What is Bandwidth?
In networking, telecommunications and internet
connectivity, bandwidth is one of the most crucial concepts we must
understand. It refers to how much data can actually be transmitted through a specific connection in a set period of
time, the larger the bandwidth, the more data can be sent through that connection.
A common analogy used to illustrate this is something we are all familiar with, a highway. The more lanes a highway
has (the more bandwidth a connection has), the more vehicles can travel down it at the same time (the more data can
flow). But perhaps the best way to really understand what bandwidth is, is to look at how we measure it.
Measuring bandwidth means seeing how much data (bits) is sent along a connection in a timeframe, usually per second.
This is expressed as bps, or bits per second, with larger bandwidth we use larger data measurements, so instead of
bits, it could be Kbps, or Kilobits per second, Mbps, or megabits per second and finally, for the largest bandwidth
capabilities, Gbps, or Gigabits per second.
In practice, this will be a stated bandwidth of 100 Mbps, for instance, which means that connection supports up to
100 Megabits of data being transmitted every second.
How Bandwidth Works
Returning to our highway analogy, think about a highway with multiple lanes like this:
Each lane is a single communication channel
We can think of this in terms of a specific bandwidth capacity
So, each vehicle represents a data packet transmission.
To measure bandwidth:
We first take the number of lanes the highway has (its bandwidth) and the speed limit (how fast the data
moves).
The bps (bits per second) measurement is the same as how many cars can travel at the stated speed limit.
Different bandwidth measurements:
Kilobits per second (Kbps) — A smaller road such as a country lane with a 50-mph speed limit,
in data terms, we can use it for light data loads.
Megabits Per Second (Mbps) — This is a larger highway, something with four lanes and a 70-mph
speed limit, and we can use this for moderate to heavy data loads.
Gigabits per second (Gbps) — This would be a major freeway in road terms, with multiple lanes
and the highest speed limits, designed to cope with the largest data demands of them all.
How to increase your bandwidth
If you find you have an internet connection that isn’t moving fast enough, you will want to increase your bandwidth,
here are some ideas to help you achieve that:
Upgrade Your Connection: One of the most straightforward ways to increase bandwidth is by upgrading
your internet service plan.
Optimize Your Router: Ensuring your router's settings are optimized for maximum performance can also
help increase bandwidth.
Use Ethernet: Wired connections generally offer more bandwidth than wireless ones.
Limit Bandwidth-Heavy Applications: Some applications consume a significant amount of bandwidth. By
limiting their use, you can free up bandwidth for other applications.
For example, we added Gigabit Ethernet to our CAN FD-Pro
because many of our clients told us they needed more bandwidth. So, we made it happen.
Conclusion
Because bandwidth impacts the speed and quality of the internet experience, especially in data-intensive things like
streaming video, it is important to understand what bandwidth is. Its not just internet connections either, sending
vehicle data to the cloud for telematics,
accessing data on a local server, all of these rely on having connections
with adequate bandwidth to deliver the smooth experience we expect.
Knowing how bandwidth is measured can help spot issues and take appropriate action to increase bandwidth to meet
current needs.
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