
Applications
- It is simply used for connecting several devices within a network through each other.
- It is also used for connecting Wi-Fi router to the entry port of an internet otherwise telephone line.
- It can also be used to connect devices wirelessly that need a network or internet to work like laptops, TV, electronic gadgets, etc.
What type of protocol does Ethernet use?
Ethernet/IP uses the tools and technologies of traditional Ethernet. Ethernet/IP uses all the transport and control protocols used in traditional Ethernet including the Transport Control Protocol (TCP), the Internet Protocol (IP) and the media access and signaling technologies found in off-the-shelf Ethernet interface cards.
Which is better Wi Fi or Ethernet?
| What Suits Your Needs Better?
- Speed. As far as the maximum speed is concerned, one option isn’t strictly better than the other. ...
- Reliability. Ethernet is more reliable than Wi-Fi. ...
- Security. This is another case of ethernet being superior to Wi-Fi. ...
- Latency. ...
- Interferences. ...
What is the difference between a WiFi and Ethernet connection?
While WiFi is a wireless connection, Ethernet is a wired connection. That’s the most fundamental difference between WiFi and Ethernet. Along with that are many other features making them so different. Here are some of the major differences and comparisons between these 2 types of internet connection. The Ethernet delivers a more consistent speed as compared to Wi-Fi connection
What is Ethernet and how does it work?
Ethernet is, simply put, a standard communications protocol used to connect devices including computers, routers, and switches in a wired or wireless network. As the most widely installed local-area network (LAN) technology, Ethernet transcends LANs, allowing businesses to use Ethernet in their wide-area networks (WANs).

What is the purpose of the Ethernet protocol?
Ethernet is primarily a standard communication protocol used to create local area networks. It transmits and receives data through cables. This facilitates network communication between two or more different types of network cables such as from copper to fiber optic and vice versa.
What type of protocol does Ethernet use?
In order to manage collisions Ethernet uses a protocol called Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD). CSMA/CD is a type of contention protocol that defines how to respond when a collision is detected, or when two devices attempt to transmit packages simultaneously.
What is the difference between Ethernet and protocol?
tcp (Transmission Control Protocol) and ip (Internet Protocol) are software protocols. They work at different layers of the networking stack. Ethernet is the medium that it transmits over versus thing likes token ring, fiber, etc. describing the physical layer of the stack.
Is Ethernet IP A protocol?
EtherNet/IP is an application layer protocol that is transferred inside a TCP/IP Packet. That means that EtherNet/IP is simply the way data is organized in a TCP or UDP packet. For information on what TCP or UDP is, get my Industrial Ethernet book.
Is TCP used in LAN?
Several computers in a small department could use TCP/IP, along with other protocols, on a single Local Area Network (LAN). The IP component provides routing from a department to the enterprise network, then to regional networks, and finally to the global Internet.
What is the most commonly used LAN protocol?
Being the most used protocol in any LAN-enabled device, the maximum innovation is seen at this layer. Ethernet keeps on evolving to deliver more speed and improve its functionality. Like all LANs, it's also limited to the Physical Layer of the OSI model.
What is TCP IP protocol?
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol a communications standard that enables application programs and computing devices to exchange messages over a network. It is designed to send packets across the internet and ensure the successful delivery of data and messages over networks.
What is Ethernet used for?
What is ethernet? Ethernet is a traditional technology used to connect devices in a wired local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), enabling them to communicate with each other through a protocol (a set of rules or a common network language). Ethernet describes how network devices format and transmit data so that other devices on ...
Why Use Ethernet?
For local networks used by specific organizations (such as corporate offices, school campuses, and hospitals), Ethernet is used for its high speed, security, and reliability.
What is Gigabit Ethernet?
Gigabit Ethernet is a type of Ethernet that can transmit data at a rate of 1000 Mbps based on twisted-pair cables or optical cables. Among other types of Ethernet cables, this is the most popular one.
How fast can Ethernet be?
This is a type of Ethernet that can transmit data at a rate of 100 Mbps through twisted-pair cables or optical cables. Data can be transmitted from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps without protocol conversion or application and network software changes.
How are Ethernet and Internet different?
Ethernet and the Internet are also different in terms of network management. Ethernet can have two or more administrators, depending on its size. At the same time, the administrator can only control and manage a small part of the Internet, and no one can control the entire network.
What is the difference between Ethernet and Internet?
However, there are significant differences between them, as described below. In terms of connection range, the Internet is more extensive. Ethernet runs mainly on LAN.
