What Is Latency?
Latency is the time delay between a user's request and the server's response, measured in milliseconds. In domain forwarding, latency is the time it takes for the redirect server to receive a request and send back the 301/302 response.
Why It Matters
Every millisecond of latency in a redirect delays the visitor from reaching their destination. For a single redirect, the difference between 5ms and 500ms might seem small — but it affects:
- User experience: Perceptible delay before the target page starts loading
- SEO: Google uses page speed as a ranking signal; redirects add to total load time
- Analytics: Higher latency correlates with higher bounce rates
Latency Components in a Redirect
Total redirect time = DNS lookup + TCP connect + TLS handshake + Server processing + Response transit
Typical breakdown:
DNS lookup: 20-100ms (cached: 0ms)
TCP connect: 10-100ms (depends on distance)
TLS handshake: 30-100ms (depends on TLS version)
Server processing: 1-500ms (depends on provider)
Response transit: 10-100ms (depends on distance)Redirect Latency Comparison
| Provider | Typical Redirect Latency | Infrastructure |
|---|---|---|
| Registrar forwarding | 200-1000ms | Single region, shared servers |
| Cloudflare redirects | 10-50ms | Global CDN edge |
| htaccess redirects | 50-200ms | Origin server |
| Domain Forward | <5ms | Global edge network |
How Domain Forward Minimizes Latency
- Edge network: Redirects served from the server nearest to the visitor
- Optimized TLS: TLS 1.3 with 0-RTT where possible
- No origin server: The redirect is computed at the edge — no round trip to an origin
- Efficient code path: Redirect logic is minimal — read the rules, send the response
Related Terms
Related Features
Frequently
asked questions
Every redirect adds delay before the user reaches the destination. High latency means slower page loads. At scale, latency compounds — especially in redirect chains. Sub-5ms redirect latency means users barely notice the redirect.
Distance from the server (no CDN/edge network), server processing time, TLS handshake overhead, and redirect chains all increase latency.
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