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Reality Check: Bits, Bytes, and your connection speed.Jul 16 '00 Write an essay on this topic.NOTE: This was formerly posted in Primer on DSL. It's now moved here into a more appropriate topic. Ok people it's time to whip out the pencil and paper and go back to math class. As representative and veteran of the internet industry let me explain why those downloads aren't going as fast as you think you where promised. To help me with this I have requested the help of Mr. Unsuspecting Consumer. Hello Mr. Consumer. Mr. UC: Hello. Let me start with this: BITS and BYTES make a WORLD of difference. Got that? Mr. UC: I think so. Alright, and now I'll tell you why. In the world of computing in spite of the platform, brand, and design of a system they are all based on one thing. BINARY. Mr. UC: What is 'binary'? Glad you asked. Binary is a number system. It's similar to the base 10 number system that we use everyday. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9, is the decimal system which we use every day. There are ten numbers that make up this number system. Binary is different. Ten numbers is very complex to implement in a hardware form, so in order to make computing exist we use binary. Binary is easy, it's 1 or 0. Ever see one of those old IBM computers or electric typewriters? Ever notice the on/off switch? It's off when the switch is pointed to 0 (which means off in binary computing), and on when it's pointed to 1 (which means on in binary computing). If you never understood what that meant you know now. Mr. UC: What does this mean?? Simple. In computing a bit is a piece of hardware (usually a tiny tiny part of an integrated circuit) that either set to a 1 or a 0. When you group 8 of them together you get a byte. This is important folks, 8 bits = 1 byte. A byte is a word which is the building blocks of the letter and number system we use to make it easier to program. If you got that you are doing good. Do you have that Mr. Consumer? Mr. UC: I think so. Now when you go to a computer store or Pest Pi (I know you do) and you look at that nice long lineup of the same brand of computers you'll see on that tiny sheet 'includes 56kbps voice/fax modem'. Now here is the trick. That 'kbps' part stands for kilo-bits per second. That means for a 56k modem every second when connected, that modem can transfer UP TO 56,000 bits. Don’t forget that kilo stands for 1000 (actually it's 1024 in computer terms, but we use 1000 for simplicity), 56k = 56,000. Mr. UC: So? When I download files it tells me that I'm downloading at 6KB/sec. If the modem can transfer 56,000 of those bits why am I only getting 6,000?? Very good point. Here's where the difference between bits and bytes come in. When you download a file from the Internet, Internet Explorer is kind enough to tell you that you are downloading a file at 6KB/sec. Now, most people know that's 6 kilo-bytes. A lot of people are fooled by the abbreviation. The web browser reads download speeds in kilo-bytes per second, while the manufactures tell you the modem downloads at 56 kilo-bits per second. Now the thing is no one has ever lied to you, they just never told you the whole truth. Mr. UC: Could you clarify? *Sigh* Ok since the modem can do 56,000 bits per second, and we know 8 bits = 1 byte lets do a little math. 56,000 bits / 8 bits = 7,000 bytes Now 7,000 bytes / 1000 (1k) = 7 kilo-bytes That means your 56kilo-bit per second modem does 7 kilo-bytes per second when the web browser measures it. The modem and the browser are using different standards to measure speed that look and sound similar. This is similar along the lines of Miles per hour versus Kilometers per hour. Mr. UC: I think I got it. But I said that I was downloading at 6KB/sec. According to your math I'm supposed to be getting 7KB/sec! That's simple. The reason that 1KB/sec is getting skimmed off can be due to a lot of things. First, Uncle Sam and his little pet the FCC limits data transfer rates over voice phone lines to 53,000 bits per second. You are losing 3,000 bits or 375 bytes before you even do anything. Now the remainder can be due to line noise on the phone line that degrades the signal and forces the modem slower. Finally there is always net traffic that clogs up servers and routers. Mr. UC: I see now. I've heard of cable modems, DSL, and T1 lines. Some of my friends say they can download up to 1 megabyte per second. Is that right? No. No no no. And again no. When you are talking in terms of a connection to the internet it will always be in terms of bits per second. Those of you lucky ones with cable or DSL in your home, your providers promises you up to 1.5 mega-bits per second. When you see it in your web browser that means you should see up to and no more than 200 kilo-bytes per second. That means you can download a 1 Megabyte file in 5 seconds. If you feel necessary to complain about that you can kiss my sweet.... well you know. Mr. UC: Thanks Martin, that helps! I'll stop calling up and yelling at my ISP now for slow downloads. I misunderstood them. That's great Mr. Consumer glad to help out! Have a nice day folks!  |
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