10base100base speed

[Mike Laughlin]

I have two computers networked together with a router using cat5 cables. How
fast is 100mbps?
100 x 60 secs is 6000. When I go from hardrive to hardrive in the same
computer I am luckey if I get 1000 megabyte or 1 gigabyte transfer per
minute. I am confused as to how fast under Ideal conditions two fast
computers might be able to transfer files to each other on a home network.
My download speed from the internet is about 2 megabit but I know I couldn't
download 2 x 60 or 120 megabyte in 1 minute. Is megabyte and megabit the
same thing?

Thanks for
any help on this, Mike Laughlin

 

[John Wunderlich]

Is megabyte and megabit the same thing?

No. 1 byte = 8 bits.
IP packets have overhead as well, so I estimate about 10 bits/payload
byte. So 100Mbit is about 10 MByte/sec. This can vary drastically
depending on whether there are a lot of small packets or fewer larger
ones.

HTH,
John

 

[John I.]

Two issues:
1. MBps vs. Mbps B = Byte, b = bit (8 bits per byte)
Modem and network speed is rated at Mbps but file size is shown in MB
so you need to divide the "speed" by 8

2. Overhead – the data you move is like the (box in a box in a box in
a box) layers of information is added by the sending computer only to
be stripped off by the receiving computer.

In short you get a lot less than you think you should.

 

[Mike Laughlin]

Thanks very much for the info. I knew to someone out there this would be a
simple answer. Now I have a realistic Idea of what I need and to expect.