Networking Beginner

What is Bandwidth?

The maximum rate of data transfer across a network connection, measured in bits per second.

Bandwidth represents the capacity of a network connection — how much data can flow through per unit of time. It is measured in Mbps (megabits per second) or Gbps (gigabits per second).

Bandwidth differs from throughput (actual data transferred) and speed (which also depends on latency). Factors affecting bandwidth include hardware limits, network congestion, and ISP throttling.

Related Terms

SSL/TLS Certificate

A digital certificate that authenticates a website identity and enables encrypted HTTPS connections.

A network diagnostic tool that shows the path packets take from source to destination, listing each hop along the way.

HTTPS Everywhere

The practice of securing all web traffic with TLS encryption, ensuring data integrity and privacy between browsers and servers.

A network routing technique where the same IP address is announced from multiple locations, directing users to the nearest server.

VLAN (Virtual LAN)

A logical grouping of network devices that creates separate broadcast domains on the same physical network infrastructure.

Network Topology

The physical or logical arrangement of nodes and connections in a computer network, such as star, mesh, ring, or bus configurations.

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