What is Ethernet - the main advantages of the Internet network

About what Ethernet is, it became known in the seventies of the XX century. Invented this type of local network by Robert Metcalfe, who worked at that time on the corporation Xerox. In the late 70's Metcalfe opened his own company 3com, where the development of a new technology was completed. Over time, it replaced the then existing types of local networks, and Metcalfa became the leader in this field.

The term "Ethernet" is made up of the words ether (ether) and net (network). Now let's talk more about what Ethernet is and what are the main features of this type of network. This type of network has a star-like or linear structure with a speed of 10-100 megabits / second. Initially, Ethernet was based on a coaxial cable, but over time technology changed, and the network began to build on fiber-optic cables or twisted-pair cables . Now there are about thirty kinds of Ethernet network, which differ in speed, topography, size and type of cable. Not all varieties have found commercial application. For those who want to know in detail what Ethernet is, we list the most popular technologies.

Xerox Ethernet is a technology based on a coaxial cable with a maximum speed of 3 megabits per second. Modification StarLan, which was first used twisted pair. The speed of such a connection is small - only 1 megabits per second.

In 10BASE5 technology, a coaxial cable transmits data at 10 megabits per second. Exactly the same speed and in StarLan10, but the coaxial cable here was replaced by a twisted pair. Subsequently, this technology has evolved into a 10BASE-T version, where four twisted pairs were used.
In the modification of 100BASE-T on the basis of twisted pair, the speed increased to one hundred megabits / second. This type has been further developed. 100BASE-FX transmits data over a fiber-optic cable for a distance of 10 kilometers at a speed of one hundred megabits per second. In 1000BASE-T, four poured pairs are used, and the distance is equal to one hundred meters. In the 1000BASE-LH modification, the distance has increased to 100 kilometers. The speed of the last two species has the highest, it reaches 1000 megabits per second.

The Ethernet network, which includes all the above modifications, is connected using a special controller integrated into the system board.

Now let's look at the advantages of this type of network. Its main advantage is accessibility. The computer is connected to the network constantly, and before going online, there is no need to dial up to the provider. In fact, Ethernet can be called a dedicated line, in which the modem is simply not needed. Another advantage is the high speed that the Ethernet protocol provides. Speed is provided symmetrically, regardless of whether the file is being downloaded or sent. In addition, one Ethernet connection can become the backbone of a corporate or local network, in which all computers will have the same high connection speed.

Security in a modern Ethernet network is also well organized. Typically, providers provide the user with real IP-addresses that provide anonymity of the computer in the "World Wide Web." Of course, the last advantage of such a network is the extreme ease of connection. To do this, do not need a modem or any special software, just have a network card, which is built into almost all motherboards. This simplicity and availability explains the low cost of an Ethernet connection. It costs much less than connecting to the global network via a telephone modem.

Over time, this type of network will become even more accessible. Already, there are modifications that provide a speed of about 10 gigabits per second. By the middle of the current decade, a technology is expected to yield a speed of 1 terabit / second. With such impressive prospects, everyone who understands what Ethernet is, will necessarily want to connect to this network.