A byte is a collection of 8 bits, meaning a gigabyte is 8 times larger than a gigabit. If your networking device or Internet connection claims it has a 1 Gbps bandwidth, that means it can transfer 1 gigabits of data every second. If you are trying to transfer a 1 gigabyte file, it will take 8 seconds at that speed. Gigabyte is traditionally used when referring to storage or file size, while gigabit is used when referring to data transfer speeds. Technically, gigabytes should always be abbreviated as GB, while gigabits should be Gb, but this convention is not always upheld. If you’re not sure, refer to the usage instead.