Why is Ethernet so popular?
Ethernet was initially popular because of its low price. With the development of network technology, Ethernet can continuously develop and provide higher performance levels, while maintaining backward compatibility, thus ensuring the continued popularity of Ethernet.
Why are Ethernet cards important?
As Ethernet cards are used for connecting computers to LANs, they are in the same time an entry point in establishing connection to a WAN and Internet, hence their importance in VE business. Additionally, Ehernet cards are today used in a combination with other communication devices for remote access, e.g. cable-modem technology.
What is the speed of Ethernet?
Ethernet protocol is a typical LAN technology. Standard Ethernet-based local area networks transmit data at speed up to 10 Mbps. New Ethernet cards known as Fast Ethernet represent high-speed LAN technology as it can provide data transfer rates as high as 100 Mbps. Two new Ethernet standards that are currently being developed are Gigabit Ethernet (up to 1000 Mbps) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (with data transfer rate of 10,000 Mbps).
Why do we use VLANs?
VLANs are typically used on Ethernet LANs to provide traffic separation and divide the Layer 2 network into logically separate (virtual) networks. The UPF can e.g. remove or reinsert VLAN tags on N6 interface for downlink and uplink frames, respectively, as instructed by the SMF.
How does a network bridge work?
A bridge doesn’t support routing paths but can transmit packets based on its destination MAC address. You can add as many network bridges as you like in a network, but you can’t stretch the network segment extension beyond a network bridge. For example, in Figure 13.8, if both bridge 1 and 2 have been connected with port 2, port 1 of bridge 1 can’t be connected to port 1 of bridge 2. If so, the forwarding tables of both bridge 1 and 2 will not work properly. Because a port is kept by the MAC address-forwarding table, it can be considered a logical part of a bridge rather than a physical one. If extra ports have been detected by a bridge, they will be self-configured in the forwarding table. They are not managed by anyone. If the operating system is Windows, the network bridge will be software-based or a virtual network interface that extends two or more different networks. Normally, the bridge will store incoming frames into a buffer and take subsequent actions based on the MAC address-forwarding table. Therefore, the throughput of a bridge will be less than a repeater.
What happens when a node leaves the network?
When a node leaves the network, it no longer sends packets in its corresponding slot. It is considered by the master node as a node failure, and its corresponding slot is removed.
What is RTL-TEP in TDMA?
RTL-TEP allows new nodes to join and to leave the group dynamically and also to detect node failures . Membership is managed in a centralized fashion by the master, which sends a sync packet in the first slot of each TDMA round. This special packet contains protocol state information, including the number of network members. Each node has only an identifier when it joins the network, and this identifier is used to determine the action performed by this node.
Can a network authorize a VLAN?
The network may also authorize the set of VLAN IDs used on a PDU Session by providing a set of VLAN IDs to the SMF as part of the PDU Session authorization with a DN-AAA Server, similar to how MAC addresses can be authorized as described above.
What is Ethernet protocol?
Ethernet is a network protocol that controls how data is transmitted over a LAN and is referred to as the IEEE 802.3 protocol. The protocol has evolved and improved over time to transfer data at the speed of more than a gigabit per second. Many people have used Ethernet technology their whole lives without knowing it.
What is Ethernet cable?
Ethernet cables are the primary connectors used in an Ethernet network. In an Ethernet LAN, Ethernet cables will connect directly from computers to a router/modem so the computers can talk to one another without using the wider internet.
What is UTP cable?
Cables: UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cables are commonly used in Ethernet LANs. This cable is similar to the kind used for landline telephone sets but fatter, with eight twisted pairs of wires of different colors inside.
How to set up a wired Ethernet LAN?
To set up a wired Ethernet LAN, you need the following: Computers and devices to connect: Ethernet connects any computer or other electronic device to its network as long as the device has an Ethernet adapter or network card. Network interface cards in the devices: A network interface card is either integrated into the motherboard ...
How to connect Ethernet cable to wall?
Make an opening in your wall and thread the cable through. Pull it out through another created space where you want the cable to go. Ethernet cables are designed for a wide variety of use cases and there aren't generally any special precautions to take.
What technology does a wired network use?
Most wired networks use Ethernet technology. by. Nadeem Unuth. Freelance Contributor. Nadeem Unuth is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire who specializes in information and communication technology with a focus on VoIP. our editorial process. LinkedIn.
What is the technology that is commonly used in wired local area networks (LANs)?
