The propagation delay calculator takes distance between routers, propagation speed and one way and returns propagation delay and velocity factor. It is built for quick answers, for checking somebody else’s arithmetic, and for the moments when a formula book is not within reach.
What Is the Propagation Delay Calculator?
The propagation delay calculator turns distance between routers, propagation speed and one way into propagation delay and velocity factor.
It is a quick way to get from the numbers you have to the number you need, without setting up a spreadsheet or reaching for a formula.
How the Propagation Delay Works
Each result follows from the ones before it, and the calculator shows every step, so a surprising answer can be traced back to the input that caused it.
Round your inputs to the precision you actually know, and keep more precision than that in the intermediate steps.
Getting a Result You Can Trust
Run the calculation twice with slightly different inputs. A sensible calculator moves its output in proportion; a wild change points to a unit or a decimal point problem in what you entered.
Write the inputs down next to the answer. It takes a moment and it is the difference between a number you can explain and one you cannot.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with distance between routers set to 10, propagation speed set to 5, one way set to 2, the calculator returns propagation delay of 2, and velocity factor of 0. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out propagation delay?
Enter distance between routers, propagation speed and one way. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports propagation delay and velocity factor.
What does the propagation delay actually calculate?
It takes distance between routers, propagation speed and one way and converts them into propagation delay and velocity factor using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter distance between routers?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Is the answer exact?
It is as exact as the formula and the inputs allow. The method itself is the standard one for this problem, so the only sources of error are the figures you enter and the precision you ask for.