This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.
The Network Information API provides information about the system's connection in terms of general connection type (e.g., 'wifi', 'cellular', etc.). This can be used to select high definition content or low definition content based on the user's connection. The entire API consists of the addition of the NetworkInformation
interface and a single property to the Navigator
interface: Navigator.connection
.
Examples
Detect connection changes
This example watches for changes to the user's connection.
var connection = navigator.connection || navigator.mozConnection || navigator.webkitConnection; var type = connection.effectiveType; function updateConnectionStatus() { console.log("Connection type changed from " + type + " to " + connection.effectiveType); type = connection.effectiveType; } connection.addEventListener('change', updateConnectionStatus);
Preload large resources
The connection object is useful for deciding whether to preload resources that take large amounts of bandwidth or memory. This example would be called soon after page load to check for a connection type where preloading a video may not be desirable. If a cellular connection is found, then the preloadVideo
flag is set to false
. For simplicity and clarity, this example only tests for one connection type. A real-world use case would likely use a switch statement or some other method to check all of the possible values of NetworkInformation.type
. Regardless of the type
value you can get an estimate of connection speed through the NetworkInformation.effectiveType
property.
let preloadVideo = true; var connection = navigator.connection || navigator.mozConnection || navigator.webkitConnection; if (connection) { if (connection.effectiveType === 'slow-2g') { preloadVideo = false; } }
Interfaces
NetworkInformation
- Provides information about the connection a device is using to communicate with the network and provides a means for scripts to be notified if the connection type changes. The
NetworkInformation
interfaces cannot be instantiated. It is instead accessed through theNavigator
interface.
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
Network Information API The definition of 'Network Information API' in that specification. |
Draft | Initial specification |
Browser compatibility
NetworkInformation
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NetworkInformation | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android Full support 31 | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
downlink | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android ? | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
downlinkMax | Chrome
Full support
61
| Edge No support No | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera No support No | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android No support No | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
effectiveType | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android Full support Yes | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
onchange | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android
No support
No
| Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
ontypechange | Chrome No support No | Edge No support No | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera ? | Safari No support No | WebView Android No support No | Chrome Android No support No | Firefox Android ? | Opera Android ? | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android No support No |
rtt | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android No support No | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
saveData | Chrome Full support 65 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support Yes | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 65 | Chrome Android Full support 65 | Firefox Android ? | Opera Android Full support Yes | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 9.0 |
type | Chrome
Full support
61
| Edge No support No | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera No support No | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android No support No | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
Available in workers | Chrome Full support 61 | Edge Full support 79 | Firefox No support No | IE No support No | Opera Full support 48 | Safari No support No | WebView Android Full support 50 | Chrome Android Full support 38 | Firefox Android Full support 53 | Opera Android Full support 45 | Safari iOS No support No | Samsung Internet Android Full support 3.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- Compatibility unknown
- Compatibility unknown
- Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
- Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
- See implementation notes.
- See implementation notes.