Strengthening measurements from the edges: application-level packet loss rate estimation

ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review
Simone Basso, Michela Meo, Juan Carlos De Martin
1 July 2013

Network users know much less than ISPs, Internet exchanges and content providers about what happens inside the network. Consequently users cannot either easily detect network neutrality violations or readily exercise their market power by knowledgeably switching ISPs.

This paper contributes to the ongoing efforts to empower users by proposing two models to estimate – via application-level measurements – a key network indicator, i.e., the packet loss rate (PLR) experienced by FTP-like TCP downloads.

Controlled, testbed, and large-scale experiments show that the Inverse Mathis model is simpler and more consistent across the whole PLR range, but less accurate than the more advanced Likely Rexmit model for landline connections and moderate PLR.

Download the PDF.