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Ethernet in Computer Networks: The Backbone of Modern Connectivity 2023

Ethernet in Computer Networks: The Backbone of Modern Connectivity 2023

Introduction;

The bulk of wired local area networks (LANs) in use today are supported by Ethernet, a fundamental technology sometimes referred to as the workhorse of computer networks. Ethernet has changed dramatically since its introduction in the 1970s, always adjusting to meet the ever-increasing demands of contemporary networking. This essay will examine Ethernet’s fundamental function in computer networks, its historical development, and its ongoing applicability in the era of fast data transfer.

Invented Ethernet

Robert Metcalfe and his colleagues invented Ethernet at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) in the early 1970s. Connecting computers in the same building or on the same campus allowed them to share resources and communicate with one another. 2.94 Mbps (megabits per second) was the maximum data transmission speed that the original Ethernet protocol also referred to as Ethernet Version

The Standardization and Popularity of Ethernet

Ethernet’s affordability and ease of use led to its rapid rise in popularity. Several Ethernet standards appeared in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with Ethernet Version 2 (Ethernet II) emerging as the most widely used. This standard used coaxial wires and a bus topology to improve the data transmission rate to 10 Mbps. Due to its quick uptake, Ethernet was standardized as IEEE 802.3 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Computer Networks

The Ethernet’s Development

With the growth of computer networks and the realization of the need for faster data transfer speeds, Ethernet saw numerous noteworthy developments.

Fast Ethernet (IEEE 802.3u):

Developed from the original Ethernet standard, Fast Ethernet first appeared in the early 1990s. It was ten times quicker than its predecessor, with data transfer rates reaching 100 Mbps. Fast Ethernet ensured a seamless transition by using twisted-pair wires and being interoperable with already-existing Ethernet Computer Networks.

Gigabit Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ab):

Gigabit Ethernet emerged in response to the increasing need for high-speed data transfer and the growth of multimedia applications. It became the industry standard for linking devices within local Computer Networks and data centers, providing 1 Gbps (gigabit per second) of data speeds.

10 Gigabit Ethernet (IEEE 802.3ae):

Designed to satisfy the demands of high-performance computing settings, 10 Gigabit Ethernet was introduced as data-intensive applications continued to thrive. It provided 10 Gbps data rates, allowing for quicker and more effective data transport.

The 40 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet standards were created in response to the needs of large-scale Computer Networks and data centers. In cloud computing and enterprise settings, they enable fast data exchange with data rates of 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps, respectively.

Nowadays, Ethernet

Ethernet is still the most widely used technology for wired LANs and is now a necessity in the majority of residences and workplaces. Several significant benefits account for its widespread use:

Ethernet has a high degree of backward compatibility, which makes it easy to incorporate newer technologies into Computer Networks that already exist. Its ongoing appeal can be attributed in part to its versatility.

Ethernet is renowned for its resilience and low error rates, which provide steady and reliable network performance. Applications that demand minimal latency, including online gaming and real-time video conferencing, depend heavily on this dependability.

Scalability:

Ethernet has unmatched scalability. It can be installed in huge data centers with thousands of servers or in tiny office Computer Networks with a few devices. Because of its adaptability, Ethernet can be used for a variety of network sizes and purposes.

Cost-Effectiveness:

Ethernet Computer Networks has a well-established infrastructure that includes reasonably priced networking hardware and cables, making it cost-effective. It is becoming the preferred option for both consumers and corporations due to its accessibility.

Computer Networks

Speed:

Data transfer speeds Computer Networks have kept up with the growing need for high-bandwidth applications as Ethernet standards have evolved. Fast data transfer is made possible by contemporary Ethernet standards like 10 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet, which makes them perfect for tasks requiring a lot of data.

Conclusion:

Ethernet’s path from its modest origins in the 1970s to its current position as a fundamental component of contemporary computer Computer Networks is evidence of its flexibility and durability Computer Networks. Its progression from 2.94 Mbps technology to standards that can reach 100 Gbps and more demonstrates its ongoing importance in the data-driven world of today.

Ethernet is a vital tool for companies Computer Networks, organizations, and individuals due to its interoperability, scalability, affordability, and speed. Ethernet is expected to be at the forefront of the digital environment as long as it can continue to provide the connectivity required to drive future breakthroughs. Ethernet is therefore the unsung hero that keeps everything linked, whether you’re streaming videos at home or running a massive data center.
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Different Ethernet Standards

Different Ethernet Standards

The most widely used technology in networking is Ethernet. As we said in the early lesson, Ethernet works both in the data link and physical layers. Ethernet standards define both the Layer 2 protocols and the Layer 1 technologies. For the Layer 2 protocols, as with all 802 IEEE standards, Ethernet relies on the two separate sublayers of the data link layer to operate: the Logical Link Control (LLC) and the MAC sublayers.

Other LAN types include Token Ring, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) and Local Talk. Different Ethernet standards support different bands of data:-

Ethernet standards

Ethernet is the most popular physical layer LAN technology nowadays. A standard Ethernet network can broadcast data at up to 10 Mbps. Ethernet is popular as it strikes a good balance between speed, cost and ease of installation.

The Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers developed an Ethernet standard, IEEE Standard 802.3. This standard also defines rules for configuring an Ethernet network and how the elements interact with each other. By adhering to the IEEE standard, network equipment and protocols can communicate efficiently.

Fast Ethernet

The Fast Ethernet standard has been established for networks that need higher transmission speeds. The standard defines for fast Ethernet is IEEE 802.3u. This standard extends the Ethernet speed limit from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps with little changes to the existing structure. It also provides better video, multimedia, graphics, Internet surfing results, and stronger error detection and correction. Fast Ethernet has three types:-

  • 100BASE-TX using Cat-5 and Cat-6 UTP Cable.
  • 100BASE-FX using Fiber Optic Cable.
  • 100BASE-T4 using Cat-3 UTP Cable.

Gigabit Ethernet

Gigabit Ethernet is more for faster than Fast Ethernet networks with applications such as multimedia and VoIP. The Gigabit Ethernet speed is 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet. The Gigabit Ethernet is defined in the IEEE 802.3 standard as a backbone. Ethernet and Fast Ethernet can feed into a Gigabit Ethernet to interconnect high-performance switches, routers, and servers.

10 Gigabit Ethernet

This is the fastest and most recent Ethernet standard. IEEE 802.3ae defines a version of Ethernet with a nominal rate of 10 Gbits/s. 10 Gigabit Ethernet is 10 times faster than Gigabit Ethernet. The difference with other Ethernet is that it is based entirely on optical fibre connections.

Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

ATM is the abbreviation for Asynchronous Transfer Mode. It is a cell-based fast-packet communication technique that supports data-transfer rates from sub-T1 speeds to 10 Gbps. It can be integrated into an existing network as needed without any further updates. The technology was basically for the high-speed transmission of all forms of media, from basic graphics to full-motion video.

Due to the small size of cells, ATM equipment can transmit large amounts of data over a single connection. It also allows ISPs to assign limited bandwidth to each customer. While this may seem like a downside for the customer, it improves the efficiency of the ISP’s Internet connection, causing the overall speed of the connection to be faster for everybody.

Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a solution in which an electrical current is run to networking hardware over the Ethernet Category 5 or 6 cable. This minimizes the amount of cable needed and eliminates the difficulties and cost of installing extra outlets for input AC or DC power to the equipment.

NIC Card and Ethernet Protocol

NIC Card and Ethernet Protocol

A Network Interface Card (NIC) is also called an Ethernet card. It is also called a network adapter. It is a circuit board that is installed in a computer so that it can be connected to a network.  A network interface card provides the computer with a dedicated, full-time connection to a network. Personal computers and workstations on a local area network typically contain a network interface card specifically designed for the LAN transmission technology. Most new computers have a network interface built in directly into the motherboard. A Network Interface Card enables a computer to connect to a network, such as a home network or the Internet, using an Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector and wires.

Types of Network Interface

There is a different form of the network card. But the two main ones are wired and wireless. Wireless NICs Use wireless technologies to connect the network, so they have one or more antennas. Wired NICs just use an RJ45 port since they have an Ethernet cable attached to the end. This makes them much flatter than wireless network cards.

Speed of Network Interface Card (NIC)

All network interface cards have different speed ratings, such as 10 Mbps, 11 Mbps, 54 Mbps or 100 Mbps, and 1000 Mbps. The speed describes the general performance of the interface card.  The speed of the NIC mustn’t necessarily determine the speed of the internet connection. This is due to available bandwidth and the speed you’re paying for. For example, if your DSL speed is 16 Mbps and your NIC Speed is 100 Mbps, the network interface card will not increase your internet speed.  However, if your DSL speed is 16 Mbps and your NIC is 10 Mbps, your internet speed will also slow down to 10 Mbps.

Network Interface Card Driver

All hardware devices installed in computers need device drivers to work with the software on the computer. If the installed network card isn’t working, the driver is missing, corrupted or outdated. The updating of driver software is required for an internet connection to download the driver. But the problem is that your network card is not working and you cannot access the internet. So you can download a driver from the card manufacturer’s site to a computer connected to the internet and then transfer it using a USB drive or CD.

Ethernet

Ethernet is both a data link and the physical layer main component for local area networks (LANs). Robert Metcalfe and D.R. Boggs invented it in 1972. Ethernet is a network protocol that controls how data is transmitted over a LAN. Technically, it is referred to as the IEEE 802.3 protocol. It is also used in contrast with WAN, which spans larger geographical areas.

The Ethernet protocol standards describe many aspects of network communication, such as frame format, frame size, timing, and encoding. They tell how networked devices can format data for transmission to other network devices on the same network segment and how to send that data over the network connection.

It is a contention-based method of networking. A contention-based method means that any device can try to send data across the shared medium when it has data to send. The Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) process is used in half-duplex Ethernet LANs to detect and resolve collisions. Today’s Ethernet LANs use full-duplex switches, allowing multiple devices to send and receive simultaneously without collisions.

The OSI model describes the data link layer function and the physical standards of the media. The Ethernet standard defines the Layer 2 protocols and the Layer 1 technologies. According to specification, It supports different media, bandwidths, and other Layer 1 and 2 variations. The basic frame format and address scheme are the same for all types of Ethernet.

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