The latency test (benchmark) is the most direct probe of node quality. Clash sends an HTTP request to a test URL through each node and measures the round-trip time.
Running a test
- Whole group: click the lightning icon at the group's top-right on the Proxies page.
- Single node: hover over a node card and click the small lightning that appears.
Reading the numbers
| Display | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green (under ~200 ms) | Low latency; fine for browsing, video, gaming. |
| Yellow (~200-500 ms) | Usable, but interactive tasks feel sluggish. |
| Red / Timeout | Test timed out. Node may be down, blocked, or congested. |
Important: the value is the total time for an HTTP request through the proxy, including encrypted-connection setup, so it runs higher than a bare ping and differs systematically between protocols.
When results disagree with experience
- Latency reflects responsiveness, not bandwidth. Whether video stutters depends mostly on bandwidth - just play a high-resolution video to judge.
- The default test URL is Google's connectivity endpoint; a node that treats that URL specially will produce skewed numbers.
- Momentary spikes are normal - test two or three times and read the stable value.
Automatic testing in url-test groups
Groups of type url-test re-benchmark on a timer (interval, typically 300 s) and switch to the fastest node automatically. Their URL and interval are set in the profile - see Proxy Group Types.
All timeouts? If every node shows Timeout, the problem is usually not the nodes. Work through All Nodes Timing Out.