What is the difference between Mbps and MB?

Mbps is megabits per second, a speed. MB is megabytes, a size. There are 8 bits in a byte, so a 100 Mbps connection downloads about 12.5 MB per second. Internet plans are sold in megabits (Mbps).

What is latency or ping?

Latency, also called ping, is the round-trip time for data to reach a server and come back, measured in milliseconds. Lower is better; it matters most for gaming and video calls.

Is download or upload more important?

For most people download matters most (streaming, browsing). Upload matters for video calls, cloud backups, posting and live streaming. Fibre plans usually offer high upload too.

Mbps, Latency, Jitter & Ping Explained

Q: What is jitter?

Jitter is how much your latency varies between measurements. Low, steady jitter means a stable connection; high jitter causes stutter in calls and games even when speed is high.

What every number on a speed test actually means, without the jargon.

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Mbps vs MB

Mbps (megabits per second) is a speed. MB (megabytes) is a size. There are 8 bits in a byte, so a 100 Mbps connection transfers roughly 12.5 MB per second. Internet plans are advertised in megabits, which is why the number looks bigger than the download speed your file manager shows.

Download vs upload

Download is how fast data comes to you: streaming, browsing, downloads. Upload is how fast you send data: video calls, cloud backups, posting photos, live streaming. Most plans give you far more download than upload, though fibre is often balanced.

Latency (ping)

Latency, often called ping, is the round-trip time for a small piece of data to reach a server and return, measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better. Under ~30 ms feels instant; over ~100 ms is noticeable in gaming and calls. High latency makes a connection feel sluggish even when Mbps is high.

Jitter

Jitter is how much latency varies from moment to moment. Low, steady jitter means a stable connection; high jitter causes the stutter and drop-outs you hear on calls and feel in games, even on a fast line.

Putting it together

A great connection has high download and upload, and low, steady latency and jitter. That is why SpeedOf.Me reports all four. Run a speed test to see yours, and check them against what a good internet speed looks like.