<p>2 kjqwbdk wd@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@())))))))))))*&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;&amp;%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Investopedia INVESTING ~~ SIMULATOR ~~ BANKING ~~ PERSONAL FINANCE ~~ ECONOMY ~~ NEWS REVIEWS Q</p><p>BUSINESS &gt; BUSINESS ESSENTIALS</p><p>By DANIEL LIBERTO Updated August 08, 2024</p><p>Table of Contents EE</p><p>Reviewed by ERIC ESTEVEZ</p><p>What Is Bandwidth? RE</p><p>Fact checked by HANS DANIEL JASPERSON</p><p>Understanding Bandwidth .</p><p>Bandwidth vs. Speed E | - 4</p><p>How to Measure Bandwidth</p><p>Bandwidth Control jl | gr</p><p>Requirements ¢</p><p>History ~</p><p>Ae maa | $ Ll -— I</p><p>! \ So— z pn</p><p>— of</p><p>I”. Ne Nal</p><p>Gey Imsges, Hoo Productions</p><p>What Is Bandwidth?</p><p>Bandwidth is a measure of how much information a network can transfer in a</p><p>given amount of time. It is typically defined as the number of bits, kilobits,</p><p>megabits, or gigabits that may be sent in one second over an internet</p><p>connection. Generally, the greater the bandwidth, the quicker your devices</p><p>download information from the internet.</p><p>Bandwidth may also be used colloquially to indicate a person's capacity for</p><p>tasks or deep thoughts at a point in time.</p><p>KEY TAKEAWAYS</p><p>« Bandwidth is a measure of how much information a network can</p><p>transfer.</p><p>« The volume of data that can be transported varies, impacting how</p><p>effectively a transmission medium, such as an internet connection,</p><p>operates.</p><p>« Internet service providers (ISPs) typically denote bandwidth speeds in</p><p>millions of bits per second (Bps), or megabits (Mbps), and billions of</p><p>Bps, or gigabits (Gbps).</p><p>« Generally speaking, the higher the bandwidth, the quicker your</p><p>devices download information from the internet.</p><p>Understanding Bandwidth</p><p>Bandwidth is a measure of how much information a network, a group of two or</p><p>more devices that communicate between themselves, can transfer. Data moves</p><p>from A to B just as water flows through pipes from a supply point to our</p><p>faucets. The volume that's transported varies, impacting how effectively a</p><p>transmission medium, such as an internet connection, operates.</p><p>The wider a pipe is, the more water or other substance can flow through it at</p><p>any given moment. The same logic can be applied to bandwidth. The higher</p><p>the bandwidth a connection has, the more data can be sent and received</p><p>through it.</p><p>Bandwidth is not unlimited. Capacity is capped and sometimes even that limit</p><p>may not be maximized, such as, for example, by being positioned further away</p><p>from the network device, such as the router.</p><p>Moreover, multiple devices using the same connection share bandwidth. If in a</p><p>household with one internet connection, one person streams a film, another</p><p>plays a video game online, and someone else downloads files, the connection</p><p>may become noticeably slower and the capacity to transfer data limited.</p><p>Different activities use different amounts of bandwidth. For example,</p><p>streaming 4K video requires more data transfer resources than writing and</p><p>sending a simple text email.</p><p>: &lt; 1</p><p>aN =F Thee B"</p><p>Th La LES</p><p>Ny Cr Ri</p><p>-| /</p><p>¥ Important: Bandwidth is determined by various factors, including</p><p>your internet plan, router, and the distance the device is from your</p><p>router.</p><p>Bandwidth vs. Speed</p><p>Contrary to what many people think, bandwidth is not a measure of speed and</p><p>the two terms should not be used interchangeably.</p><p>Using the water pipe metaphor again, speed would be how quickly water</p><p>moves through the pipe, whereas bandwidth would represent the quantity of</p><p>water able to move through the pipe within a given time period. More</p><p>bandwidth, or a wider pipe, does not equal more speed.</p><p>How to Measure Bandwidth = =</p><p>Traditionally, bandwidth was expressed in bits per second (Bps). However, ; 2 =</p><p>- mn</p><p>these days it's more common to see bandwidths measured in megabits per EERE. Real“ 2</p><p>second (Mbps) or even gigabytes per second (Gbps). One Mbps is the &lt; BA = prem ET</p><p>equivalent of one million Bps. And one Gbps equals 1,000 Mbps or one billion NERS i fo b</p><p>=</p><p>Bps. ey =</p><p>Any device can measure the bandwidth it has at any given time. Special cy</p><p>websites or the ISP can calculate the bandwidth by sending a file through the</p><p>connection and then waiting for the information to return.</p><p>Bandwidth can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Symmetrical bandwidth</p><p>means the data capacity is the same for uploads and downloads.</p><p>Asymmetrical, on the other hand, means download and upload capacity are</p><p>not equal. When bandwidth is asymmetrical, upload capacity is usually smaller</p><p>than download capacity.</p><p>J Tip: There is software that lets you limit the quantity of bandwidth a</p><p>program is allowed to use.</p><p>Bandwidth Control</p><p>There is software that lets you limit the quantity of bandwidth a program is</p><p>allowed to use. This can be helpful if, say, you want to continue downloading a EE =</p><p>file while streaming a film but don't want it to impact your viewing experience. | il r=</p><p>; =&lt; BNI</p><p>Ea — C= E</p><p>In this scenario, you could instruct the bandwidth control program to limit the =METN A 41 Sr L fH LE &amp;</p><p>amount of bandwidth the download can access. Doing this would ensure the Ra WE — die) {</p><p>download continues without eating away at the available bandwidth and Ti | Sk =</p><p>making everything else run slowly. 