What is an Indicator Related to Network Connectivity: A Guide for Beginners

If you are using a Windows computer, you may have noticed a small icon on the bottom-right of your taskbar that shows the status of your network connection. This icon is called the Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI) and it is a feature that helps you to know whether your computer has internet access or not. But what exactly is an indicator related to network connectivity and how does it work? In this article, we will explain what NCSI is, how it measures network performance, and what other network metrics you should know.

What is NCSI?

NCSI stands for Network Connectivity Status Indicator and it is a feature that was introduced in Windows Vista and later versions of Windows. NCSI is part of the Network Awareness feature that allows applications to adapt to the current network environment. For example, if you are using a web browser and your internet connection is slow or unavailable, the browser may display a message or a warning icon to inform you of the situation. Effective SNMP monitoring aids in identifying and addressing these issues promptly, contributing to lower packet loss and ultimately enhancing overall system performance.

NCSI uses two methods to determine the network connectivity status: active probing and passive polling. Active probing is when NCSI sends a network request to a web server hosted by Microsoft or by your own organization and expects a specific response. Passive polling is when NCSI monitors the network traffic on your device and looks for certain patterns that indicate internet connectivity. Based on the results of these methods, NCSI can display one of the following icons on your taskbar:

• Connected (Wired): This means that your device is connected to a wired network and has internet access.
• Connected (Wireless): This means that your device is connected to a wireless network and has internet access.
• Connected (No internet): This means that your device is connected to a network but does not have internet access. This may happen if you are behind a firewall, proxy, hotspot, or captive portal that requires authentication or payment.
• Not connected: This means that your device is not connected to any network.

How Does NCSI Measure Network Performance?

NCSI uses several network metrics to measure the performance and reliability of your network connection. These metrics provide valuable information about various aspects of your network behavior, such as speed, latency, packet loss, throughput, bandwidth, and availability. By monitoring and analyzing these metrics, you can identify performance bottlenecks, diagnose issues, and optimize your network settings to improve your user experience. Here are some of the most important network metrics that NCSI uses:

• Latency: This is the time it takes for a data packet to travel from one point to another on the network. Latency is measured in milliseconds (ms) and it affects the responsiveness and quality of applications such as online gaming, video streaming, and voice over IP (VoIP). The lower the latency, the better the performance.
• Jitter: This is the variation in latency over time. Jitter is also measured in milliseconds (ms) and it indicates the stability and consistency of your network connection. Jitter can cause delays, distortions, and interruptions in applications such as VoIP and video conferencing. The lower the jitter, the better the performance.
• Packet Loss: This is the percentage of data packets that are lost or discarded during transmission on the network. Packet loss can occur due to congestion, errors, interference, or malicious attacks. Packet loss can degrade the quality and reliability of applications such as VoIP, video streaming, and file transfer. The lower the packet loss, the better the performance.
• Throughput: This is the amount of data that can be transferred over a network in a given time period. Throughput is measured in bits per second (bps) or megabits per second (Mbps) and it reflects the capacity and efficiency of your network connection. The higher the throughput, the better the performance.
• Network Speed: This is the rate at which data can be transferred over a network in a given time period. Network speed is measured in bits per second (bps) or megabits per second (Mbps) and it depends on factors such as throughput, latency, jitter, packet loss, bandwidth, and hardware specifications. The higher the network speed, the better the performance.
• Bandwidth: This is the maximum amount of data that can be transferred over a network in a given time period. Bandwidth is measured in bits per second (bps) or megabits per second (Mbps) and it represents the potential capacity of your network connection. The higher the bandwidth, the better the performance.
• Network Availability: This is the percentage of time that your network connection is operational and accessible. Network availability can be affected by factors such as power outages, hardware failures, maintenance activities, or security incidents. The higher the network availability, the better the performance.

What Other Network Metrics Should You Know?

