Bandwidth (computing) facts for kids

In computer networks and computer science, digital bandwidth (or just bandwidth) is like the size of a pipe that carries water. It means how much data can travel from one place to another in a certain amount of time. We measure it in bits per second (bits/s). You might see it as kbit/s (kilobits per second) or Mbit/s (megabits per second), which are bigger amounts.

It's important not to mix up bandwidth with a few other things:

• Network throughput: This is the actual speed at which data successfully moves through a connection. Think of it as how much water actually comes out of the pipe, even if the pipe is big.
• Data transfer: This is the total amount of data that has moved over a period of time. It's like the total amount of water collected in a bucket after an hour.

Bandwidth for Websites

When you hear about "bandwidth" for websites, it usually means how much data can be sent to or from that website in a month. This is often called monthly data transfer.

Imagine a website has a monthly data transfer limit, like 500 gigabytes. This is like a monthly allowance for data. If too many people download things from the website and it uses up all 500 gigabytes before the month ends, the website might stop working for visitors until the next month.

Internet Connection Speeds

Different types of internet connections have different bandwidths, meaning they can send data at different speeds. Here's a look at some common connection types and their typical speeds:

See also

In Spanish: Ancho de banda (informática) para niños