Broadband. Installing & Upgrading. Wi-Fi & Wireless. Ethernet is the technology that is commonly used in wired local area networks (LANs). A LAN is a network of computers and other electronic devices that covers a small area such as a room, office, or building. It contrasts with a wide area network (WAN), which spans a large geographical area.
What is the difference between Ethernet and media type?
An Ethernet standard specifies a specific implementation of a particular media type. Ethernet standards are defined by IEEE.
How many parts are there in Ethernet?
The name of an Ethernet standard consists of three parts. The first part contains a number, the second part contains a word (mostly Base ), and the third part contains a number or letters.
What is 10 Gigabit Ethernet?
This standard is also known as 10 Gigabit Ethernet. It uses Cat6 or higher grade UTP cable. It uses all four pairs of the UTP cable. It provides 10 Gbps speed. It operates only in full-duplex mode.
What is the length of a thinnet?
This standard is also known as ThinNet. It uses coaxial cabling. It provides 10Mbps speed. It supports a maximum length of 200 meters. This standard is not used in modern networks.
How many pairs of twisted pair wiring are used for half duplex transmission?
Using four pairs of twisted pair wiring, two of the four pairs are configured for half-duplex transmission (data can move in only one direction at a time). The other two pairs are configured as simplex transmission, which means data moves only in one direction on a pair all the time.
What is the second part of a network?
The second part indicates the technology or the method the media uses to transmit data. The word 'Base' signifies a type of network that uses only one carrier frequency for signaling and requires all network stations to share its use. The third part specifics the length or type of the cable that the media uses in implementation.
How does 100BaseTX work?
100BaseTX requires Cat5 or higher UTP cabling. It uses two of the four-wire pairs: one to transmit data and the other to receive data. This is mostly used Ethernet standard in modern networks.
Why is Ethernet used?
In addition to computers, Ethernet is now used to interconnect appliances and other personal devices. As Industrial Ethernet it is used in industrial applications and is quickly replacing legacy data transmission systems in the world's telecommunications networks. By 2010, the market for Ethernet equipment amounted to over $16 billion per year.
When was Ethernet first used?
Ethernet. Ethernet ( / ˈiːθərnɛt /) is a family of wired computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks (LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN) and wide area networks (WAN). It was commercially introduced in 1980 and first standardized in 1983 as IEEE 802.3.
What is the purpose of frames in Ethernet?
Systems communicating over Ethernet divide a stream of data into shorter pieces called frames. Each frame contains source and destination addresses, and error-checking data so that damaged frames can be detected and discarded; most often, higher-layer protocols trigger retransmission of lost frames. Per the OSI model, Ethernet provides services up to and including the data link layer. The 48-bit MAC address was adopted by other IEEE 802 networking standards, including IEEE 802.11 ( Wi-Fi ), as well as by FDDI. EtherType values are also used in Subnetwork Access Protocol (SNAP) headers.
Why are Ethernet frames self-identifying?
Ethernet frames are said to be self-identifying, because of the EtherType field. Self-identifying frames make it possible to intermix multiple protocols on the same physical network and allow a single computer to use multiple protocols together. Despite the evolution of Ethernet technology, all generations of Ethernet (excluding early experimental versions) use the same frame formats. Mixed-speed networks can be built using Ethernet switches and repeaters supporting the desired Ethernet variants.
Why are coaxial Ethernet segments restricted?
For signal degradation and timing reasons, coaxial Ethernet segments have a restricted size. Somewhat larger networks can be built by using an Ethernet repeater. Early repeaters had only two ports, allowing, at most, a doubling of network size. Once repeaters with more than two ports became available, it was possible to wire the network in a star topology. Early experiments with star topologies (called "Fibernet") using optical fiber were published by 1978.
How does Ethernet work?
Ethernet stations communicate by sending each other data packets: blocks of data individually sent and delivered. As with other IEEE 802 LANs, adapters come programmed with globally unique 48-bit MAC address so that each Ethernet station has a unique address. The MAC addresses are used to specify both the destination and the source of each data packet. Ethernet establishes link-level connections, which can be defined using both the destination and source addresses. On reception of a transmission, the receiver uses the destination address to determine whether the transmission is relevant to the station or should be ignored. A network interface normally does not accept packets addressed to other Ethernet stations.
What was the dominant network in the 1980s?
