3 MB connection, max download @ 350 KB

DarkTears

banned
I believe i have a 3 MB connection. I'm downloading something from steam and the highest i ever get is 350 KB. That isn't close to 3MB at all. Anyone care to explain?
 

G25r8cer

Active Member
I believe i have a 3 MB connection. I'm downloading something from steam and the highest i ever get is 350 KB. That isn't close to 3MB at all. Anyone care to explain?

The download speed your isp tells you and the download speed you get are measured differently. Go to speedtest.net and test your speed. Post back here with your results.
 

Motoxrdude

Active Member
Thats because your ISP measures it in bits while everything else gets measured in bytes. 1 bit = 8bytes, so 3,000kilabyts / 8 bits = 375 bytes.
 

dug987654

New Member
Thats because your ISP measures it in bits while everything else gets measured in bytes. 1 bit = 8bytes, so 3,000kilabyts / 8 bits = 375 bytes.

Just a little add on question....

I know about megabits and megabytes, but what are their shorter terms (such as Gb etc).

As a well known broadband company in the UK advertises their speed as SPEECH: "50 megabits", TEXT: "50Mb".

Now I thought 'Mb' was megabytes, like 'GB', or is 'MB' = megabyte and 'Mb' = megabit...?

You get me...? Doug.
 

mjoliat

Member
Little b = bits. Big B = BYTES
bits= 1
bytes= 8 bits
350 KB= 2,800 Kilobits = 2.8 Mb = 2.8 millions bits
Gb= gigabits = billion bits
 

DarkTears

banned
Thats because your ISP measures it in bits while everything else gets measured in bytes. 1 bit = 8bytes, so 3,000kilabyts / 8 bits = 375 bytes.

ok thank you, maybe I should get the next one up, I think the next one they let you buy is a 7 or 8 MB connection.
 

chrisalv14

banned
3MB? is that slow?
im on the 20mb broadband service. but soon i will automatically be going onto the 50mb service.
 

tlarkin

VIP Member
most services are measured in Mbit (mega bit) and it is your total bandwith, not your down stream to one PC. It is your total bandwidth to your network and there is always packet loss no matter what. If you add a couple of PCs to your network then you eat more bandwidth.
 

Gooberman

Active Member
That's how companies trick you! lol they avertise it by saying like 3 Mb/s Download speeds!!! and you think it's 3 Megabytes :)
 
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