Bits, Bytes and Bandwidth Reference Guide

2001.01.01 01:53 EST by Philip

Quick Conversions...
For a quick reference, ue our Bits/Bytes Conversion Calculator.
For the few people that care to learn it right (or be confused to death), read on ;)
The Bits vs. Bytes Confusion
Let's start with some background information on prefixes, b mentioning the !etric sstem"
kilo (k)# $ %& ' ( $ %,&&& thousand
mega (!) $ %& ' ) $ %,&&&,&&& million
giga (*) $ %& ' + $ %,&&&,&&&,&&& billion
tera (,) $ %& ' %- $ %,&&&,&&&,&&&,&&& trillion
* Note that according to the Metric system, the "k" or "kilo" prefix is always lowercase.
The binary forms of kilobytes and megabytes have become standard throughout the computer industry, although they are incorrect
uses of the ! prefixes "in the !T field lowercase "k" is used to describe decimal kilobits, and capital "#" is used for binary kilobytes$.
When used to describe Data Transfer Rate, bits/bytes are calculated as in the metric system
.n data communications, a kilobit is a thousand bits, or %,&&& bits. .t's commonl used for measuring the amount of data that is
transferred in a second between two telecommunication points. /ilobits per second is usuall shortened to kbps or /bps##. 0ome
sources define a kilobit to mean %,&-1 bits. 2lthough the bit is a unit of the binar number sstem, bits in data communications are
discrete signal pulses and ha3e historicall been counted using the decimal number sstem. For example, -4.4 kilobits per second
(kbps) is -4,4&& bits per second.
1 bit (b) ! or 1 one binary di"it
% kilobit ( kb) $ %&'( bits $ %,&&& bits
% !egabit (!b) $ %&') bits $ %,&&&,&&& bits
% *igabit (*b) $ %&'+ bits $ %,&&&,&&&,&&& bits
## 5ote" 2lthough technicall speaking, the term kilobit should ha3e a lowercase initial letter, most published reports capitali6e it in
abbre3iation, resulting in 78) /bps,7 or e3en the reall confusing 78)/.7 ,hat lea3es ou with the sometimes omitted lowercase 7b7
to distinguish between bits (b) and btes (9). :hen used as a measurement of network data transfers, or throughput, alwas assume
the word is bits first.
When used to describe Memory Size# or Data Storage bits/bytes are "enerally calculated as some e$%onent of &
.n ;ata storage, and when describing !emor si6e, a /ilobte is -'%&, or %&-1 btes. 9ecause of binar computer architecture and
memor address boundaries, btes are alwas some multiple or exponent of two.
% bte (9) $ 4 bits (b)
% /ilobte (/ < /9) $ -'%& btes $ %,&-1 btes
% !egabte (! < !9) $ -'-& btes $ %,&14,8=) btes
% *igabte (* < *9) $ -'(& btes $ %,&=(,=1%,4-1 btes
% ,erabte (, < ,9) $ -'1& btes $ %,&++,8%%,)-=,==) btes
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2lthough data storage capacit, such as on hard dri3es is generall expressed in binar !egabtes (-'-&), most >ard disk
manufacturers, and some newer 9.?0es use decimal megabtes (%&')), which is slightl different and it gets confusing...
% bte (9) $ 4 bits (b)
% /ilobte (/ < /9) $ %&'( btes $ %,&&& btes
% !egabte (! < !9) $ %&') btes $ %,&&&,&&& btes
% *igabte (* < *9) $ %&'+ btes $ %,&&&,&&&,&&& btes
% ,erabte (, < ,9) $ %&'%- btes $ %,&&&,&&&,&&&,&&& btes
'bbreviations Table
bit b & or %
bte 9 4 bits
kilobit kb %&&& bits
kilobte (binar) /9 %&-1 btes
kilobte (decimal) /9 %&&& btes
!egabit !b %&&& kilobits
!egabte (binar) !9 %&-1 /ilobtes
!egabte (decimal) !9 %&&& /ilobtes
*igabit *b %&&& !egabits
*igabte (binar) *9 %&-1 !egabtes
*igabte (decimal) *9 %&&& !egabtes
Bandwidth Reference Table
D(! (digital signal &) is digital transmission rate of )1 /bps, the bandwidth normall used for one telephone 3oice channel. .t is the
base multiple for both , (5orth 2merica) and @ (@urope) ;0 (digital signal) carriers.
