Evaluating Latency and Packet Loss of Direct and Hotspot Internet Connections for Quality of Service and Network Selection

  IJRES-book-cover  International Journal of Recent Engineering Science (IJRES)   
  
© 2025 by IJRES Journal
Volume-12 Issue-4
Year of Publication : 2025
Authors : Gbigbidje Favour Peter, Oghuvwu Blessing Edirin, Omolale Oluwaseun Victor, Obuseh Emmanuel Ewere, Jude Alele, Obayehagweme Ezekiel
DOI : 10.14445/23497157/IJRES-V12I4P104

How to Cite?

Gbigbidje Favour Peter, Oghuvwu Blessing Edirin, Omolale Oluwaseun Victor, Obuseh Emmanuel Ewere, Jude Alele, Obayehagweme Ezekiel, "Evaluating Latency and Packet Loss of Direct and Hotspot Internet Connections for Quality of Service and Network Selection," International Journal of Recent Engineering Science, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 34-49, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23497157/IJRES-V12I4P104

Abstract
This study evaluates latency and packet loss associated with direct and hotspot internet connections to support quality of service and network selection decisions. Latency and packet loss are critical performance metrics that directly affect user experience in real-life applications and overall network reliability. Using an experimental design, measurements are collected over fourteen consecutive days in Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria, on four major mobile networks, MTN, Globalcom, 9mobile, and Airtel, at four different times daily (1:00 am, 7:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 7:00 pm). The data, analyzed through average statistical methods, reveal that MTN records the lowest average latency of 200.12 ms, followed by Globalcom (281.25 ms), 9mobile (286.18 ms), and Airtel (462.65 ms). Latency peaks during busy periods (1:00 pm and 7:00 pm) and is notably lower during off-peak times, particularly at 1:00 am. Packet loss results show MTN (1.42%) and Globalcom (2.21%) remain within the acceptable standard limit of 2.5%, while 9mobile (2.57%) slightly exceeds it, and Airtel (4.79%) shows higher packet loss. All networks exceed the recommended latency threshold of 60 ms for 4G LTE networks. Furthermore, hotspot connections consistently experience higher latency and packet loss compared to direct mobile connections. These findings highlight significant differences in performance across operators and connection types, emphasizing the need for users to consider these metrics when selecting networks for latency-sensitive tasks.

Keywords
Direct connection, Hotspot connection, Latency, Lte, Packet loss.

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