Megabit to Mebibyte Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert megabits to mebibytes with our free online data storage converter.
Megabit to Mebibyte Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Megabit).
- The converted value in Mebibyte will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Data Storage category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Megabit to Mebibyte
Converting Megabit to Mebibyte involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Megabit = 0.119209 mebibytesExample Calculation:
Convert 10 megabits: 10 × 0.119209 = 1.19209 mebibytes
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Megabit and a Mebibyte?
A megabit (Mb or Mbit) is a multiple of the bit unit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix mega- (symbol M) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 106 (1 million). Therefore, 1 megabit = 1,000,000 bits (or 1000 kilobits).
A mebibyte (MiB) is a unit of digital information storage equal to 220 bytes, which is exactly 1,048,576 bytes (or 10242 bytes). It uses the binary prefix 'mebi-' established by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The mebibyte was created to provide an unambiguous measurement for byte multiples based on powers of 2, distinguishing it from the megabyte (MB), which is based on the decimal prefix 'mega-' (106 or 1,000,000 bytes).
Note: The Megabit is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Mebibyte belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Megabit and Mebibyte
As data transfer speeds increased beyond the kilobit range, the megabit became a common unit, particularly in networking and telecommunications. Like the kilobit, it generally adheres to the SI standard (106 bits) rather than the binary interpretation sometimes used for bytes (which would be 220 bits, correctly termed a mebibit). The introduction of binary prefixes like 'mebi-' aimed to resolve this potential ambiguity.
The prefix 'mebi-' (representing 220) was defined by the IEC in 1998 alongside other binary prefixes (kibi-, gibi-, tebi-, etc.). Before this standard, the SI prefix 'mega-' (M) was ambiguously used to represent both 1,000,000 (106, as per its SI definition) and 1,048,576 (220) in computing contexts. This led to confusion, especially when comparing storage capacities advertised by manufacturers (often using decimal prefixes) and memory sizes or file sizes reported by operating systems (often using binary interpretations). The introduction of the mebibyte (MiB) aimed to resolve this ambiguity by providing a specific term for 1,048,576 bytes.
Common Uses for megabits and mebibytes
Explore the typical applications for both Megabit (imperial/US) and Mebibyte (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for megabits
- Measuring data transfer rates (e.g., internet connection speeds in Mbps - megabits per second).
- Quantifying network bandwidth.
- Specifying the capacity of older storage media or certain types of memory chips.
- Video and audio bitrates (e.g., streaming quality often measured in Mbps).
Common Uses for mebibytes
Mebibytes are used in contexts where precision based on powers of 2 is necessary:
- Precisely measuring computer memory (RAM) capacity, which is typically manufactured in powers-of-2 sizes.
- Reporting file sizes and disk space usage by operating systems (like Windows, macOS, Linux distributions) and file systems that adhere to IEC standards.
- Software development, technical documentation, and virtualization where exact binary multiples are crucial for calculations, specifications, or resource allocation.
- Cache sizes in CPUs and other hardware components.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Megabit (Mb)
How many bits are in a megabit?
There are exactly 1,000,000 bits (or 106 bits) in 1 megabit (Mb), based on the standard SI definition of the prefix 'mega-'.
What is the difference between a megabit (Mb) and a megabyte (MB)?
- A megabit (Mb) measures bits and equals 1,000,000 bits. It's often used for data transfer rates.
- A megabyte (MB) measures bytes. According to SI standards, it equals 1,000,000 bytes. (Note: Historically, MB was sometimes used informally for 1,048,576 bytes, which is correctly termed a mebibyte (MiB)).
Since 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 megabyte (1,000,000 bytes) is equal to 8,000,000 bits. Therefore, a megabyte represents 8 times more data than a megabit.
What is the difference between a megabit (Mb) and a mebibit (Mib)?
- A megabit (Mb) uses the decimal SI prefix 'mega-' and equals 106 bits (1,000,000 bits).
- A mebibit (Mib) uses the binary IEC prefix 'mebi-' and equals 220 bits (1,048,576 bits).
A mebibit is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabit (1 Mib ≈ 1.0486 Mb). Using Mib provides clarity when specifically referring to 1,048,576 bits.
If my internet speed is 100 Mbps, how fast is that in MBps?
To convert Mbps (megabits per second) to MBps (megabytes per second), you divide by 8 (since 1 byte = 8 bits). So, 100 Mbps / 8 = 12.5 MBps. This means you can theoretically download 12.5 megabytes of data per second.
About Mebibyte (MiB)
How many bytes are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are exactly 220 bytes in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This equals 1,048,576 bytes.
How many kibibytes (KiB) are in a mebibyte (MiB)?
There are 1,024 kibibytes (KiB) in 1 mebibyte (MiB). This follows the binary prefix system where 1 MiB = 220 bytes and 1 KiB = 210 bytes, and 220 / 210 = 210 = 1,024.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a megabyte (MB)?
A mebibyte (MiB) represents 220 bytes (1,048,576 bytes), using the IEC binary prefix 'mebi-'. A megabyte (MB) typically represents 106 bytes (1,000,000 bytes), using the SI decimal prefix 'mega-'. A mebibyte is approximately 4.86% larger than a megabyte (1 MiB ≈ 1.0486 MB). Use MiB for precision in binary contexts (like RAM, OS reporting) and MB for decimal contexts (like hard drive marketing, network speeds in some cases) or when the specific definition is clarified.
What is the difference between a mebibyte (MiB) and a mebibit (Mib)?
A mebibyte (MiB) measures information in bytes, while a mebibit (Mib) measures information in bits. Assuming the standard 1 byte = 8 bits, 1 mebibyte (MiB) is equal to 8 mebibits (Mib). Both use the binary prefix 'mebi-' (220).
Why is MiB used less often than MB in marketing?
Marketing materials (like hard drive capacities) often use the decimal prefix (MB, GB) because it results in a larger-looking number for capacity compared to the binary prefix (MiB, GiB) for the same amount of physical storage (e.g., 1,000,000,000 bytes is marketed as 1 GB, while an OS might report it as approximately 931 MiB, not GiB, because 1 GB is closer to 953.67 MiB, but OS often report GiB as GB). This discrepancy arises because 1 MB = 106 bytes, whereas 1 MiB = 220 bytes. Using decimal units allows manufacturers to advertise higher numbers.
Conversion Table: Megabit to Mebibyte
| Megabit (Mb) | Mebibyte (MiB) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.119 |
| 5 | 0.596 |
| 10 | 1.192 |
| 25 | 2.98 |
| 50 | 5.961 |
| 100 | 11.921 |
| 500 | 59.605 |
| 1,000 | 119.209 |