Throughput
Actual data delivered per unit time.
Formula
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Example
80 Mb in 10 s: R = 8 Mbps
How it works
Throughput tells you how much data is successfully delivered in a given amount of time, so it is found by dividing the total bits transferred by the time taken. The formula works because "per unit time" is exactly a rate: if the same amount of data takes less time, the throughput is higher; if it takes longer, the throughput is lower. In networking, this is based on the actual delivered data, not the theoretical maximum link speed.
When to use it
Use this when measuring or comparing network performance, such as file transfers, downloads, streaming, or data links. It is especially useful when you know the amount of data sent and the duration of the transfer.
Worked example, step by step
A network sends 45 Mb of data in 15 s. R = D / t R = 45,000,000 bits / 15 s R = 3,000,000 bps R = 3 Mbps So the throughput is 3 Mbps.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using megabytes instead of bits without converting to bits first
- Confusing throughput with bandwidth or link capacity
- Forgetting to divide by time in seconds, which gives the wrong units
Did You Know?
Real throughput always trails the advertised link speed because of protocol overhead and collisions.
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