How to Test Network and Internet Latency (Lag)

in Microsoft Windows
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Have you just connected a Windows PC to a network or the Internet? Want to know the easiest way to
check connectivity? Both the "ping" and "tracert" commands will help you measure latency, also known
as "lag." Follow these steps to test your internet latency.
Steps
1.
1
Go to Start > Run and type cmd. You can also search for cmd.exe in the Windows Search function.
Steps
1.
1
Go to Start > Run and type cmd. You can also search for cmd.exe in the Windows Search function.
Ad
2.
2
Press OK to launch Windows Command. This is the default command-line interface for Windows

3
Test the loop-back address.
Type ping 127.0.0.1 (it is the same for every computer, so you do not need to change this). This
will test your computer's network chip, not your modem, router, or Internet connection.

Press Enter to begin pinging.

Place -t at the end of the command to perform continuous testing.

To exit continuous testing, press Ctrl+C.

Place -n 20 at the end of the command to send 20 pings. Replace the number 20 with any value
(the value will be limited to a 32-bit or 64-bit integer).

If everything is correct, you will see something like:

Look at the ping statistics. They should report a 0% loss.

Keep an eye on the response time, as it represents the connection's latency between you and the
server. Double digit values (such as 50ms, or lower) are very good. This varies drastically
depending upon where the server is in relation to your computer. Generally, most connections
should have latency less than a few hundred milliseconds. If there is no network connection, you
will see the output "Request timed out" repeated.

4
Test your local gateway. Find your default gateway's IP address:
Type ipconfig in the command prompt window.

Press Enter. The command prompt will then display the output from the ipconfig command.

Find the listing for "Default Gateway". This is the IP you can use in a ping to test the connection
between your computer and your router or ISP.



5
Test beyond your local network. Test the connectivity of your modem, router, network, or internet
connection by using an IP address on the Internet.


6
Check domain name resolution. Instead of an IP address, type in a site's domain name, such as
www.google.com. Pinging a domain name tests your computer and network's ability to resolve network
names (translating them to IP addresses).
7
Measure network and internet performance (Windows NT, 2000, XP, and Vista only). Use the
tracert command to measure the response of each hop in a network path. Your connection to any one
server will require multiple "hops" between other servers and networking components. The fewer
number of hops, the better. Most connections to a server on the Internet will include at least a dozen
hops. To test:
With the command prompt open, type tracert xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, replacing xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx with
an IP address on the internet.

Press Enter and watch as each hop is pinged and logged. The first ping should be your computer,
modem, or router, and the last ping should be your target address.

Notice that the response time for points farther away from you will be greater than those closer
to you.

Tips
Once you're finished using either the PING command or the TRACERT command, you can close the
Command Prompt window by typing "exit", without the quotes.
Another way to start Command Prompt is by navigating to Start > (All) Programs > Accessories >
Command Prompt.
If you use a dial-up connection, then you may see higher latencies or even lost packets (% loss).
You can also run a remote PING
[1]
or TRACEROUTE.
[2]
This allows you to ping an IP address or computer
from a computer other than yours to see if the problem may be associated with your local connection
rather than the IP Address you are trying to connect to.
Warnings
Some servers on the Internet block your ability to 'ping' them. These network points are blocking your
request for a ping to promote their own security.