Streaming a movie in 4K takes about 25 megabits per second. Downloading the same movie takes less time on a faster connection. Bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a network. It is measured in bits per second, usually megabits or gigabits. The higher the bandwidth, the more data can flow at once.

Bandwidth is not the same as speed. Speed is how fast data travels. Bandwidth is how much data can travel. A highway analogy helps. More lanes mean more cars can travel at once. The speed limit is the same. Bandwidth is the number of lanes.

Factors affecting bandwidth

• Physical medium: fiber carries more than copper
• Network congestion: many users share the same pipe
• Distance: signal degrades over long runs
• Equipment: old routers cap throughput

Bandwidth demand keeps rising. Video, cloud backups, online gaming, and remote work all compete for the same capacity. Internet providers upgrade infrastructure, but rural areas often lag behind. The gap between connected and unconnected is a bandwidth gap.