In computing, bandwidth is the maximum rate of data transfer across a given path. Bandwidth may be characterized as network bandwidth, data bandwidth, or digital bandwidth. In addition, bandwidth sometimes defines the net bit rate 'peak bit rate', 'information rate,' or physical layer 'useful bit rate,' channel capacity, or the maximum throughput of a logical or physical communication path in a digital communication system. The consumed bandwidth in bit/s corresponds to achieved throughput or goodput, i.e., the average rate of successful data transfer through a communication path.

Computer Network Terms I

A computer network is a set of computers sharing resources located on or provided by network nodes. The computers use common communication protocols over digital interconnections to communicate with each other. The connections between nodes are established using either physically wired, optical, or wireless radio-frequency that may be arranged in various network topologies. The best-known computer network is the Internet.