Shannon Channel Capacity Calculator
Calculate theoretical maximum data rate using the Shannon-Hartley theorem.
Shannon Limit Reference
| SNR (dB) | Spectral Eff. | Typical Modulation |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1.0 b/s/Hz | BPSK |
| 3 | 1.6 b/s/Hz | QPSK |
| 10 | 3.5 b/s/Hz | 16-QAM |
| 20 | 6.7 b/s/Hz | 64-QAM |
| 30 | 10.0 b/s/Hz | 256-QAM |
Shannon-Hartley Theorem
Channel Capacity Formula
C = B * log2(1 + S/N)
C = capacity (bits/s), B = bandwidth (Hz), S/N = signal-to-noise ratio
C = capacity (bits/s), B = bandwidth (Hz), S/N = signal-to-noise ratio
The Shannon-Hartley theorem defines the theoretical maximum rate at which information can be transmitted over a noisy channel with arbitrarily low error probability.
MIMO Capacity
C_MIMO = min(Nt, Nr) * B * log2(1 + S/N)
Assuming ideal conditions with independent channels
Assuming ideal conditions with independent channels
- MIMO can multiply capacity linearly
- Practical systems achieve 50-70% of Shannon
- Coding gain approaches but never exceeds limit