Bandwidth Needed Calculator
Convert monthly data volume into the line speed you need.
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Bandwidth Needed Calculator by TheCalcTools
How the Bandwidth Needed Calculator works
Enter the data volume you expect over the period, and the number of days.
The average rate is the total bits divided by the seconds in the period.
Real traffic is bursty, so the peak ratio and headroom scale the average up to a capacity you can plan around.
The formula
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator:
| Data per month (GB) | 5000 |
|---|---|
| Days in period | 30 |
| Peak-to-average ratio | 3 |
| Headroom (%) | 20 |
- 5,000 GB × 8,000 Mb per GB = 40,000,000 megabits.
- Over 30 days (2,592,000 s) the average is 15.43 Mbps.
- With a peak ratio of 3 and 20% headroom, plan for 55.56 Mbps.
Result:
| Average bandwidth (Mbps) | 15.43 |
|---|---|
| Peak bandwidth (Mbps) | 46.30 |
| Recommended capacity with headroom (Mbps) | 55.56 |
Frequently asked questions
What is 95th percentile billing?
Many providers bill on the 95th percentile of 5-minute samples, which ignores the busiest 5% of the month. It is typically a bit above the average.
How much headroom should I keep?
20–30% is common, so that the link is not saturated at peaks and you have room for growth.
Sources and further reading
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This calculator gives estimates for information only. Check important results independently before you rely on them. See our disclaimer.