Besides NCSI, there are other tools and methods that you can use to measure your network performance and troubleshoot issues. Some of these tools are built-in Windows features such as Task Manager, Resource Monitor, Performance Monitor, Network Troubleshooter, and Command Prompt. Others are third-party applications such as Obkio, Ping, Traceroute, Speedtest, Wireshark, and Nmap. These tools can help you to collect and analyze various network metrics that can provide more insights into your network behavior. Here are some of the additional network metrics that you should know:

• Packet Duplication: This is the percentage of data packets that are duplicated during transmission on the network. Packet duplication can occur due to network errors, retransmissions, or load balancing. Packet duplication can increase the network traffic and reduce the throughput and efficiency of your network connection. The lower the packet duplication, the better the performance.
• Packet Reordering: This is the percentage of data packets that are received in a different order than they were sent on the network. Packet reordering can occur due to network congestion, routing changes, or load balancing. Packet reordering can affect the sequence and integrity of data and cause delays and errors in applications such as TCP-based protocols. The lower the packet reordering, the better the performance.
• User Quality of Experience: This is the subjective perception of how satisfied a user is with the performance and reliability of a network service or application. User quality of experience can be influenced by factors such as latency, jitter, packet loss, throughput, network speed, bandwidth, availability, and user expectations. User quality of experience can be measured by surveys, ratings, feedback, or analytics. The higher the user quality of experience, the better the performance.
• MOS Score: This is a numerical rating that indicates the quality of voice or video calls over a network. MOS stands for Mean Opinion Score and it ranges from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). MOS score is calculated based on factors such as latency, jitter, packet loss, codec, and background noise. The higher the MOS score, the better the performance.
• VoIP Quality: This is a measure of how well a voice over IP (VoIP) service or application performs over a network. VoIP quality can be affected by factors such as latency, jitter, packet loss, throughput, network speed, bandwidth, availability, codec, and MOS score. VoIP quality can be measured by tools such as Obkio or PingPlotter. The higher the VoIP quality, the better the performance.
• Network Congestion: This is a condition where the demand for network resources exceeds the available capacity. Network congestion can cause delays, errors, losses, and degradation in network performance and reliability. Network congestion can be caused by factors such as high traffic volume, insufficient bandwidth, misconfigured routers or switches, faulty hardware or software, or malicious attacks. Network congestion can be reduced by techniques such as traffic shaping, load balancing, prioritization, or optimization.
• Round-Trip Time (RTT): This is the time it takes for a data packet to travel from one point to another on the network and back again. RTT is measured in milliseconds (ms) and it is similar to latency but includes both directions of transmission. RTT affects the responsiveness and efficiency of applications such as TCP-based protocols. The lower the RTT, the better the performance.
• Network Utilization: This is the percentage of network resources that are being used by a device or application on a network. Network utilization can be measured by tools such as Task Manager or Resource Monitor and it reflects how busy or idle your network connection is. Network utilization can help you to optimize your network settings and avoid overloading or underutilizing your network connection. The optimal network utilization depends on your specific needs and goals.
• Error Rate: This is the percentage of data packets that are corrupted or damaged during transmission on the network. Error rate can occur due to factors such as interference, noise, distortion, or malicious attacks. Error rate can affect the quality and reliability of applications such as file transfer or streaming. The lower the error rate, the better the performance.
• TCP Retransmission Rate: This is the percentage of data packets that are retransmitted by a TCP-based protocol due to errors or losses on the network. TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol and it is a reliable protocol that ensures that data is delivered correctly and in order on a network. TCP retransmission rate can indicate how reliable or unreliable your network connection is. The lower the TCP retransmission rate, the better the performance.
• DNS Resolution Time: This is the time it takes for a domain name system (DNS) server to resolve a domain name into an IP address on a network. DNS is a service that translates human-readable names such as www.bing.com into machine-readable addresses such as 204.79.197.200 on a network. DNS resolution time affects how quickly you can access websites or online services on a network. The lower the DNS resolution time, the better the performance.

Conclusion

Network connectivity indicators are useful features that help you to monitor and measure your network performance and reliability. By understanding what these indicators mean and how they work, you can improve your user experience