Data rate
Your broadband's Mbit/s and a file's MB/s – divide by 8 to switch between them. 100 Mbit/s is 12.5 MB/s. Edit, print and share.
The data rate table links broadband’s bit units (Gbit/s, Mbit/s, kbit/s) to a file’s byte units (GB/s, MB/s, kB/s) – the difference is always a factor of 8. Made for the classroom and home.
| 1 Gbit/s | = | 1 000 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mbit/s | = | 1 000 kbit/s |
| 1 MB/s | = | 8 Mbit/s |
| 1 kB/s | = | 8 kbit/s |
| 1 GB/s | = | 8 Gbit/s |
| 1 Gbit/s | = | 125 MB/s |
| 1 Mbit/s | = | 0.125 MB/s |
| 1 B/s | = | 8 bps |
How the table works
Every row is a unit conversion: a quantity and unit on the left, the same quantity expressed in another unit on the right. The table is live – drag the handle to reorder, click a row to change the quantity or units, remove rows with the cross and add your own at the bottom.
Everything you change lands in the page address. Copy the link and others open exactly your table – handy when the whole class needs the same sheet. Your changes are also kept in your browser until you reset them, but only there: to share or keep them permanently, the link is what counts.
Print puts the table on a single portrait A4 and Download PDF gives you the same sheet as a file. Print practice sheet gives the table with empty answer cells and name/date lines – the normal printout is the answer key.
Divide by 8 – broadband’s bits meet a file’s bytes
Internet providers measure speed in bits per second (Mbit/s), but files and downloads are measured in bytes per second (MB/s). The relationship is always the same: 1 byte = 8 bit. A 100 Mbit/s broadband connection therefore only downloads 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5 MB per second.
Good to know: lowercase b (Mbit/s, kbit/s) means bit, uppercase B (MB/s, kB/s) means byte – an easy letter to miss, but it changes the answer by a factor of 8.
Roughly how fast?
- A 100 Mbit/s broadband connection gives 12.5 MB/s.
- A 4 GB film at 100 Mbit/s takes roughly 5.5 minutes to download.
- Mobile 5G holds roughly 300 Mbit/s.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my 100 Mbit/s broadband only download 12.5 MB per second?
Broadband is measured in bits, the file in bytes, and 1 byte = 8 bit. 100 ÷ 8 = 12.5.
How do I convert Gbit/s to Mbit/s?
Multiply by 1 000. 1 Gbit/s = 1 000 Mbit/s.
What’s the difference between bit and byte?
1 byte = 8 bit. Lowercase b is bit, uppercase B is byte.
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