Ethernet

Who / What

Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies that enables communication over wired local area networks (LANs). It was first introduced commercially in 1980 and standardized by the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) as IEEE 802.3, representing an open standard for LAN connectivity.

Background & History

The concept originated from research projects at Xerox PARC during the mid-1970s led by Bob Metcalfe. It was later commercialized and formed the basis of the company now known as Ethertronics (formerly 3Com's 3C Ethernet) in 1982, which developed and marketed early products based on Metcalfe's design. The technology gained widespread adoption due to its simplicity, scalability, and low cost, evolving from the original 10 Mbps standard through various iterations like Fast Ethernet (100BASE-TX), Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T), and more recent speeds such as 10GBASE-T.

Why Notable

Ethernet is the dominant wired networking technology for connecting devices in local area networks globally. Its design philosophy emphasized ease of implementation, low cost components like twisted-pair copper wire or fiber optics, high performance capabilities (from basic sharing up to extremely high data rates), and scalability from small home networks to large enterprise backbones. This combination led to its de facto status as a standard for Ethernet connectivity.

In the News

Recent developments focus on pushing Ethernet speeds further into multi-gigabit ranges (5G, 10G) and onto higher-level networking applications including data center fabrics and industrial IoT, ensuring its continued relevance amid evolving technologies. Its ubiquity in IT infrastructure makes it a constant reference point for network performance discussions. The ongoing standardization efforts by the IEEE maintain its trajectory as the leading technology.

Key Facts

Type: organization (referring to entities involved) OR open standard protocol.

Also known as: Ethernet Technology, 802.3 Standard.

Founded / Born: 1982 (commercial introduction of devices), Place associated primarily with Xerox PARC research.

Key dates:

* 1973: Conceptualized at the University of Hawaii by Leonard Kleinrock and developed further at Stanford Research Institute (SRI).

* 1980: Commercially introduced as "Ethernet" by a company spun out from Robert Metcalfe's work.

* 1982: Formal standardization began with RFC 873 for IEEE review. Ethertronics founded based on early technology.

* 1983: First official standards published (ECMA-82 and IEEE 802.3).

* Ongoing development by the IEEE 802.1 Working Group.

Geography: Primarily North America / Worldwide, associated with companies like Xerox PARC, Stanford Research Institute (SRI), and later Ethertronics & IEEE standards bodies.

Affiliation: Developed by entities including Robert Metcalfe at Xerox PARC and SRI; commercialized initially by his company 3C Ethernet (later acquired); formally standardized and maintained by the IEEE Standards Association under Working Group 802.3.

Links

[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet)

Sources

• 🔗 Wikipedia

Ethernet ( EE-thər-net) 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 ECMA-82 and shortly after as IEEE 802.3. It is an example of an open standard.