What is TTFB by server distance
TTFB by server distance shows the Time to First Byte (TTFB) based on how far users are from the server handling their request. This lens directly reflects how geographic proximity and CDN setup influence the backend response time your users perceive.
Only distance categories with real traffic in the selected period will appear.
Naturally, higher server distance usually means more network hops and more latency. But with good caching and edge infrastructure, that distance shouldn't translate to slower TTFB.
Healthy TTFB by server distance sample
Should you worry
If your TTFB by server distance view is mostly green across all distances — that’s excellent. It typically means your content is well-cached and served from nearby locations, even for users halfway across the world.
Unhealthy TTFB by server distance sample
If TTFB rises sharply with server distance, and especially if high-distance traffic is red or yellow, you’re probably seeing:
CDN cache misses or cold starts
Dynamic content being served only from the origin
Lack of geo-load balancing or regional replication
Heavy server-side processing not offset by edge rendering
High TTFB means slow rendering start, which leads to user frustration and higher exit rates — particularly in markets where local infrastructure is already a challenge.
Resolving unhealthy TTFB by server distance
Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy TTFB by server distance:
Ask Uxi to analyze your TTFB by server distance values and suggest improvements.
Use Filters to isolate the high-latency distances, then correlate with other lenses like by country or resource type.
Simulate TTFB of the suspected lens to see if fixing it will resolve the TTFB by server distance. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.
Use an automated optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your TTFB by server distance values.
Once you’ve improved TTFB, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.
Try it yourself
Discover how your website performs with real user data.