Bandwidth refers to the maximum possible data transfer rate, measured in bits per second, while data rate refers to the actual speed achieved, which can be lower due to interference or congestion. Common wireless networking standards specify maximum bandwidths, with newer standards like 802.11ac providing higher speeds up to 1300 Mbps.

1.  Bandwidth is a measure of how fast data could be
transferred – the theoretical max limit
◦ Bandwidth is measured in bits per sec (bps, Mbps, Gbps)
Standards Peak Bit rate in Mbps
IEEE 802.11a 54 up / 54 down
IEEE 802.11b 11 up / 11 down
IEEE 802.11g 54 up / 54 down
IEEE 802.11n 600 up / 600 down
IEEE 802.11ac 1300 up /1300 down

2.  Data Rate measures the actual data rate of transfer
◦ Data Rate measures what the link actually delivers and can be
affected by environmental conditions, congestion, latency and
the nature of the protocols used
• Port speed measures the number of bits crossing a port per sec
◦ Both are measured in Mbps or Gbps
◦ On the Linksys 4200, the port speed can be found under
Status, Ports