,he following table summari6es the set of signals and their relationship to the ,Acarrier and @Acarrier sstems
() Band*idth +eference Table
D($ / ,$ / -$ Data rate D(! multi%le Carrier
;0&(@&<B&) )1 kbps %
%-4 kbps - .0;5
;0% %.811 !bps -( (-1) ,%
@% -.&14 !bps (& ((-) @%
;0%C < B%C (.%8- !bps 1) (14) ,%C < B%C
;0- < B- ).(%- !bps +- (+)) ,- < B-
@- 4.114 !bps %-& (%(-) @-
B( (-.&)1 !bps 14& B(
@( (1.()4 !bps 14& (8(=) @(
;0( 11.=() !bps )11 ()=-) ,(
0,0% 8%.41 !bps )=- ?C%
;0(C 4+.1=- !bps %-44 (%(11) ,(C
2
B1 +=.=-4 !bps %11& B(C
;0(D %(1.-&4 !bps %+(- (-&%)) ,(D
@1 %(+.-)1 !bps %+-& (-%14) @1
0,0A( < 0;>A% %88.8- !bps -&%) ?C(
;01 -=1.%=) !bps (4)1 (1&(-) ,1
B8 1&&.(8- !bps 8=)& B1
;01@ 1%%.-)1 !bps 8=+) ()&14) ,1@
0,0A+ < 0;>A( 1)).8) !bps )&14 ?C+
;01C 8)&.%)& !bps ==-4 (4&)1) ,1C
@8 8)8.%14 !bps =)4& (48+-) @8 (1 @1 chnnels)
0,0A%- < 0;>A1 )--.&4 !bps 4&)1 ?C%-
;01D 4--.8-4 !bps %%8+- (%-&+)) ,1D
0,0A%4 < 0;>A) +((.%- !bps %-&+) ?C%4
;08 %.%-& *bps %818) (%)%-4) ,8
0,0A-1 < 0;>A4 %.-11 *bps %)%-4 ?C-1
;08D %.1&& *bps %+(-& (-&%)&) ,8D
;08@ %.)4& *bps -(%41 (-1%+-) ,8@
0,0A() < 0;>A%- %.4)) *bps -1%+- ?C()
0,0A14 < 0;>A%) -.144 *bps (--8) ?C14
0,0A+) < 0;>A(- 1.+=) *bps )18%- ?C+)
0,0A%+- < 0;>A)1 +.+8- *bps %-+&-1 ?C%+-
0,0A-8) %(.-=% *bps %=-&(- ?C-8)
0,0A=)4 < 0;>A-8) (+.4%( *bps 8%)&+) ?C=)4
Note% The following digital signal levels are not standardi&ed and'or are not in common use%
()*, ()+, (,-, (,*, (,+, (., (.+, (.-, -., /., T01, T023, T04,, T0)5, T04.5, T0653.
User Reviews/Comments:
rate"
115 article
a3g"
by .itrofish A -&&).&=.&% -("%(
all of this info is reall helpful, but what i came here looking for was, on our wireless router, it sas its capable
of a g connection (81!bps), how would i go about con3erting that into megabtes<secondE
by %hili% A -&&).&=.&- %("8+
Fou can use our bits<btes con3ersion calculator to con3ert 81!bps (megabits per second) into !egabtes per
second"
http"<<www.speedguide.net<con3ersion.php
5ote, howe3er, that the 4&-.%%g theoretical 81!bs maximum throughput includes both directions, and all
o3erhead... For all practical purposes, our connection will be up to about -& !bps (G-.- !egabtes per
second), and it will get slower at larger discances.
by "ana/0! A -&&).&4.%- &1"&+
,his is what i understand. 2;0L-H is wa faster than 2;0L. !an wireless modems now use 2;0L-H. @3er
3
IC in one network that share the same connection o3er a modem will recei3e their bandwidth di3ided not on
the same di3ide but depending on their usage of bandwidth. For slower connections it is not ad3isable to use
wireless because of the bandwidth share and obstacles. ;id . miss anthingE
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