured in milliseconds. A connection can have high bandwidth yet still feel sluggish when its latency is high.

  1. AWS: What Is Network Bandwidth? aws.amazon.com/what-is/network-bandwidth
    Latency is the time it takes for data to travel across a network.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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