How long will it take to transfer 3.5GB via a typical dialup connection?

Question

I need to know in a given month if it's possible to transfer 3.5GB of data via a dialup connection. Can someone please tell me know how long it would take to transfer that data continiously? and yes, i understand that it's unlikely that a dialup connection would stay active for the length of time it would require. that is not a concern in this case.


Thanks..

Answer 1

This would take a really long time, almost 140 hours (providing nothing goes wrong)

You have 3.5GB round that off to 3500MB or 3500000KB, multiply by 8 to get bits (as your typical modem is 56K (as in kilobits (per second))) this will then equate to 28000000 seconds, which you can then divide by 60 to get minutes ie 466666 minutes, then by 60 again to hours this will give you 7777 hours, now its 56K so you divide by 56 (as its 56k) to 138.875 hours. This is at theoretical maximum :) or 5.8days to be exact (divide by 24)

Answer 2

Assume that your dialup is 56K. That is bits, not bytes. So we have 5K bytes per second. 3.5 GB/5K per sec = approx 700,000 seconds or 11,600 minutes or 195 hours or 8 days. But only if the line never disconnects. Why not ask someone to burn a data DVD? DVD's cost 10 cents and postage about 50 cents.Nice math test question. Mega is 10**6 and Giga is 10**6 while K is 10**3, so you don't need a calculator.

Answer 3

It will take approximately 1 week assuming you leave the computer on 24/7 and don't use the internet (that would slow it down).

The above user is incorrect. 56k indicates 56 kilobits per second, which is only 7 kilobytes per second (8 bits in one byte). Therefore, it would take 8 times longer than the time he stated, which ends up being just under one week.

His advice to get cable is still good though :p

Answer 4

Well it largely depends on several factors. Based on a 56K modem running continuously at maximum possible throughput, 3.5GB would take approx 138.89 hours or 5.79 days. Of course, this is going by the metric unit of measuring data. In actuality, 1MB = 1024KB, not 1000KB.

Calculation:
56Kbps (Kilobits per second) = 7000 Bytes per second
3.5GB = 3,500,000,000 Bytes

Duration = 3,500,000,000 / 7000 = 500,000 seconds (5.79 days)

Answer 5

640 MB takes about 40 hours on a 56 KByte dial up connection. Divide 640,000,000 into 3,500,000,000.

With the answer you get, multiply it by 40.

You can safely say you will be watching your computer for many days to make sure your computer doesn't drop a packet or lose its connection. How long can you stay awake?

Answer 6

Let's assume you have full 56k connection speed. This means that in one second 56000 bytes will download.
We are trying to download 3,500,000,000 bytes.
So we divide. We get 62,500 secs. There are 3600 secs in one hour, so lets divide again. We get 17.36 hours which is about 17 hours and 22 minutes.
Conclusion, get cable.

Answer 7

do the theoretical math at 56k ( that 56000bytes )
56k x 60 sec = output per min
from there you can figure per hour, per day per week

Answer 8

i think long that i can imagine.before i had dial connection and i just downloading MB files it tooks almst4-5 hrs.i guess u need more time for that since it is 3.5GB.Just be patient.

Answer 9

wow...i think it would take months literally...y don't u juss catch an unsecure connection and transfer that way?

Answer 10

It probably take that given "month" you talk about . . .