Apple, Google and many other companies are focusing on a new standard called L4S, which has a simple but fundamental objective: make the internet faster. Not by increasing the capacity of sub-ocean cables or connecting smartphones around the world with fiber optics, but by focusing on a smarter protocol to transport data for the web.
L4S, the standard for making the internet faster
As Mitchell Clark points out in The Verge, going from one plan to long band raised to a lower one may not change the browsing experience. And the same goes in the other direction too: even with a lightning-fast connection we may have difficulty loading a streaming movie or making a video call without problems. In fact, the problem could be related to latencythat is, the time it takes to send and receive data, rather than the amount of bandwidth available.
Internet it is a complex network of interconnected devices and infrastructure. In other words, as with car traffic, the problem is often not the speed of the highway but the traffic jams at the interchanges. There congestion or problems anywhere on the network can affect the user experience. If a server has limited capacity for uploading data, if there are interruptions in thenetwork infrastructure o se i User devices fail to process datacan occur delays when loading content.
The new standard called L4Ssupported by large companies Apple, Google, Nvidia, Valve, Nokia, Ericsson and several telecommunications companies, aims to drastically reduce the latency on the Internet. This standard could revolutionize the speed and the fluidity of web browsing, the streaming video not video callsopening up new possibilities for developers applications. All by eliminating what is called buffer bloat.
What is buffer bloat and how to eliminate it
To understand the concept of buffer bloatwe must first understand what the buffer. In the context of networkingeach component of the network (such as switches, routers, modems) has limits on amount of data that he can handle. However, the devices connected to the network and the traffic they handle vary continuously, making it difficult for computers to determine how much data to send at once.
Typically, they start sending data at a certain rate, increasing it until something works. This happens because the packet loss: A network element receives data faster than it can send it. and then discard the excess.
Network devices have built-in buffers to manage data spikes, so you don’t lose them. But their excessive use can lead to a short delay in sending data. However, this can become a problem when needed low latencysuch as video calls or game streaming.
Even if you have a very fast connectionthe ability to manage the devices involved in the communication between your device and the source is the bottleneck and causes you to not be able to enjoy the very high speed of your fiber optic subscription.
How does L4S work and why does it make the internet faster?
L4Sthe acronym for Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable Throughput, represents a new Internet connection standard designed to reduce latency and minimize waiting for packets in the queue, improving the efficiency of data transfer.
The key concept of L4S is the reduction of feedback loop of latency. When bottlenecking occurs, network devices using this standard are unable to recognize it quickly and take corrective measures, generally by temporarily reducing the flow of data sent. This allows you to maintain a good flow without increasing latency.
The architecture is complex for non-experts. But to simplify, L4S involves the addition of a indicator to data packets. If packets encounter congestion problems, they are flagged. This allows devices to take immediate measures to prevent congestion from worseningmaintaining a smoother data flow and reducing interference which may cause latency with other systems.
This should improve internet performance because the vWeb page loading speed is limited more by latency than by connection capacity, for most users. But it must be said that L4S cannot compensate for physical distance which can affect latency (for video calls or games with overseas servers).
When will this new technology arrive?
Understanding when a shared standard can become effective is complicated: there are many factors at play. But as The Verge points out, Apple he talked about it at the last WWDC 23 conference and is testing it on iOS 17 and macOS Ventura. As well as Nvidia is using it for some users on the GeForce streaming gaming platform. So many experts are optimistic – even if it is not worth claiming victory ahead of time.
This technology could greatly reduce latency times, although it is not the only factor to take into account. A wired connection instead of wireless (or using a newer, more powerful WiFi router) could reduce latency when gaming much more noticeably. But L4S will allow the entire internet network to better manage data “traffic jams” and ensure better traffic management. And in addition to improving the use of currently existing apps and games, it could allow the use of new technologies that are impossible in current times (think of telemedicine or autonomous driving, for example). It’s one more step towards faster internet and more advanced technologies. Which we hope will arrive soon.