What Does Packet Collision Rate Mean?
Packet collision rate is the number of data packet collisions occurring in a network over a specified period of time. It indicates the rate at which data packets collide or are lost in collisions. Packet collision rate is measured as a percentage of the data packets successfully sent out.
Techopedia Explains Packet Collision Rate
Packet collisions happen when two or more network nodes attempt to send data simultaneously, resulting in collisions and possible loss of transmitted data. This can result in the nodes having to resend the packets, which can have a negative effect on system performance.
Packet collisions are usually seen in half-duplex Ethernet networks, where communication is two-way, but in only one direction at a time. Collisions do not occur in full-duplex networks. Ethernet networks use the Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) collision protocol to determine how to respond to packet collisions.
A collision rate of five percent or below is considered a normal rate. Anything above 10 percent may indicate that the network is overloaded.
Netstat is a popular command used in various operating systems to calculate the collision rate.
