How to Check Link Loss (Using WinMTR)
There are cases when the IP phone or the softphone is offline, the call is disconnected, hearing delays, etc., but in the settings everything is correct and, at first sight,, the problem is not visible. After checking the settings, the second step is to check the Internet connection. We will do it using WinMTR as an example (this is the name of a computer program that combines the functions of traceroute and ping programs in one network diagnostic tool).
You can download it from google.com by simply opening its title in the search bar winmtr
Next, a simple installation process, and when you open the program, the following window appeared:
We want to check the loss on the route from our working computer to the communication server. In the Host field, write the server address – cstat.nextel.com.ua. It will look like this:
And press the button Start:
In the Hostname column, we see all the network nodes that the packet passes from our computer to the server (I covered up my route, each one will have an individual one with a different number of steps). In particular, we are interested in the columns highlighted in the screenshot with a red rectangle:
- Loss – shows the percentage of lost packets from the total number of packets sent;
- Sent – the number of sent packets;
- Recv – number of received packets.
In this example, the number of packets is 27, in general we recommend setting it to 1000-2000 packets, and monitor the situation (are there any lost packets in the Loss column and at what step).
When everything is bad, the picture will look like this:
This is a critical situation when there is no Internet at all. In the event of a bad network or network failures, the percentage of lost packets, which can significantly affect the efficiency of the workflow, starts at 5%. Ideally, the percentage of losses should not exceed 1-2% of the total.
If at some step you notice, for example, 40% losses, it’s time to contact your Internet provider and ask him to change the route to us (do not worry if you are not technically savvy, when you hear the simple phrase “you need to change the route” any provider will immediately understand what is this about).
