# What is the difference between latency and Jitter

DevFeed: [What is the difference between latency and Jitter](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/what-is-the-difference-between-latency-and-jitter-40163.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.j2sw.com/netops/jitter-vs-latency/>)

Author: j2sw

Published: 2026-06-19T15:16:46Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Justin Wilson (j2sw)](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/justin-wilson-j2sw.md>)

Topics: [Latency](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/latency.md>), [Network](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/network.md>)

Tags: [jitter](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/jitter.md>), [latency](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/latency.md>), [network](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network.md>), [network-operations](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-operations.md>), [network-troubleshooting](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-troubleshooting.md>), [perfomance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/perfomance.md>), [qos](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/qos.md>), [wireless](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/wireless.md>)

## AI overview

The article explains that latency is the time a packet takes to travel between endpoints, while jitter is variation in packet arrival times. It describes how routes, distance, transit links, wireless interference, queues, and retransmissions can affect these conditions, and why speed tests may miss jitter that harms VoIP calls.

## Source excerpt

Latency is the time a packet takes to make the trip. Jitter is the swing between packets. One makes the path feel far away. The other makes voice, video, gaming, and remote desktop feel broken. Tags: jitter, latency, network troubleshooting, packet loss, QoS, ISP networks, wireless networks, network The post What is the difference between latency and Jitter appeared first on Justin Wilson (j2sw).