Why Speed Test looks good, but VoIP calls suffer from Packet Loss

It's a common frustration when a speed test looks good, but VoIP calls suffer from packet loss.

Firstly, it is important to understand the key differences between the Speed tests and VoIP calls.

Speed tests primarily measure bandwidth (the maximum data transfer rate) using large file transfers (often HTTP or FTP-like protocols). They are designed to overload your connection quickly to see its peak performance.

VoIP relies on the consistent and timely delivery of small packets of data in real-time. It's much more sensitive to factors like latency, jitter, and packet loss.

To reiterate, speed tests are short bursts of activity where a good result indicates your connection can achieve a certain speed at that moment.

VoIP requires a stable connection for the entire duration of the call. Even brief periods of network congestion or instability can lead to noticeable packet loss.

Furthermore, a big impact might have a server location and network path. Speed tests often connect to a nearby server, providing a relatively short and optimized network path.

VoIP packets have to travel to the Ringotel servers, which could be further away and involve more network hops, increasing the chances of encountering congestion or issues along the way. For example, the internet service provider (ISP) might be experiencing intermittent congestion or network problems that don't last long enough to be detected by a short speed test. Moreover, VoIP relies heavily on a stable upstream connection (sending data), which might be experiencing congestion even if download speeds are good.

More possible reasons for packet loss.

• Congestion: The Wi-Fi network might be congested with other devices (laptops, streaming services, smart devices) using bandwidth, especially during peak hours.

• Interference: Other wireless devices (microwaves, Bluetooth devices, neighboring Wi-Fi networks) can interfere with the Wi-Fi signal, leading to dropped packets.

• Weak Signal: The user’s device might be too far from the Wi-Fi router or have obstructions in between, resulting in a weak and unstable connection.

• Router Issues: The router itself might be outdated, have firmware issues, or be misconfigured, leading to poor performance for real-time applications.

• QoS (Quality of Service) Not Configured: The router might not be prioritizing VoIP traffic, allowing other data to consume bandwidth needed for smooth calls.

• Faulty Ethernet Cable: A damaged or low-quality Ethernet cable can cause intermittent connectivity problems and packet loss.

• Network Interface Card (NIC) Issues: The network card in the user’s device might have driver problems or be malfunctioning.

• Device issues: The device running the app (especially older or less powerful devices) might be struggling to handle the real-time audio processing, leading to dropped packets.

Troubleshooting steps to suggest to the user.

1. Focus on the device's connection:

   • If using Wi-Fi:

     • Move the device closer to the router.

     • Try connecting to a different Wi-Fi band (2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz). The 5 GHz band is generally less congested but has a shorter range.

     • Try connecting to a different network (Wi-Fi) or mobile data.

     • Minimize interference by turning off or moving other wireless devices.

     • Restart the Wi-Fi router and modem.

   • If using Ethernet:

     • Try a different Ethernet cable.

     • Ensure the cable is securely plugged into both the device and the router.

2. Test VoIP on a Different Device (if possible): See if the packet loss issue persists on another computer or mobile device on the same network. This can help determine if the problem is specific to the original device.

3. Run Continuous Ping Tests:

   • Open the Command Prompt (on Windows) or Terminal (on macOS).

   • Ping a reliable external server (e.g., ping 8.8.8.8 -t for Google's DNS). The -t command makes the ping continuous.

   • Observe the results for "Request timed out" or high latency spikes, which can indicate intermittent connection problems not captured by a short speed test.

4. Check Router Settings:

   • Access the router's configuration page (usually by typing its IP address into a web browser).

   • Look for QoS settings and ensure VoIP traffic is being prioritized (you might need the VoIP service provider's recommendations for port numbers or protocols to prioritize).

   • Check for firmware updates for the router and update if necessary.

5. Temporarily Close Other Network-Intensive Applications: See if the packet loss improves when other programs using the internet (streaming, large downloads, online games) are closed.

If you are still experiencing packet loss issues during the calls via the Ringotel app, please reach out to our support team at support@ringotel.co and we will gladly help.