Bandwidth Calculator

What is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is a term that has different meanings within different contexts. In terms of computing, bandwidth is defined as the bit-rate of available or consumed information and is typically expressed in units of bits per second (along with its metric multiples).

However, one of the most common ways in which the term bandwidth is used relates to the Internet, defined as "the volume of information per unit of time that a transmission medium [channel] can handle." Note that channel bandwidth, or the stated channel capacity, is not necessarily equal to the maximum amount of data that the channel will actually handle. Due to overhead factors such as protocols and encryption (e.g., TCP), a channel stated to have a bandwidth of X bits per second may not actually transmit usable data at exactly X rate.

Bits vs. Bytes (The 'b' vs 'B' Confusion)

In information technology, a bit (b) is the smallest unit of information. It can hold only one of two values—0 or 1. A Byte (B) is a unit that consists of exactly 8 bits.

The bit is the standard unit of data transfer. This means that a communications device or system with a bandwidth of 8 Mbps has a transfer rate of 8 Megabits per second, which is equivalent to 1 Megabyte (MB) per second.

In relation, the standard unit of information storage is the Byte. In terms of memory or a hard disk, 8GB of capacity would mean that 8 Gigabytes of information could be stored, which is equivalent to 64 Gigabits.

Estimating Bandwidth Needs

The amount of bandwidth a person or company needs is entirely dependent on how they plan to use the Internet. Streaming or hosting large amounts of video, for example, requires far more bandwidth than simply browsing the Internet or reading text-based emails.

Common Internet Connection Bandwidth Speeds

Mobile Broadband Connection Bandwidth