Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate of a network connection over a period of time. Bandwidth is measured in bits per second (bps, Mbps, Gbps). Insufficient bandwidth can result in slow data transmission, delays, and buffering issues. Transmission media can affect bandwidth, along with other factors identified below.
Network Design
The design and architecture of a network can significantly impact its performance. Factors such as network topology, the placement of network devices (routers, switches, access points), and the type of transmission media all contribute to network performance. A well-designed network with efficient routing and optimised configurations can minimise bottlenecks and latency, thereby improving performance.
Data Collisions
In network communications, data collisions occur when multiple devices try to transmit data simultaneously over a shared transmission medium (such as WiFi – 802.11x). Collisions result in the loss of transmitted data, leading to retransmissions and reduced network efficiency. Collision avoidance mechanisms, such as WiFi’s CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance), help mitigate collisions and optimise network performance.
Excess Broadcast Traffic
Broadcast traffic refers to network packets that are sent to all devices on a network. While broadcasts are necessary for some network operations, excessive broadcast traffic can consume network resources and degrade performance. Common culprits of excessive broadcast traffic include misconfigured network devices, unnecessary network protocols, or malware-infected systems generating excessive network requests. An example of excess broadcast traffic would be DHCP discovery messages from many devices. Network management and monitoring can help identify and address sources of excess broadcast traffic. Subnetting reduces the number of devices on a network segment, therefore reducing excess broadcast traffic.