The table below breaks down practical download expectations for a 100GB file across different access technologies, factoring in transmission protocol margins and network congestion.
| Connection Architecture | Typical Usable Throughput | Protocol & Interface Loss | Real-World Download Time (100GB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Fiber (Ethernet Cat 6) | 11.8, 12.1 MB/s | 4%, 6% | 2 hours, 18 minutes, 2 hours, 22 minutes |
| Cable Broadband (DOCSIS 3.1) | 11.2, 11.6 MB/s | 7%, 10% | 2 hours, 24 minutes, 2 hours, 29 minutes |
| Home Wi-Fi (5GHz, moderate range) | 9.8, 10.8 MB/s | 14%, 22% | 2 hours, 34 minutes, 2 hours, 50 minutes |
| LEO Satellite (Starlink 100Mbps Tier) | 9.5, 11.0 MB/s | 12%, 24% | 2 hours, 32 minutes, 2 hours, 55 minutes |
| 2.4GHz Legacy Wi-Fi (High interference) | 6.0, 8.2 MB/s | 34%, 52% | 3 hours, 23 minutes, 4 hours, 38 minutes |
