Packet Loss Test
An approximate, browser-based check for dropped requests — the dropped-data problem behind stutter, frozen video and dropped calls.
Packet loss check
Sends a burst of small requests and counts how many fail or time out. HTTP-based, not ICMP — see the note below.
Idle — press “Run loss test” to send a burst of probe requests.
How this works: browsers cannot send raw ICMP pings, so this is an approximation. We fire many short HTTP requests and count those that error or exceed a timeout as “lost”. Treat it as an indicator, not a forensic measurement.
What this test measures
Packet loss is data that leaves your device but never reaches its destination — or never makes it back. Unlike a slow download, you can't feel loss as “slowness”; instead it shows up as a frozen video frame, a word cut out of a sentence, or a character teleporting in a game. This check sends a rapid burst of lightweight requests to api.speedtest.doctor and counts how many fail or time out, giving you an approximate loss percentage. Because it runs over HTTP rather than ICMP, it is best used as an early-warning indicator: if it shows loss, something on the path is genuinely dropping traffic and is worth chasing down.
How to read your result
| Loss | Verdict | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Excellent | Nothing is being dropped |
| < 1% | Good | Usually unnoticeable |
| 1–2.5% | Fair | Calls and games start to suffer |
| > 2.5% | Poor | Frozen video, dropped audio, stutter |
Seeing loss? Run the test again on a wired connection. If wired is clean but Wi-Fi drops packets, your local network is the culprit. If it persists while wired, pair this with the jitter test and the long-run stability test to gather evidence before you contact your ISP.
Frequently asked questions
- What is packet loss?
- Packet loss happens when data sent across the network never arrives and has to be resent. Even a small amount — 1–2% — causes stutter in games, frozen video and dropped audio on calls, because real-time apps can't wait for the missing pieces.
- Is this a real ICMP packet loss test?
- No. Browsers can't send raw ICMP pings, so this tool approximates loss by sending many small HTTP requests and counting how many fail or time out. It's a useful indicator, but for forensic results a wired tool like ping or PingPlotter is more precise.
- What counts as acceptable packet loss?
- Ideally 0%. Under 1% is usually unnoticeable for browsing, 1–2.5% is fair but will affect calls and games, and anything above that points to a real problem with your Wi-Fi, cabling, router or ISP.
- What causes packet loss?
- Common causes are weak or congested Wi-Fi, faulty cables or connectors, an overloaded router, or congestion/faults upstream at your ISP. Testing wired versus Wi-Fi quickly narrows down whether the problem is local.
Losing packets? Get the full picture
Packet loss rarely travels alone. The Doctor combines loss, jitter, latency under load and throughput into one verdict — and tells you whether it's your Wi-Fi, cabling, router or ISP, plus how to fix it.