Ethernet initially competed with Token Ring and other proprietary protocols. Ethernet was able to adapt to market needs and with 10BASE2, shift to inexpensive thin coaxial cable and from 1990, to the now-ubiquitous twisted pair with 10BASE-T. By the end of the 1980s, Ethernet was clearly the dominant network technology. In the process, 3Com became a major company. 3Com shipped its first 10 Mbit/s Ethernet 3C100 NIC in March 1981, and that year started selling adapters for PDP-11s and VAXes, as well as Multibus -based Intel and Sun Microsystems computers. : 9 This was followed quickly by DEC's Unibus to Ethernet adapter, which DEC sold and used internally to build its own corporate network, which reached over 10,000 nodes by 1986, making it one of the largest computer networks in the world at that time. An Ethernet adapter card for the IBM PC was released in 1982, and, by 1985, 3Com had sold 100,000. In the 1980s, IBM's own PC Network product competed with Ethernet for the PC, and through the 1980s, LAN hardware, in general, was not common on PCs. However, in the mid to late 1980s, PC networking did become popular in offices and schools for printer and fileserver sharing, and among the many diverse competing LAN technologies of that decade, Ethernet was one of the most popular. Parallel port based Ethernet adapters were produced for a time, with drivers for DOS and Windows. By the early 1990s, Ethernet became so prevalent that Ethernet ports began to appear on some PCs and most workstations. This process was greatly sped up with the introduction of 10BASE-T and its relatively small modular connector, at which point Ethernet ports appeared even on low-end motherboards.
What is Ethernet cable?
Most people who work in an office associate the term “Ethernet” with the physical cable behind their desk. This cable connects their office PC to the printers and servers of the local network and the infinite web sites on the Internet. This cable is only the physical part of Ethernet, the media carrying Ethernet messages to your PC.
What is the name of the data value that all devices on an Ethernet/IP network present?
2. All devices on an EtherNet/IP network present their data to the network as a series of data values called attributes grouped with other similar data values into sets of attributes called Objects.
What is a network specific link?
The network specific Link object provides the information on the specific link (DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP, ControlNet) used to implement the CIP device. The object specifies attributes that describe the link, such as the node addresses and data rates. See the Chapter on EtherNet/IP operation over CIP for more details on the Link object for EtherNet/IP.
What is a message router?
B. The Message Router object is an object which routes explicit request messages from object to object in a device.
Who are the competitors of EtherNet?
There are numerous application layer competitors to EtherNet/IP including Modbus/TCP from Groupe Schneider, Profinet from Siemens, and EtherCAT from Beckhoff. Unfortunately space prevents a detailed review of each of these products. However, none of these competitors can provide the vendor support, flexibility and total architecture support offered by the implementation of CIP over Ethernet.
Is Ethernet used in automation?
Traditionally, Ethernet had only limited acceptance in Industrial Automation. Until recently the expense, lack of intelligent switches and routers and the domination of large vendors with proprietary protocols prevented the wide acceptance of Ethernet on the factory floor.
What is Ethernet network?
Ethernet is the protocol of choice in local area networks. A local area network is simply a group of devices interconnected and located relatively close together in a limited area. However, there are three factors that identify LANs as opposed to wide area networks, or WANs. First, yes, physical proximity, with a smaller geographic scope, ...
Why is multiple access part of the protocol important?
This is because it is very fair and it allows all machines to transmit signals at the same time, at all times, or at any time and with no priorities there is a well everybody has equal access to the channel. That is the multiple access part of the protocol.
What is the purpose of a frame in Ethernet 2?
Another important function of any layer 2 protocol is framing. The frame is the container that will carry the bits that need to be transmitted on the network and includes a format of fields that will make sense out of those bits. The figure illustrates the frame format for both Ethernet 2 and the standard IEEE 802.3. Both contain a permeable, which is a series of bits that are used to synchronize the two communicating devices, and a frame-check sequence, which is used for integrity, also destination addressess and source addresses. These would be MAC addresses. The differences are clear. The 802.3 frame will have a start frame delimiter, which signals the receiving device that the actual frame transmission is about to start. Also look at that field; the type field in Ethernet 2 is a reference to upper layer protocols. The same bits are used as a length field in 802.3 and signal the length of the data field. That data field will contain the 802.2 header, which is the implementation of the logical link control sublayer. You will find the upper layer protocol information on that header.
Why is Ethernet called thick Ethernet?
It was later called thick Ethernet because of the use of coaxial cable. In the mid 80s, it was upgraded to support more capabilities and speeds. This was called Ethernet 2, and around the same time, IEEE was creating standards for Ethernet-like networks; these were called 802.3.
What are the components of a LAN?
