To check Perth-to-Sydney network latency, run repeated ping tests from a device on the Perth connection to the specific Sydney server you care about. Record the round-trip time, packet loss, destination, IP version and test time; use traceroute or MTR to inspect the visible route. A test from a provider’s Sydney looking glass is a different measurement, not a substitute for the Perth connection’s result.
Run a ping test from Perth
- Choose the destination. Use the actual Sydney service or server if possible, and keep the same hostname or IP address for comparisons. A ping to a generic public server may not reflect the route to the service you use.
- Run the test from the connection you want to measure. For a household connection, use a device connected to that Perth network. On Windows, open Command Prompt and run
ping hostnameorping IP-address. On macOS or Linux, open Terminal and use the same command. Replace the example with the destination’s actual hostname or IP. - Repeat rather than relying on one reading. A short test can vary with network conditions. For a sustained sample, Windows supports
ping -n 100 hostname; macOS and Linux commonly supportping -c 100 hostname. These request 100 replies where the destination responds to ping. - Record the context with the result. Note the exact target, whether the test used IPv4 or IPv6, date and time, number of probes, replies received, packet loss, and minimum, average and maximum round-trip time. If available, include the reported variation or standard deviation.
Ping reports round-trip time in milliseconds: how long a packet takes to travel to the test server and back. The ACCC’s broadband performance data page, updated in June 2026, defines latency as the average time to send a packet to the test server and back.
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Inspect the route with traceroute or MTR
To see the visible path toward the destination, run tracert hostname on Windows or traceroute hostname on macOS or Linux. MTR can combine repeated probing with route information where it is available. Use the same destination as the ping test.
Traceroute output can help identify where the visible route changes or where measured delay appears to rise. Do not read one slow or unanswered intermediate hop as proof that the final service is slow: intermediate network devices may handle diagnostic replies differently from ordinary traffic. The end-to-end ping to the actual destination is the more relevant latency measurement for that endpoint.
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Use a looking glass carefully
A looking glass runs a diagnostic from a network operator’s own equipment, not from your Perth device. It is useful for checking a provider’s route or comparing network vantage points, but its results describe that origin and route.
- Telstra International Looking Glass offers ping, trace route, BGP and POP-to-POP tests. It accepts a hostname or IP address, offers IPv4 and IPv6 choices, and displays minimum, maximum, average, standard deviation and loss for ping results. Telstra notes that hostname resolution may differ from your local resolver and that results vary with network conditions; use the exact IP when you need to avoid that difference.
- Ransom IT’s Perth and Sydney Looking Glass provides separate Perth and Sydney endpoints, with target and diagnostic-method controls. Select and record the origin used; the page does not publish a fixed Perth-to-Sydney latency figure.
If you test from a Sydney looking glass toward a Perth target, label the result as provider-originated. It is not equivalent to measuring from a Perth household to a Sydney service. Paths may differ by origin and direction. Telstra also specifies that its POP-to-POP test is confined to Telstra’s network.
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Compare tests without mixing unlike measurements
For a useful comparison between times, providers or routes, hold the test conditions steady where possible. Otherwise, disclose the differences:
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Source location and network, such as a Perth home connection or a named provider POP.
- Destination hostname or IP address.
- IPv4 or IPv6.
- Test date and time, number or duration of probes, and whether the issue was occurring then.
- Average, minimum and maximum latency, plus packet loss and variation if shown.
- Whether the result is device-to-service or provider-POP-to-POP.
Repeat tests at different times, especially during the period when the problem occurs. If you suspect Wi-Fi, an optional test from a wired device can help separate the local wireless segment from the wider route; it does not change the intercity path being measured.
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Interpret latency, loss and variation
Latency is only one part of connection quality. Packet loss means some probes did not receive a reply, while jitter or other variation can reveal inconsistent delay even when the average looks steady. The ACCC broadband performance data page discusses both latency and packet loss; Telstra’s looking glass also reports loss and standard deviation.
There is no established universal “good” Perth-to-Sydney ping target in the cited sources. Whether a result is acceptable depends on the application and service requirement. High latency can affect real-time activities such as gaming and video conferencing, as the ACCC explains, but a number without the destination, test method and use case is not a reliable verdict.
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What national broadband figures can—and cannot—tell you
The ACCC’s 2024 Measuring Broadband Australia Report 25 reported a 10.7 ms mean latency across a national sample of 1,282 units. In that report’s sample, mean latency was 15.2 ms for FTTN and 7.4 ms for FTTP. Those figures describe aggregate broadband measurements, not a direct Perth-to-Sydney route, an individual household, or a guarantee for a particular plan or provider. The ACCC published its final performance report on 17 June 2026 and concluded the program in June 2026; see the program’s data page.
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