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Updated
March 20th 2007
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Registry Hacking - Win95 / Win98
Simple. Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted via a given communications channel (such as a computer network) in a given unit of time (generally one second).
What does that mean? It means that all internet connections are limited to a certain amount of data transfers over time. For example, if you try to download too many files at once, your internet connection becomes lagged. Why? Because the speed of your dialup connection (assuming you are on a dialup) cannot handle transferring that amount of data at once. If you upgraded to a higher bandwidth connection, ie: a cable modem, then you would be able to download more files before becoming lagged.
How Is Bandwidth Measured?
ALL connections to the internet are limited in the same way. We measure dialups by kilobytes per second (Kbps), thus 14.4k, 28.8k, 33.6k, 56k, 64k, 128k. A kilobyte is a measurement of storage capacity equal to approximately 1024 bytes. We measure other connections in megabits per second (mbps). A megabit is a measurement of storage capacity equal to approximately 1 million bits (1,048,576).
What Is a Hop and a Backbone?
A backbone is a high-speed, high-capacity medium designed to transfer data over thousands of miles. The internet is made of an enormous system of linked backbones.
A hop is the path that data travels from one router to the next. A router is an electronic device that examines each packet of data it receives and then decides which way to send it onward toward its destination. So that the data can reach the backbone, several hops may be necessary.
Hops require processing time. When the message must be read and passed on by several routers before it reaches its destination it can result in jitter. Jitter is an annoying and perceptible variation in the time it takes various "workstations" to respond to messages. Some respond quickly, while some respond slowly.
What Does All of This Mean to Me?
When you are looking at buying a shell you need to know its bandwidth and possibly how many hops it is from its backbone connection. Now you know what the measurements mean, what a backbone is, and what hops mean. Let's move on the the different types of connections and their speeds.
If you either understand or don't care about dialup, ISDN, ASDL, or Cable connections, skip to here.
Dedicated or Non-Dedicated?
An
"unlimited" internet account is not the same as a dedicated connection.
A dedicated connection means that someone is paying their provider to keep
them connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An unlimited internet account
generally does not include "idle" time and many internet service providers
will disconnect dialup accounts after a certain length of time (sometimes
whether idle or not). A dedicated connection however allows a system to
connect to their internet service provider continuously whether idle or
not, with no time constraints.
Dialup
Connections are connections that are established when a user calls into
the system that connects them to the backbone and then to the internet.
They are:
Ok, So What Are all these
acronyms?
| Dialups | 14.4K, 28.8K, 33.6K, 56K |
| ISDN | 64K I |
| DS-0 | Digital Signal. 64 kbps |
| Dual ISDN | 128K SDN Connections are also a type of dialup, however they use digital lines as opposed to analog lines and are much faster. |
| ASDL | Asynchonous Digital Line. These use regular copper lines for a faster connection. 512 kbps to 6.1 mbps |
| Cable Modem | This is a connection to the internet via the same cable lines that you would get cable television through. The actual bandwidth for Internet service over a cable TV line is up to 27 mbps on the download path to the subscriber with about 2.5 mbps of bandwidth for interactive responses in the other direction. However, since the local provider may not be connected to the Internet on a line faster than a T-1 at 1.5 mpbs, a more likely data rate will be close to 1.5 bpbs, although some cable subscribers have been known to get up to 4mbps. |
| 1.45
mbps (equivalent of quite a few ISDN lines)
a very high speed North American, dedicated phone connection, costing generally $750-$1500 per month. Normally it is used to connect internet access providers or other internet businesses to nodes. 1.544 mbps |
|
| DS-1 | Digital Signal. 1.544 mbps |
| VT-1.5 | virtual Tributary 1.728 mbps |
| E1 | A European connection. 2.048 mbps |
| VT-2 | Virtual Tributary 2.304 mbps |
| DS-2 | |
| VT-6 | Virtual Tributary 6.912 mbps |
| E2 | E2 is also a European connection. 34.368 mbps |
| DS-3 | DS-3 Digital Signal. 44.736 mbps |
| T3 | speeds can vary. up to 44.736 mbps (depending on the type of T3) |
| OC-1 | Optical Carrier 51.84 mbps |
| STS-1 | Synchronous Transfer Signal 51.84 mbps |
| 100BaseT | 100 mbps |
| E4 | European connection. 139.264 mbps |
| OC3 | Optical Carrier 155.52 mbps |
| STM-1 | Snchronous Transfer Module 155.56 mbps |
| STS-3 | Synchronous Transfer Signal 155.56 mbps |
| OC12 | Optical Carrier 622.08 mbps |
| STM-4 | Synchronous Transfer Module 622.08 mbps |
| STS-12 | synchronous Transfer Signal 622.08 mbps |
| OC25 | pretty damn fast |
| OC256 | Transatlantic Link (approximately $1.5 million per month) |
P.S. If you are wondering why 1 kilobyte isnt equal to 1,000 bytes and one megabyte isnt equal to one million bytes, here is your answer. The computer world is based on twos, not tens. Two to the tenth power equals 1024. Because one byte is the same as one character in personal computing, 1K of data can contain 1024 characters. Want to know the difference between a byte and a bit? Eight bits make a byte :)