Do internet bandwidth and internet speed mean the same things?
Internet bandwidth-hogging and internet speed, do you think they mean the same thing? Are there any differences between them? Is testing internet connection speed testing the bandwidth? Well, in spite of the fact that these 2 terms are often used interchangeably, they are totally different. Why??? Keep scrolling down to learn basic things about internet speed and bandwidth and then you will understand the differences between them. Now, let’s start by figuring out what the internet speed is first!
What is the internet speed?
As you may guess from the term 'speed' itself, well, it refers to the fastness of the data transfer over a connection, telling how quickly the data is pushed and pulled from/to a device (upload and download speeds). Of course, the faster the upload speed and download speed, the better as they allow the data and information to be uploaded and downloaded quicker. In contrast, the slow internet connection speed is what internet users don't want to experience as it just takes us more time to receive or send the data.
These days, testing internet connection speed is so simple and easy thanks to the availability of countless online speed test tools on the internet. Generally speaking, the fastness and stability of a connection are so important when it comes to smooth internet experiences in today's digital era.
What is internet bandwidth?
Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data or the maximum data capacity that can pass through an internet connection in a given time. It's measured in Kbps (standing for Kilobits per second), Mbps (standing for megabits per second), or even Gbps (standing for Gigabits per second).
The bandwidth of an internet connection can be either asymmetrical or symmetrical. Asymmetrical bandwidth means the upload capacity of a connection is not equal to its download capacity, while symmetrical bandwidth means the opposite (the download capacity is completely equal to the upload capacity). Normally, upload capacity is smaller than download capacity in most asymmetrical connections.
These are a few basic things to know about the terms 'bandwidth' and ‘internet speed’ following is about the biggest difference between them. Here it is!
The biggest difference between internet speed and internet bandwidth, what it is?
After checking out a few basic things concerning what internet speed and internet bandwidth are, do you have any idea about the differences between them? Actually, many people tend to use these two words interchangeably so often, however, they don't mean the same thing. Speed does not equal bandwidth, therefore, using them interchangeably seems to be not really correct in many cases.
Well, about the biggest difference between internet speed and bandwidth and speed, it can be summed shorted in one sentence: while bandwidth is how much data and content can be pushed and pulled from/to a device, speed is about how fast a device can send and data receive data and information.
If the bandwidth of a connection is the size of a water pipe, then its speed is nothing but the rate of water passing through that pipe. Now, you know how and why it's said that bandwidth and speed are different, don't you? Also, it's clear that testing internet connection speed is about measuring how fast or how slow an internet connection is, not how large the bandwidth is!
Bottom line
In a nutshell, though internet bandwidth and internet speed are related, they are not the same thing, and testing internet connection speed is a way to determine how fast the data can be transferred through it, not how much the data can pass through it. And that’s all for this article. Hope you liked it!
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