# Bandwidth Converter

Free bandwidth converter. Convert between Mbps, Gbps, MB/s, KB/s, and other bandwidth units. Calculate download times for your internet speed.

## What this calculates

Convert between all common bandwidth and data transfer rate units including Mbps, Gbps, MB/s, and KB/s. Also calculates how long it takes to download 1 GB at the given speed.

## Inputs

- **Value** — min 0
- **From** — options: Bits per second (bps), Kilobits per second (Kbps), Megabits per second (Mbps), Gigabits per second (Gbps), Terabits per second (Tbps), Bytes per second (B/s), Kilobytes per second (KB/s), Megabytes per second (MB/s), Gigabytes per second (GB/s)
- **To** — options: Bits per second (bps), Kilobits per second (Kbps), Megabits per second (Mbps), Gigabits per second (Gbps), Terabits per second (Tbps), Bytes per second (B/s), Kilobytes per second (KB/s), Megabytes per second (MB/s), Gigabytes per second (GB/s)

## Outputs

- **Result** — The converted bandwidth value.
- **Conversion** — formatted as text — Step-by-step conversion explanation.
- **1 GB Download Time** — formatted as text — Approximate time to download 1 GB at this speed.

## Details

Bandwidth (data transfer rate) is often confusing because ISPs advertise in megabits (Mb) while downloads show megabytes (MB). Understanding the difference is essential.

Bits vs. Bytes

- 1 byte = 8 bits

- ISPs advertise in bits: 100 Mbps = 100 megabits per second

- Downloads show bytes: 12.5 MB/s = 12.5 megabytes per second

- 100 Mbps = 12.5 MB/s (divide by 8)

SI Prefix Scale

- 1 Kbps = 1,000 bps

- 1 Mbps = 1,000 Kbps = 1,000,000 bps

- 1 Gbps = 1,000 Mbps = 1,000,000,000 bps

Common Internet Speeds

- Basic broadband: 25 Mbps (3.1 MB/s)

- Fast broadband: 100 Mbps (12.5 MB/s)

- Gigabit: 1,000 Mbps (125 MB/s)

- Wi-Fi 6: up to 9,600 Mbps theoretical

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: How do I convert Mbps to MB/s?**

A: Divide Mbps by 8. For example, 100 Mbps = 100/8 = 12.5 MB/s. This is because there are 8 bits in a byte. ISPs advertise in megabits (Mbps) while file downloads typically display megabytes (MB/s).

**Q: Why is my download speed lower than my internet plan?**

A: There are several reasons: (1) ISPs advertise in Mbps while downloads show MB/s (divide by 8); (2) Protocol overhead reduces usable bandwidth by 5-10%; (3) Network congestion, distance from router, and server limitations also reduce speeds. A 100 Mbps plan realistically delivers about 10-11 MB/s.

**Q: What is the difference between Mbps and MBps?**

A: Capitalization matters. Mbps = megabits per second (network speeds), MBps = megabytes per second (file transfer). The lowercase 'b' is bits, uppercase 'B' is bytes. 1 MBps = 8 Mbps. ISPs use Mbps; your OS shows MBps for downloads.

**Q: How long does it take to download 1 GB at 100 Mbps?**

A: At 100 Mbps, 1 GB (8 Gbits) takes 8,000/100 = 80 seconds, or about 1 minute 20 seconds. In practice, overhead and fluctuations mean it typically takes about 1.5-2 minutes. This converter calculates ideal download times for any speed.

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Source: https://vastcalc.com/calculators/technology/bandwidth-converter
Category: Technology
Last updated: 2026-04-21