The network interface cards and the cabling are also part of the LAN. We are seeing more and more, again, the 1 Gb/s or 10 Gb/s connections even to servers and PCs. In terms of protocols, again, Ethernet is the one that rules layer 2. IP is the ruler of layer 3, and within IP you will see ARP routing protocols and protocols like DHCP to streamline and automate the allocation and assignment of IP addresses.
What is Ethernet layer 2?
At this point, we know that Ethernet is a layer 2 protocol, which provides among other things addressing to a MAC address but also an access method. The access method is actually called CSMA/CD or Carrier Sense Multiple Access / Collision Detection.
What is MAC address in Ethernet?
Ethernet is no exception, and the media access control address is that unique identifier that is used by all machines and devices in an Ethernet network. MAC addresses are typically associated to the vendor of the hardware. In fact, IEEE defines ranges for different vendors to guarantee uniqueness.
What is the protocol used for internet communication?
One of the most commonly known protocols is the TCP/IP protocol. This protocol is widely used in internet communications. The term TCP/IP relates to TCP or “Transmission Control Protocol”, where the IP is “Internet Protocol”. There are other protocols such as “Open System Interconnection” or OSI but for simplicity sake, ...
What is the protocol used to send and receive data?
This is where the Ethernet “protocol” comes. One of the most commonly known protocols is the TCP/IP protocol. This protocol is widely used in internet communications.
What is Ethernet/IP?
In the simplest terms, Ethernet/IP is Ethernet packets used with the Industrial Protocol of CIP, TCP/IP, and/or UDP layers to provide the required data to your controller. Thank you so much for reading, watching and adding your voice to this automation conversation.
What is IP in Ethernet?
Confused yet? The “IP” part of this protocol is simply the use of the Ethernet infrastructure in conjunction with the Industrial Protocol which used Common Industrial Protocol or CIP layers that combine with the TCP/IP or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) layers to create a protocol that can be used to support data exchange and control applications .
Which layer of the network is the data transferred to?
On to the IP or Internet Protocol layer, where some more identifiers are added and then the data is transferred over the Network layer who then packages the data into Ethernet packets or whatever other protocol is required prior to transmission over to internet service provided device.
What is LAN connection?
Live. •. You may have an Ethernet port on your computer in which you plug in a cable that then connects to a router or switch. This connection type is typically called a LAN connection . However, Ethernet is not a connection type but instead, an IEEE protocol. In our everyday use of the Internet we typically just say that we are connected via ...
Where does packet go in a network?
The packets go down the stack, received at the device connected to your network, a receipt confirmation goes back up the stack to the applications layer.
What is the purpose of Ethernet protocol?
The purpose of each of these protocols is to leverage low-cost and fast Ethernet hardware when creating monitoring and control systems in industrial process control environments … while dramatically improving time synchronization, determinism, and environmental ruggedness.
When was Ethernet first used?
Under IEEE-802.3 issued formally in 1985 , ethernet became the de facto standard interface for networks large and small, and even for individual instruments. It’s a combination of hardware and software developed to be fault-tolerant and fast. Information is broken into “packets” or “frames” known as datagrams.
What is the Difference between EtherCAT and CANopen?
It also includes a specification for any devices on the bus. While EtherCAT uses the lowest two layers (data and physical) of the ethernet protocol (see this section for a reminder), CANopen uses the lowest two layers of the CAN OSI.
How Can I Deploy EtherCAT Using Ethernet?
An EtherCAT network uses standard ethernet cables to interconnect devices. So simply in terms of the cabling, both EtherCAT and Ethernet networks use the same CAT5 cables.
What Is The Maximum Distance Between EtherCAT Devices?
This is a question without a single answer because there are so many variables. First, the topology of an EtherCAT segment can be a line, ring, tree, star, and even combinations of these configurations.
How does EtherCAT work?
One of the most important aspects of EtherCAT is the distributed clock. Each node timestamps the data when it is received, and then stamps it again when it sends it on to the next node. So when the master receives back the data from the nodes, it can easily determine the latency of each node. Every data transmission from the master gets an I/O time-stamp from every node, making EtherCAT far more deterministic and accurate on the T axis than ethernet can be.
What is EoE protocol?
EoE is a protocol that allows a Windows client application to communicate with devices on an EtherCAT network. Ethernet packets are sent from the client into the EtherCAT network via a device called a Switch Port. A Switch Port tunnels the ethernet data into the EtherCAT protocol by inserting TCP/IP messages into the existing EtherCAT system messages in a way that does not interfere with the network.

