Average ping speed varies depending on the type of connection being used and how far apart the two communicating devices are from each other. Without counting for global distances, the average ping speed for two computers on a local network is less than 10ms, whereas a broadband Internet connection has a ping of less than 100ms on average and a dial-up Internet connection averages a ping of about 200ms. Average ping speed can greatly vary if the two devices are in the same town or halfway across the world.
Ping Speed
Ping speed is a measurement of how long it takes a computer or computer-like device to send a message to another device over a network and receive a return message. Pinging another device is like calling someone and saying "hello" and waiting for them to, hopefully, say "hello" back. At its core, pinging is a way for devices to say "Hey, I'm here" to each other. Ping is just one measurement of Internet speed: it doesn't measure how much data is transferred at once or how quickly it is downloaded, merely the time it takes for the data to get from one point to another.
When is Ping Important or a Problem
Ping is important if you have two devices that are actively interacting with each other in real-time activities such as a teleconference or a video game. If you are doing things like downloading large files, sending emails, viewing websites and streaming online content, a fast ping speed isn't very important as it really only affects the split-second it takes for the content to start working. The lower the ping speed, the less time the devices need to update between interactions: if you have a ping that's less than 200ms, those five updates a second make the experience seamless. According to computer software company PC Pitstop, a ping that's more than 500ms should only apply in trans-continental communication: otherwise it's an indication of a network problem.
Broadband Ping
Broadband Internet connections have an average ping of around 100ms, but they can see ping speeds that are substantially faster, hovering in the low-to-mid double digits. According to website monitoring company Royal Pingdom, a theoretical, best-case ping could circumnavigate the planet in just 133ms. The difference in broadband ping speeds is contingent on the network's health and doesn't have to deal with a lower-speed connection that limits the ping speed like a dial-up connection.
Dial-up Ping
The average dial-up Internet connection ping speed is around 200ms, but it can go substantially higher if the two devices are continents apart. Dial-up ping speeds can dip below 200ms when communicating with nearby devices. Dial-up ping speeds are relatively consistent because they all share the slower connection speed of the phone connection: once they get to the server, the ping speed between the server and other online devices is the same as a broadband connection's.
Network Ping
Local network ping can be faster than a millisecond and shouldn't fall below 10ms. According to Royal Pingdom, a device in New York can ping one in Paris in about 40ms; that puts into perspective how quickly two devices that are just rooms apart can communicate with each other.
Ping Speed
Ping speed is a measurement of how long it takes a computer or computer-like device to send a message to another device over a network and receive a return message. Pinging another device is like calling someone and saying "hello" and waiting for them to, hopefully, say "hello" back. At its core, pinging is a way for devices to say "Hey, I'm here" to each other. Ping is just one measurement of Internet speed: it doesn't measure how much data is transferred at once or how quickly it is downloaded, merely the time it takes for the data to get from one point to another.
When is Ping Important or a Problem
Ping is important if you have two devices that are actively interacting with each other in real-time activities such as a teleconference or a video game. If you are doing things like downloading large files, sending emails, viewing websites and streaming online content, a fast ping speed isn't very important as it really only affects the split-second it takes for the content to start working. The lower the ping speed, the less time the devices need to update between interactions: if you have a ping that's less than 200ms, those five updates a second make the experience seamless. According to computer software company PC Pitstop, a ping that's more than 500ms should only apply in trans-continental communication: otherwise it's an indication of a network problem.
Broadband Ping
Broadband Internet connections have an average ping of around 100ms, but they can see ping speeds that are substantially faster, hovering in the low-to-mid double digits. According to website monitoring company Royal Pingdom, a theoretical, best-case ping could circumnavigate the planet in just 133ms. The difference in broadband ping speeds is contingent on the network's health and doesn't have to deal with a lower-speed connection that limits the ping speed like a dial-up connection.
Dial-up Ping
The average dial-up Internet connection ping speed is around 200ms, but it can go substantially higher if the two devices are continents apart. Dial-up ping speeds can dip below 200ms when communicating with nearby devices. Dial-up ping speeds are relatively consistent because they all share the slower connection speed of the phone connection: once they get to the server, the ping speed between the server and other online devices is the same as a broadband connection's.
Network Ping
Local network ping can be faster than a millisecond and shouldn't fall below 10ms. According to Royal Pingdom, a device in New York can ping one in Paris in about 40ms; that puts into perspective how quickly two devices that are just rooms apart can communicate with each other.