Propagation Delay

Propagation delay is the time it takes for a signal to travel from the sender to the receiver across a medium, such as a wire, fiber optic, or wireless link. It depends on the distance and the speed at which the signal moves through the medium. For example, signals in fiber optic cables travel close to the speed of light, so longer distances take more time for the message to arrive. This delay can impact how quickly data is transmitted and received, especially over extensive networks, influencing overall system performance and responsiveness.