Ethernet Protocol Architecture
- In the OSI network model, Ethernet protocol operates at the first two layers like the Physical & the Data Link layers but, Ethernet separates the Data Link layer into two different layers called the Logical Link Control layer & the Medium Access Control layer. The physical layer in the network …
How Ethernet Protocol Works?
- Ethernet protocol mainly works in the first two layers in the OSI network model like data-link & physical. Ethernet at the first layer uses signals, bitstreams that move on the media, physical components that situate signals on media & different topologies. Ethernet plays a key role at Layer 1 in the communication that occurs between different devices, however, every function of …
Ethernet Protocol Frame Structure
- Generally, the structure of the Ethernet frame is defined within the IEEE 802.3 standard. But there are numerous optional frame formats are being employed for Ethernet to expand the capacity of the protocol. The Early frame versions were very slow but the latest Ethernet versions operate at 10 Gigabits/sec. So this is the very fastest Ethernet version. The frame structure at the data link l…
Advantages
- The advantages of Ethernet protocol include the following. 1. Security, speed, efficiency, and reliability. 2. The Gigabit Ethernet provides very fast speed like 1Gbps. Its speed mainly ranges from above 10 times as compared to Fast Ethernet. 3. Less cost. 4. It does not need any hubs or switches 5. Simple maintenance 6. It is very strong toward the noise. 7. The data transfer doesn’…
Disadvantages
- The disadvantages of Ethernet protocol include the following. 1. It provides a nondeterministic service. 2. It gives connectionless communication above the network. 3. The receiver is not able to transmit any information after getting the packets. 4. If there is any difficulty within Ethernet then it is very hard to troubleshoot which node or cable in the network causing the problem. 5. T…
Overview
Ethernet is a family of wired computer networking technologies commonly used in local area networks (LAN), metropolitan area networks (MAN) and wide area networks (WAN). It was commercially introduced in 1980 and first standardized in 1983 as IEEE 802.3. Ethernet has since been refined to support higher bit rates, a greater number of nodes, and longer link distances, but retains much backw…
History
Ethernet was developed at Xerox PARC between 1973 and 1974. It was inspired by ALOHAnet, which Robert Metcalfe had studied as part of his PhD dissertation. The idea was first documented in a memo that Metcalfe wrote on May 22, 1973, where he named it after the luminiferous aether once postulated to exist as an "omnipresent, completely-passive medium for the propagation of electromagn…
Standardization
In February 1980, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) started project 802 to standardize local area networks (LAN). The "DIX-group" with Gary Robinson (DEC), Phil Arst (Intel), and Bob Printis (Xerox) submitted the so-called "Blue Book" CSMA/CD specification as a candidate for the LAN specification. In addition to CSMA/CD, Token Ring (supported by IBM) and Tok…
Evolution
Ethernet has evolved to include higher bandwidth, improved medium access control methods, and different physical media. The coaxial cable was replaced with point-to-point links connected by Ethernet repeaters or switches.
Ethernet stations communicate by sending each other data packets: blocks of data individually sent and delivered. As with other IEEE 802 LANs, adapters co…
Varieties
The Ethernet physical layer evolved over a considerable time span and encompasses coaxial, twisted pair and fiber-optic physical media interfaces, with speeds from 1 Mbit/s to 400 Gbit/s. The first introduction of twisted-pair CSMA/CD was StarLAN, standardized as 802.3 1BASE5. While 1BASE5 had little market penetration, it defined the physical apparatus (wire, plug/jack, pin-out, and wiring plan) that would be carried over to 10BASE-T through 10GBASE-T.
Frame structure
In IEEE 802.3, a datagram is called a packet or frame. Packet is used to describe the overall transmission unit and includes the preamble, start frame delimiter (SFD) and carrier extension (if present). The frame begins after the start frame delimiter with a frame header featuring source and destination MAC addresses and the EtherType field giving either the protocol type for the payload protocol …
Autonegotiation
Autonegotiation is the procedure by which two connected devices choose common transmission parameters, e.g. speed and duplex mode. Autonegotiation was initially an optional feature, first introduced with 100BASE-TX, while it is also backward compatible with 10BASE-T. Autonegotiation is mandatory for 1000BASE-T and faster.
Error conditions
A switching loop or bridge loop occurs in computer networks when there is more than one Layer 2 (OSI model) path between two endpoints (e.g. multiple connections between two network switches or two ports on the same switch connected to each other). The loop creates broadcast storms as broadcasts and multicasts are forwarded by switches out every port, the switch or switches will repeatedly rebroadcast the broadcast messages flooding the network. Since the Layer 2 header …