Bandwidth v. Connection Speed
The information age is moving forward and the internet continues to bind the world together in its vast web of technology. As the amount of information that is shared through the internet increases, the need for faster connections also increases. But is a faster connection really the panacea for all internet woes? An Analogy
A common misconception is that the speed of an internet connection dictates how fast data will be transferred. However, this is not the case. Let me explain. The freeway has a speed limit. That speed limit represents the fastest speed you can go (assuming that the speed limit is a law of nature) under ideal conditions- i.e. little or no traffic. However, the scenario changes drastically when you hit rush hour. All of a sudden, youre stuck doing 15 mph, a full 60 mph below your capacity! Why? Because there are too many other drivers trying to use the same space. The Meaning
Now lets extend this analogy to your internet connection. Your connection has a benchmark speed, something like 10mbps (megabits per second) for DSL and 30 mbps for cable modem. That speed is like the speed limit on the freeway. It is the theoretical top speed that the connection can handle. Unfortunately, just like the freeway, conditions for surfing the net are rarely (if ever) ideal. Your bits are getting stuck behind everyone elses bits, radically reducing the speed at which your data moves over the connection. This problem is particularly pronounced when you have several users using the same connection. So how do you fix it? A Solution?
Many people are turning to buying an extra DSL or cable line as a solution to this problem. However, this is akin to building an additional two lane highway alongside an existing two lane highway. Youll still experience more slowing than if you were to just add two additional lanes to the existing highway. But how does one build additional lanes on their road to the information superhighway? Get a Bigger Pipe
There are several different options. First, you can try to optimize the connection you already have. Second, you can try to have a larger connection installed. Internet connections are often referred to as pipes, alluding to the flow of information that they handle. The bigger the pipe, or the more lanes on the highway, the faster your data will go. However, having a bigger pipe like a T1 or T3 installed is often costly and inconvenient. Building a Better Pipeline
However, there is yet another option. A broadband aggregator takes two separate internet connections, whether its a pair of DSL lines, cable modem lines, T1s, etc., or any combination of these connections, and pools the bandwidth to make a pipe equal to the size of the aggregate of the two independent connections. For example, if you take two DSL connections of the same bandwidth, your effective bandwidth will double. A word of caution: your connection speed will still have the same speed constraints (i.e. your top speed will not double) you will just have twice as much room for your data to get through. Think same speed limit, extra lanes. But Wait, Theres More!
There are additional benefits to getting a broadband aggregator. Most aggregators have a built-in VPN (virtual private network) security portal, making it extremely difficult for the wrong people to access your network through your internet connections. In addition, some aggregators feature load balancing, which allows you to dictate how much information is sent to each connection, preventing any one connection from being overwhelmed. Finally, broadband aggregators have built in redundancy: if one internet signal goes down, the aggregator automatically sends all traffic to the remaining active line. This is perfect for people running a dedicated internet server or who need to be connected to the internet 24-7. And in the End
The key to the internet isnt the speed of the connection, its the fatness of the pipe. |
