What Is VoIP Lag?
In Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, sound is converted into a digital message and transmitted as data packets over a network, such as the Internet. "VoIP lag" is a term used to describe a delay in VoIP transmission that forces you to wait to hear a reply from your interlocutor.
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Causes
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Lag is caused by a delay in the delivery of data packets. It may be that the Internet service you subscribe to doesn't have sufficient bandwidth to get all the data through promptly. Or the routers on the link may be overloaded, forcing the traveling packets to compete for resources. If a router through which the packets are delivered is damaged, they may have to be re-routed, thus causing a lag.
Other Factors
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"Packet loss" occurs when a piece of data has to be resent because it did not arrive in time. Generally, VoIP services do not resend lost packets, and so packet loss will result in gaps rather than delay. Wherever there is lag, there is echo. Another possible cause of lag is "jitter," a term used to describe the irregularity of packets arriving at a computer. The VoIP software will buffer incoming packets to read them at regular speed, causing delays if the buffer size is set too large.
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Solutions
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Most of the solutions to VoIP lag are out of the user's control. One factor the user can influence is the amount of bandwidth available. Increasing your bandwidth will reduce lag.
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References
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