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Internet speed, bandwidth, throughput and latency explained

One number cannot describe connection quality. Download throughput, upload throughput, latency, jitter and packet loss affect different applications in different ways.

MbpsLatencyJitterPacket loss

Last reviewed: August 10, 2026 · By Evan R. Haldane

Bandwidth / link rate

Bandwidth is capacity. Consumer internet plans often advertise rates in megabits per second (Mbps) or gigabits per second (Gbps). That is not the same as how many megabytes a file transfers each second.

Throughput

Throughput is the useful data rate actually achieved. Protocol overhead, server capacity, congestion, Wi‑Fi conditions and device performance can make it lower than a nominal link or plan rate.

Latency

Latency is delay, often expressed in milliseconds. Interactive applications such as calls and online games can care more about consistent low latency than about extremely high bulk-download bandwidth.

Jitter

Jitter describes variation in packet delay. Real-time audio and video can be affected even when average bandwidth is sufficient.

Packet loss

Loss causes retransmissions for protocols such as TCP and can degrade real-time traffic. Persistent loss is a quality problem, not something a faster nominal plan automatically solves.

Networking capabilities vary by hardware, firmware, ISP, country and radio environment. Settings names differ among manufacturers, so use your device's current documentation for product-specific changes.