Downstream (networking)

In telecommunications and computer networks downstream describes the direction of data flow from the source to the consumer. Complementary to this, upstream describes the opposite direction. The term is commonly used both as a trend indicative adjective, as well as a share of the available bandwidth as a noun.

It uses the analogy in which the water downstream (downstream) on a water wheel ( consumers) flows to.

Application

Often are the benefits of computer networks in answering inquiries and thus the supply of data. This is the client - server concept expressed. If these requests, as measured by the amount of data or speed expectations, on a network link (link ) stand in stark imbalance to the answer asymmetric connection methods for this network concerned route is preferred. In the broadband connection of households refer to the connection technology Very High Speed ​​Digital Subscriber Line ( VDSL) or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL ) is being used. Here, the limiting bandwidth is divided into equal downstream and upstream. This asymmetry varies depending on the used standard. For example, a ratio of 10:1 for ADSL over ISDN (ITU- T G.992.1 Annex B), ie 10 Mbit / s downstream and 1.0 Mbit / s upstream.

For the involvement of companies in Wide Area Networks (WAN) such as the Internet or networking within organizations often leads to symmetric situations, for example when sending data ( upload) enjoys a higher importance. When using peer-to -peer applications, the central sources (servers ) are relieved or resolved, in which the consumer this role ( with ) take in which they provide a portion of their bandwidth in the upstream than downstream other consumers available.

The activity or process while this is downloading data flow, respectively the download.

• Computer Networks