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Single conversion
To convert from Mebibyte (MiB) to Megabit (Mb), use the following formula:
With is the ratio between the base units Bit (bit) and Kibibyte (KiB).
Let's convert 5 Mebibyte (MiB) to Megabit (Mb).
Using the formula:
Therefore, 5 Mebibyte (MiB) is equal to Megabit (Mb).
Here are some quick reference conversions from Mebibyte (MiB) to Megabit (Mb):
| Mebibytes | Megabits |
|---|---|
| 0.000001 MiB | Mb |
| 0.001 MiB | Mb |
| 0.1 MiB | Mb |
| 1 MiB | Mb |
| 2 MiB | Mb |
| 3 MiB | Mb |
| 4 MiB | Mb |
| 5 MiB | Mb |
| 6 MiB | Mb |
| 7 MiB | Mb |
| 8 MiB | Mb |
| 9 MiB | Mb |
| 10 MiB | Mb |
| 20 MiB | Mb |
| 30 MiB | Mb |
| 40 MiB | Mb |
| 50 MiB | Mb |
| 100 MiB | Mb |
| 1000 MiB | Mb |
| 10000 MiB | Mb |
For all Digital converters, choose units using the From/To dropdowns above.
Ever bought a new hard drive or USB stick and noticed that its actual storage capacity is less than what was advertised on the box?
The reason has to do with the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a megabyte (MB).
While they sound almost identical, understanding the distinction is key to knowing how your computer actually measures data.
Here's a simple breakdown of the two units:
Mebibyte (MiB)
Megabyte (MB)
A mebibyte (MiB) is a unit of digital information equal to 1,024 kibibytes (KiB). It is approximately 4.8% larger than a megabyte.
The core difference lies in how they are counted. Computer systems, at their most basic level, operate in binary (base-2). This means they count in powers of two.
A mebibyte represents 220 or 1,048,576 bytes.
In contrast, the decimal system (base-10) is what humans use for most daily counting. A megabyte (MB) represents a clean 106 or 1,000,000 bytes.
This is why a hard drive advertised as 500 gigabytes (GB) appears as roughly 465 gibibytes (GiB) on your computer. The marketing uses the smaller decimal unit (megabyte/gigabyte). In contrast, your operating system uses the more technically accurate binary unit (mebibyte/gibibyte).
The term "mebibyte" was officially established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1998. It was created to solve the long-standing confusion caused by the term "megabyte."
For decades, "megabyte" was ambiguously used to refer to both 1,000,000 bytes and 1,048,576 bytes.
By introducing a distinct set of binary prefixes (kibi-, mebi-, gibi-, etc.), the IEC aimed to create an unambiguous standard for software development, data storage, and other technical fields.
You encounter mebibytes more often than you might think.
Many modern operating systems, including Microsoft Windows and various Linux distributions, use binary units to calculate and display file sizes and memory capacity.
Even if the interface sometimes shows the abbreviation "MB" or "GB" for simplicity, the underlying calculation is based on the 1,024-based binary system.
This precise measurement is also critical in fields like cloud computing and data center management, where every byte of allocated resource counts.
A megabit (Mb) is a unit of digital information, equal to one million bits (106 bits). The plural form is megabits.
While it's a fundamental unit of data, it's most commonly used to describe the speed of an internet connection.
When you shop for a broadband plan, the internet speed advertised by providers is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
This metric defines your data transfer rate—essentially, how many million bits of data your connection can download or upload every second.
For example, a 25 Mbps download speed is great for basic browsing and streaming HD video on one device.
However, a faster plan of 100+ Mbps is better for a household with multiple people streaming 4K video, online gaming, and downloading large files at the same time.
A common point of confusion is the difference between a megabit (Mb) and a megabyte (MB).
The key is to notice the difference between the lowercase 'b' (bit) and the uppercase 'B' (byte).
Think of it this way: a bit is like a single letter, while a byte is like a complete word. Since it takes eight bits to make one byte, a megabyte (MB) is eight times larger than a megabit (Mb).
This is why they're used for different things:
In the world of networking, the "mega" prefix in megabit is simple: it means exactly 1,000,000 bits (106 bits). This is based on the decimal system.
However, you might see "mega" used differently for computer memory or file storage, where it can sometimes mean the binary equivalent of 1,048,576 bits (220 bits).
To avoid confusion, the term mebibit (Mib) was created for the binary value. Still, for measuring your internet speed, megabit (Mb) is the universal standard.