How much does 1% packet loss hurt TCP?

Using the Mathis formula with MSS=1460 bytes and RTT=50 ms, 1% loss limits TCP throughput to ~2 Mbps regardless of link capacity. Packet loss is extremely damaging to TCP performance.

Does QUIC handle packet loss better than TCP?

QUIC (HTTP/3) uses independent stream multiplexing so one lost packet doesn't block all streams. TCP head-of-line blocking means a single loss stalls the entire connection until retransmission.

Packet Loss Impact on TCP Throughput Calculator

Estimate TCP throughput degradation from packet loss using the Mathis formula: Throughput ≈ (MSS / RTT) × (1 / √p). Shows how even 0.1% loss drastically reduces throughput on long-distance links.

Networking

Algorithms

Binary & Number

Systems

Dev Metrics

IP Subnet Calculator

IP Address

CIDR Prefix

Network

192.168.1.0

Broadcast

192.168.1.255

Subnet Mask

255.255.255.0

First Host

192.168.1.1

Last Host

192.168.1.254

Usable Hosts

254

Binary breakdown:

IP: 11000000.10101000.00000001.00000000

Mask: 11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000

Net: 11000000.10101000.00000001.00000000

How It Works

Estimate TCP throughput degradation from packet loss using the Mathis formula: Throughput ≈ (MSS / RTT) × (1 / √p). Shows how even 0.1% loss drastically reduces throughput on long-distance links

Each component has a specific meaning:

Packet loss — The packet loss recorded for the patient or scenario being assessed.

Note: Interpret the packet loss → tcp throughput result against the clinical thresholds and context described above.

How to Use

Enter the packet loss for the patient or scenario you are assessing. Estimate TCP throughput degradation from packet loss using the Mathis formula: Throughput ≈ (MSS / RTT) × (1 / √p). Shows how even 0.1% loss drastically reduces throughput on long-distance links. Use the packet loss → tcp throughput result to inform your clinical assessment.