THEORETICAL MINIMUM LATENCY
c = 299,792 km/s (in vacuum)
≈ 200,000 km/s (in fiber)
Calculate the absolute physical limit of network latency between any two points on Earth
What is LATENCY MAP?
LATENCY MAP is a specialized tool for IT professionals to instantly calculate the theoretical minimum network latency between any two locations on Earth. Based on the fundamental speed of light through fiber optic cables, this tool provides the absolute lower bound for round-trip time (RTT) that no amount of optimization can overcome.
Whether you're planning CDN deployments, designing distributed systems, or evaluating cloud regions, understanding these physical constraints is crucial for realistic performance expectations.
Key Use Cases
CDN Planning
Determine optimal edge server locations to meet SLA requirements for global content delivery.
Multi-Region Architecture
Evaluate latency impact when designing distributed databases and microservices across regions.
Gaming Infrastructure
Plan game server locations to ensure sub-100ms latency for competitive gaming requirements.
Financial Systems
Assess minimum latency for high-frequency trading systems between financial centers.
How It Works
The calculation is straightforward but fundamental:
Example: New York to London
Distance: ~5,585 km
Speed in fiber: ~200,000 km/s
Minimum RTT: (5,585 × 2) ÷ 200,000 = 56ms
Simply click two points on the map to see the great-circle distance and theoretical minimum latency. The tool assumes direct fiber paths, which represents the best possible scenario.
Technical Notes
Important: Real-world latencies are always higher due to:
- Indirect cable routing (undersea cables follow specific paths)
- Network equipment processing time (routers, switches)
- Protocol overhead and packet processing
- Network congestion and queuing delays
The tool uses a refractive index of 1.5 for fiber optic cables, resulting in light traveling at approximately 200,000 km/s. Calculations use the haversine formula for great-circle distances on Earth's surface.
For satellite communications, add ~500ms for geostationary orbits (35,786 km altitude) or ~30-40ms for LEO constellations like Starlink.
Ready to Calculate?
Start mapping the speed of light constraints on your network architecture.
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