Understanding latency: Ping, TTFB and Co. - How close does my server really need to be?

Understanding latency means, PingTTFB and the distance between user and server can be clearly separated and made measurable. I show how the Server location which measured values really count and when proximity is worth measurable money.

Key points

• Server proximity noticeably reduces the base latency.
• TTFB depends on network and server performance.
• CDN accelerates static content worldwide.
• Routing and peering influence every hop.
• HTTP/3 reduces handshakes and waiting times.

What does latency mean technically?

Latency describes the time it takes for data to get there and back, i.e. the RTT. I clearly distinguish them from Bandwidthwhich only indicates the amount of data per second. Even with a high bandwidth, a long distance remains as a delay. Fiber optics is fast, but physics sets limits. For every 1,000 kilometers, several milliseconds are added over the round trip. Each additional node adds microseconds to milliseconds. I therefore think first about distance and route before I work on byte sizes or caching.

Correctly classify Ping, RTT and TTFB

The Ping shows a fast response time of the remote station without application logic. The TTFB includes more: DNS, TCP/TLS, network path and server work up to the first byte. A low TTFB needs both: short paths and fast processing. I measure TTFB in the browser panel and compare locations. If you want to go deeper, use this TTFB analysis for measurement methods and typical pitfalls. I then recognize whether the bottleneck is in the network or on the server. This enables me to make better hosting decisions.

DNS: the often overlooked start

Before any byte of HTML arrives, the DNS resolution over speed. Long CNAME chains, distant name servers or low TTL-values increase the number of requests and therefore the latency. I keep DNS flat (as few redirects as possible) and rely on anycast-ready resolvers so that users automatically reach a nearby node. In measurements, I separate DNS time from connection setup and TTFB in order to optimize specifically. For dynamic entries, I select TTLs so that changes take effect quickly without forcing fresh DNS for every request. I also take negative caches (NXDOMAIN) into account so that typing errors or missing subdomains are not resolved again and again unnecessarily.

Distance and server location: how many milliseconds does a meter count?

The closer the Server locationthe lower the basic latency, because the speed of light in fiber optics is limited. As a rough rule of thumb, 1,000 kilometers often deliver around 10-20 ms RTTdepending on the route. Within a country, I often stay under a few dozen milliseconds. Across continents, the values quickly climb far above that. You can feel this in every request, especially with many small files. According to [3], a reduction of 300 ms already generated measurable additional revenue in the millions, which shows its economic relevance.

Mobile networks and the last mile

On paper, fiber optic is fast - but in practice, it often dominates. last mile. In 4G/5G networks, the RTT fluctuates greatly depending on cell utilization and radio signal, in addition to jitter and packet loss. I therefore plan for mobile users with conservative assumptions: fewer parallel connections, smaller headers, compressed certificate chains and as few round trips as possible. Large JavaScript packets and chat widgets increase the perceived latency because they block render paths. I deliver critical resources early and defer anything that doesn't contribute to the Above-the-Fold-view. Service workers can also buffer returning visitors so that the page appears fast despite changing radio quality.

CDN: Benefits and limitations

A CDN distributes images, CSS and JavaScript to nodes close to the customer. This significantly reduces the RTT for these files. However, the first HTML request remains bound to the origin server. Personalized content and API responses also continue to come from the Origin. I use CDNs in a targeted manner and still keep the origin geographically close to the core target group. This is how I combine local proximity with global delivery.

CDN cache strategy in practice

The choice of CDN is not the end of the story - the Cache strategy decides whether proximity really works. I use precise Cache control-Header, ETags and s-maxageso that edge nodes serve as much as possible without an origin round trip. stale-while-revalidate keeps pages responsive even with expired content while updating in the background. Cookies often prevent caching; I make sure that static assets are delivered without a set cookie or cookie-vary. A Origin Shield reduces load peaks to the origin because only one central point reloads. I plan purges in a differentiated way (tag/prefix) so that entire caches are not emptied unnecessarily and the TTFB increases after a flush.

Routing, peering and hops - the hidden brakes

Even at short distances, poor Routing Cost time. Data runs through several networks, and each hop adds delay. Good peering between providers saves detours. I use Traceroute to check whether packets are taking a lean route. A few milliseconds can often be gained by using other carriers or locations. That sounds small, but it adds up noticeably over many requests.

Routing transparency and peering checks

For a reliable evaluation, I don't just look at a traceroute, I also run several runs and compare times and losses over the day. With long-term measurements (MTR-like), I can recognize lapping routes and bottlenecks at peak times. I document the p95-RTT per hop - average values conceal problems. Providers with a strong presence on Internet nodes and direct peering to large access ISPs often deliver more stable paths. If the route visibly "hops", it is worth consulting the hoster or switching to a data center with better upstreams.

Optimize server performance and TTFB

The TTFB increases when PHP, database or cache respond slowly. I use object cache, page cache and fast SSDsto speed up the generation of the first byte. Long queries, missing indices or blocking plugins cause pauses. Short handshakes using modern protocols also save time. This is how I reduce the TTFB in parallel to pure network optimization. The result feels like a "snappy" page load.