3 i</p><p>Limiting the download to, say, 15% of the total bandwidth should leave enough</p><p>capacity for the film to stream in high quality without lags and issues. The</p><p>trade-off is that the download won't be as quick and will take longer to</p><p>complete.</p><p>Bandwidth Requirements</p><p>The amount of bandwidth required to surf the web seamlessly depends on the</p><p>task the user wishes to undertake.</p><p>For instance, general browsing could use 0.32 Mbps/332 Kbps, sending a basic</p><p>email 1 Mbps, instant messaging 0.5 Mbps/500 Kbps, and a video conversation</p><p>with multiple people about 8 Mbps. !! Standard high-definition video generally</p><p>requires a minimum of 3 Mbps. Push the quality up to 4k and the bandwidth</p><p>requirement jumps to at least 15 Mbps. 2!</p><p>History of Bandwidth El ~</p><p>Since 1994, the internet has transformed from a niche technology serving = = L . I</p><p>mainly to interconnect laboratories engaged in government research to akey ES. ~~ 4 ama) 2</p><p>part of everyday life. In 1995, 0.68% of the world's population reportedly had § Lg BAR perme 02 1</p><p>access to the internet. 1! Fast-forward to 2024, and over two-thirds of the globe NEES = Cu) bi</p><p>is connected. 1] - Es</p><p>People now depend on the internet to communicate, purchase goods, earn an [P48 i</p><p>income, gain access to information, and entertain themselves. Over the years,</p><p>the technology has become more content-heavy, sophisticated, and populated,</p><p>meaning the amount of bandwidth required to use it effectively has increased</p><p>substantially.</p><p>According to Speedtest.net, between June 2023 and June 2024 the average</p><p>download speed and upload speed globally was 93.93 Mbps and 47.27 Mbps,</p><p>respectively, for fixed broadband and 56.43 Mbps and 11.53, respectively, for</p><p>mobile. The fastest countries for fixed broadband were Singapore, United Arab</p><p>Emirates, and Hong Kong, while the fastest countries for mobile bandwidth</p><p>were Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. 5!</p><p>244.68 Mbps</p><p>The average bandwidth for fixed broadband connections in the U.S.</p><p>from June 2023 to June 2024. [0 =</p><p>&gt; = IN; (]</p><p>What Is the Meaning of Bandwidth? = 5 ARS. = = HE 8"</p><p>\2 TR pl &amp;</p><p>Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted in a specified amount JJ 2.8 p= 3S</p><p>of time. ems, a fi A</p><p>-~</p><p>What Is a Good Bandwidth? 7 37</p><p>A good bandwidth allows you to transmit and receive the amount of data you</p><p>need without overloading your connection’ capacity. A medium business</p><p>might require at least 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up speeds, while a smaller</p><p>business could use less. However, the faster your bandwidths, the better it is</p><p>for you and your customers.</p><p>How Much Is 1 Gigabit of Bandwidth?</p><p>One gigabit of bandwidth is one billion bits per second (1,000 megabits per</p><p>second). One megabit is one million bits per second.</p><p>The Bottom Line</p><p>Bandwidth measures how much information can be sent over a network per</p><p>second. Itis commonly discussed in reference to internet connections, with a</p><p>higher bandwidth being associated with greater speed and the ability to</p><p>connect multiple devices simultaneously without compromising performance.</p><p>ARTICLE SOURCES ¥</p><p>Related Terms</p><p>What Is an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)?</p><p>Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a new technology that provides high</p><p>transmission speeds for to homes on ordinary copper telephone wire. more</p><p>What Is Broadband, and How Does It Work?</p><p>Broadband refers to various high-capacity technologies that transmit data, voice, and</p><p>video across long distances and at high speeds. more</p><p>File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Meaning and Uses</p><p>File transfer protocol (FTP) is a mechanism for the transfer of files between systems. FTP Partner Links</p><p>software can be downloaded for free. more</p><p>IP Address: Definition, How It Works, and Examples</p><p>An IP address is a unique identifier for a computer or network, which allows users to send</p><p>and receive data. There are four types: public, private, static, dynamic. more</p><p>Internet Service Provider (ISP): What They Do and Examples</p><p>An Internet service provider, or ISP, is a company that provides consumers and</p><p>businesses access to the Internet. more</p><p>What Is Net Neutrality? Policies and Controversy</p><p>Net neutrality requires all internet service providers (ISPs) to provide equal data access</p><p>and speed to all internet traffic. more</p><p>Related Articles</p><p>Eh 5 GUIDE TO MICROECONOMICS</p><p>ot Ne IPRS .</p><p>er 1553 Ee What Is an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber</p><p>JS 7 .</p><p>BAN ONY Line (ADSL)?</p><p>PRODUCTS AND SERVICES</p><p>What Is Broadband, and How Does It</p><p>Work?</p><p>acl</p><p>&amp; = SAVINGS</p><p>J</p><p>A Wy What Broadband Costs and How to Afford</p><p>PRODUCTS AND SERVICES</p><p>File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Meaning and</p><p>Uses</p><p>TECH STOCKS</p><p>IP Address: Definition, How It Works, and</p><p>Examples</p><p>" PRODUCTS AND SERVICES</p><p>HE. 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