| In order to understand your Internet connection | | | | faster Internet connection to stream in real time. For |
| speed and how your computer stores information, | | | | example, to watch a video that has a bit rate of |
| you should start with the most basic measurements | | | | 240kbps, You would want to have a connection that |
| of data: bits and bytes. Before you read further, | | | | is at least slightly faster to watch the video without |
| don't forget that a "b" (small case b) is a bit, and "B" | | | | interruptions. |
| (upper case B) is a byte, e.g., kb is kilobit and kB is | | | | A byte (B) is 8 bits. As you read earlier, bits store |
| kilobyte. | | | | information based on a binary system and are |
| A bit (b) is the smallest measurement of data that | | | | arranged and stored in sequences, or bytes. Strings |
| can be stored or transferred on computers and | | | | of bytes make up documents, images, commands |
| Internet services. Bits store information based on a | | | | for your computer, etc. Most sizes of files, programs, |
| binary system of 1's and 0's ("bi" means 2, i.e., 2 | | | | and capacities of drives, etc, are measured in bytes, |
| numbers, 1 and 0). Bits are arranged and stored in | | | | kilobytes, megabytes (megs), and gigabytes (gigs). |
| sequences that are translated into words, pictures, | | | | When describing capacity, like file size or storage, |
| etc., when you see them on your computer screen. | | | | bytes are measured by the binary system that bits |
| When you hear the term "bits", it is usually used to | | | | use to store information. Therefore, "kilo" = 1,024 |
| when measure transfer rate, as in downloading from | | | | (or, 2^10). A kilobyte (kB) is 1,024 bytes, and a |
| the Internet or an Internet connection speed. For | | | | megabyte (mB) is 1,024 kilobytes. A gigabyte (gB) is |
| example, "bps" is bits per second, or, the amount of | | | | 1,024 megabytes, etc. |
| bits that can be downloaded or transferred in a | | | | Here are some examples of those numbers in relation |
| second. When measuring transfer rate for Internet | | | | to your computer. A typical Microsoft Word |
| connections, 1 kilobit (kb) = 1000 bits, 1 megabit (mb) | | | | document is about 30 kB in size. An image is typically |
| = 1000 kilobits. Therefore, if your dial up connection | | | | about 100 kB, depending on the size and format. |
| successfully connected at 34.4 kbps, 34.4 kilobits or | | | | When you save that document or image to your |
| 34400 bits can be downloaded per second to your | | | | computer, it takes up 30 kB or 100 kB of your |
| computer. If you have a 6000 kbps (or 6 mbps) DSL | | | | computers storage space. A CD typically has about |
| connection, you can download 6000 kilobits, or | | | | 700 mB (or 716,800 kB) of storage space. Most hard |
| 6,000,000 bits per second. | | | | drives on personal computers are now sold with a |
| A bit rate is the rate at which a certain number of | | | | capacity of 500 gig (or 524,288,000 kB). |
| bits (or kb or mb) can be streamed or downloaded | | | | To review, 1 byte is 8 bits. An Internet connection |
| per second. You will usually hear about "bit rates"in | | | | (transfer rate, download/upload speed) is measured |
| relation to audio and video streaming from the | | | | in bits, and 1 kilobit is 1,000 bits. Storage capacity |
| Internet. A higher bit rate means that the quality of | | | | (drive/disk space and file sizes), it is measured in |
| the streaming will be higher, but it also requires a | | | | bytes, and 1 kilobyte is 1,024 bytes. |