HTTP strategies to save requests

Fewer round trips are the best latency optimization. I use preconnect and dns-prefetchto open early connections to important origins. I load critical CSS parts via preload or inline, while non-critical CSS is loaded. JavaScript comes defered or asyncso as not to block the parser. Under HTTP/2/3 I refrain from excessive bundling and instead pay attention to Granularity and caching hits. Early Hints (103) help the browser to work before the app logic renders the final HTML. I also keep headers and cookies lean, because bloated metadata costs latency for each request.

Measure latency without measurement errors

I always start measurements from where real users surf. A ping from Frankfurt is of little use if the customers are located in Munich. Browser DevTools show the TTFB per resource very precisely. Web tests from several cities show fluctuations and peak times. I compare times of day to separate utilization from routing problems. Multiple runs smooth out outliers and provide a true picture.

Monitoring and SLOs: how I measure success

Individual tests are good, but Permanent transparency is better. I define service level targets for p75/p95 TTFB and First Contentful Paint per region. Real User Monitoring shows real user paths, synthetic checks secure the basis of fixed points. I trigger alerts when p95 TTFB exceeds certain thresholds or jitter/packet loss increases. This allows me to recognize capacitive limits, routing drift or regressive app releases at an early stage. The combination of metrics and log tracing allows me to clearly separate network causes from server causes.

Comparison: Latency and location in hosting

The choice of provider plays a major role in determining the basic latency. Data centers close to land bring a repeatable few milliseconds. Additional CDN options help with global traffic. WordPress optimization on the server reduces the TTFB even further. I also note whether the provider has a strong peering network. The following table summarizes typical constellations.

Provider	Server location	Latency to DE	CDN options	WordPress optimization
webhoster.de	Germany	very low	Yes	Yes
Provider B	Ireland	medium	Yes	Yes
Provider C	USA	high	Yes	Restricted

Practical guide: Defining proximity

I start with real User dataWhere do most buyers or readers live? If the focus is national, I choose a German data center. If there are two strong clusters, I check multi-region plus CDN. For very broad distribution, I start centrally in Europe and add edge caching. That way I keep distances short and remain flexible for growth. This saves time with every click.

Edge and multi-region: proximity for dynamic content

If HTML remains dynamic, I also need proximity for logic and data. I scale read with regional replicas and hold write so that consistency and latency go together. I solve session handling stateless (token) or with Sticky Sessions per region. Feature flags allow me to gradually move to multiple regions. I pay attention to replication delays: strong consistency costs latency, eventual consistency requires care with orders or account balances. For APIs, I use request routing via geolocation and place caches (e.g. for product lists) at the edge - so the response arrives where the user is.

SEO, law and location selection

A close Server location reduces TTFB, which has a positive impact on Core Web Vitals. Better loading times contribute to ranking and conversion. Data protection also plays a role, especially with personal data. I inform myself about the setup and use hosting in Germany if required. This article provides a compact overview of Server location and SEO. This is how I make a technical and legal decision.

Modern protocols and TLS - why HTTP/3 helps

HTTP/2 bundles many small Requests over one connection and thus saves waiting times. HTTP/3 on QUIC reduces handshakes and is less susceptible to packet loss. TLS 1.3 additionally accelerates the setup. Together, this reduces the time to the first byte at the same distance. If you want to weigh up the options, read more about HTTP/3 hosting. This is how I exploit network potential before scaling hardware.

Transport and TLS precision work: milliseconds at the edge

Beyond protocol versions, speed is in the detail. With TLS 1.3 Resumption I save RTTs for reconnections; I only use 0-RTT for idempotent requests. I keep certificate chains lean and prefer ECDSA because smaller keys and signatures are transferred faster. OCSP Stapling prevents additional validation paths. On HTTP/2, I pay attention to connection coalescing (suitable SANs in the certificate) so that a socket can serve several subdomains. With QUIC, I choose sensible idle timeouts so that the browser can reuse connections. On the server side BBR or well-tuned CUBIC profiles often have more stable latencies in the event of packet loss. I balance keep-alive times and limits for simultaneous streams so that reuse works but does not block resources.

Quick check: Decision tree in words

First I ask: Where is the Target groupand in which volume. If it is clearly located in one country, I host it there and use a CDN for static files. For a mixed audience, I choose a central location and check edge cache rules. If the TTFB remains high despite proximity, I optimize the database, caching and application logic. If the ping is unusually high, I check routing and peering. This is how I solve bottlenecks in a sensible sequence.

Business view: costs per millisecond

I use a simple model to determine whether relocating to another data center or a multi-region setup is worthwhile: How many Requests per session, what proportion of mobile users, what p95 improvement per measure. I measure the effect on conversion rate, shopping cart value and bounce rate. 50 ms less TTFB on a checkout API that is called up five times per purchase is more noticeable than 50 ms on an infrequent blog subpage. I therefore prioritize Critical paths and leave cosmetic optimizations to the back of the queue. In this way, every latency budget flows into steps that measurably increase sales or user satisfaction.

Condensed summary

Low Latency starts with proximity: short distances, few hops, clear routes. The TTFB reflects network plus server work and serves as a reliable compass. A CDN accelerates assets, but does not release the origin from good location. Modern protocols save handshakes and make the connection fast. Measurements at user locations show where the real problems are. If you consider location, routing and server performance together, you will deliver noticeably faster pages.