What does it mean if a network has high latency?

High latency in a network refers to the time it takes for data packets to travel from the source to the destination and back again. When latency is high, it means that there are significant delays in the transmission of these data packets. This can result in slow response times, lag in applications, and overall reduced performance of network-dependent services.

In the context of a high-latency network, data may not be dropped or lost, but it is taking longer than expected for information to move across the network. This phenomenon can be due to various factors such as long distances between the source and destination, network congestion, or inefficient routing. Understanding high latency is crucial for troubleshooting performance issues in a network and can help in optimizing and improving the user experience.

The other options do not accurately define high latency: transmitting data faster than normal would indicate low latency, frequent disconnections would suggest reliability issues rather than delay, and weak network security protocols do not pertain to latency at all. Thus, recognizing that high latency specifically means delays in the arrival of data packets is key to addressing network performance concerns effectively.