Networking Self-Teaching Guide: OSI, TCP/IP, LANs, MANs, WANs, Implementation, Management, and Maintenance

Chapter 6. Ethernet Concepts

	The system of nature, of which man is a part, tends to be self-balancing, self-adjusting, self-cleansing. Not so with technology.
	--E.F. Schumacher

The term Ethernet is a catchall word used to describe the most common network architecture used in a majority of today's networks worldwide. If you were to say to someone, "Describe an Ethernet cable," 99 out of 100 would probably respond that it consists of unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable that is terminated on each end with RJ45 plugs. That is mostly true in today's network, but Ethernet technology has evolved from its early coaxial cable days to what it is today.

All Ethernet networks, no matter the type of cable that is in use, are Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) networks that adhere to the standards described in IEEE 802.3. This is true for either coaxial or UTP cable Ethernet networks. Let's review how Ethernet came about and how it evolved to its current emanation of Ethernet cable technology.

Note

The term Ethernet is derived from two words: ether and net. Ether is a medium that can be made from pretty much anything. This is evident in today's network environment, where network signals can be carried over wire, fiber (fiber optic), or air (wireless). The word net may be short for network, but one of the authors likes the idea of visualizing a fishing net, where each node is tied to adjoining nodes, and there are multiple paths from one to the other.

The Beginning of ...