Throughput vs. Bandwidth

Throughput and bandwidth are two important concepts in wireless networks and spread spectrum technologies, but they represent different aspects of data transmission.

Bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies available for data transmission within a channel. It represents the capacity of the channel to carry data. In Wi-Fi, channels are typically defined by their bandwidth, such as 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz or 160 MHz. Wider bandwidth channels can support higher data rates but may also be more susceptible to interference and congestion.

On the other hand, throughput refers to the actual speed at which data can be transmitted in a specific network environment. It represents the amount of data that can be successfully transmitted over a given period of time. Throughput is affected by various factors such as network conditions, data encoding, modulation, medium contention, encryption, and more. It is often lower than the data rate due to these factors.

To summarize, bandwidth refers to the capacity of the channel to carry data, while throughput represents the actual speed at which data can be transmitted in real-world conditions.