---
title: "How to test packet loss when calls freeze or games lag · Kilobat Guides"
url: "https://kilobat.app/guides/internet-packet-loss-test"
description: "Compare router and internet checks, record missing replies and latency, and avoid mistaking a ping timeout for proof your ISP is at fault."
---

# How to test packet loss when calls freeze or games lag

Missing replies can help investigate intermittent problems. They are evidence about a particular probe and target, not a complete record of application traffic.

Applies to: Home internet on Windows, macOS, phones and tablets. No Kilobat account or app required. · Checked: 3 November 2026

## When this helps

- Calls lose audio or games pause for a moment.
- A speed test finishes normally but your connection still feels unreliable.

## Compare the router with the internet

1. Find your router or default gateway in the device’s network settings.
2. Use your system’s ping tool to check that gateway during the problem.
3. Compare more than one internet target that normally answers your checks.
4. Record the time, target, reply count and connection type. Stop after a short, useful sample.

## How to interpret missing replies

| Observation | What it suggests | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Router and internet both miss replies | Investigate the local link or router | That the provider caused the loss |
| Router replies, internet targets struggle | Investigate beyond the local wireless link | Which upstream network is responsible |
| Only one target misses replies | Target behaviour or its route | Loss across all internet traffic |
| One traceroute hop is silent | That hop may limit diagnostic replies | Loss if later hops reply normally |

## Reproduce it before changing settings

Repeat with Ethernet if available. Note whether the interruption also occurs on another device.

Some routers and destinations ignore or limit ping replies. Compare the diagnostic result with the application’s actual behaviour.

Mac users can follow the [built-in ping commands](https://kilobat.app/guides/packet-loss-mac). On other systems, use the equivalent system tool or your router’s diagnostics.

## What to save for your provider

Use a spreadsheet, screenshots or handwritten notes. Keep your original results; a summary is easier to assess alongside the underlying measurements.

1. Record the date, local time, device, connection type and test server.
2. Save download, upload and latency results, plus the symptom you noticed.
3. Note active downloads, uploads and VPN use. Repeat the same setup at a different time.

## Still stuck?

You can ask for help at [ping@kilobat.app](https://kilobat.app/internet-problems#ask). Send your symptoms and reviewed test results, with or without Kilobat.

## Sources

- [Cloudflare: what a speed test measures](https://speed.cloudflare.com/about/)

Checked on 3 November 2026.

## Related guides

- [Test for packet loss on a Mac with ping](https://kilobat.app/guides/packet-loss-mac): Packet loss makes calls break up and pages stall.
- [Speed test fast but internet slow? Check latency, DNS and the service](https://kilobat.app/guides/speed-test-fast-internet-slow): A speed test measures transfers to one test service.
- [Slow internet complaint letter: a template with the evidence to attach](https://kilobat.app/guides/broadband-complaint-letter): A useful complaint says what happened, how you tested it and what you want the provider to do next.