ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Network throughput

When you want to move a big pile of toys from one room to another, you can do it one toy at a time, or you can grab a bunch of toys and move them all at once. The faster you can move all the toys together, the quicker the job will get done.

Now imagine that instead of toys, you want to move a bunch of information from one computer to another through a network. That information can be pictures, videos, or even text. This is where network throughput comes in.

Network throughput refers to the amount of data that can be sent from one computer to another over a network in a given amount of time. It's like moving a bunch of toys together, but with data.

Just like moving toys, the speed at which data is moved can be affected by a few different things. One of the most important factors is the bandwidth of the network, which is the amount of data that can be sent at any one time.

Another factor that can affect network throughput is the amount of congestion on the network. If many people are trying to send data at the same time, it can slow things down. It's like trying to move a pile of toys down a narrow hallway; everyone has to take turns, and it can take longer to get everything moved.

In summary, network throughput is the speed at which information can be moved from one computer to another over a network. It can be affected by the bandwidth of the network and the amount of congestion on it. The faster the throughput, the quicker the data can be sent and received.