This means that around 10 percent of your bandwidth is “overhead,” which may not be counted in your test. Also, control messages frequently go back and forth between computers to monitor the flow of information. Each chunk of data (called a “packet”) sent over the network is surrounded by information about the type of packet, where it is going, where it is coming from, and the like. This is because not all bandwidth is used for data. In the real world with outages, slowdowns, and that annoying neighbor running an unauthorized game server on the same cable as you, speeds will likely be less.įurthermore, if you do any kind of speed testing (more about that later), you can expect to see a figure lower than the raw bandwidth. This means you might be able to obtain the promised speed under perfectly ideal conditions. Keep in mind that ISPs typically promise speeds “up to” their offer. Ultimately, the bandwidth provided by your ISP will be the upper limit of what you can expect. Business accounts with fiber optics can range much higher.
![usb hub with ethernet in and out usb hub with ethernet in and out](https://d2211byn0pk9fi.cloudfront.net/spree/products/78512/product/A7514041_ND01.png)
In the home, bandwidth can range anywhere from 28.8 kilobits per second through the modem on an ancient AOL account to 1 gigabit (1 billion bits per second) if you are one of the lucky people to have a direct fiber optic connection to your home.
USB HUB WITH ETHERNET IN AND OUT DOWNLOAD
So if your ISP promised you 8 megabits per second (8 Mbps) it would take a little over a second to deliver that photo once the download started. A medium-resolution photo might be one megabyte (one million bytes or 1 MB), which in turn is 8 million bits (or slightly more, since some people use 1 kilobit = 1024 bits). It takes 8 bits (called a byte, usually represented by a capital “B” in abbreviations) to represent one single letter or number on your computer screen. Bandwidth is measured in bits per second.Ī single bit is a very small piece of information. Data from the internet ultimately consists of units of information called bits. Water delivery is typically measured in gallons or liters per minute. Just as the size of the water pipe to your house determines how much water can flow into your home, the capacity of the internet pipe into your house, called “bandwidth,” determines how much data can flow.
![usb hub with ethernet in and out usb hub with ethernet in and out](https://p.globalsources.com/IMAGES/PDT/B0982921169/multiport-usb-hub.jpg)
Along with providing access to the wide world of cyberspace, they probably promised a certain amount of information in a certain amount of time. When you signed up for the internet, your internet service provider (ISP) made you some promises.