27.5 Ethernet and IEEE 802.3

   

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With some minor differences, IEEE 802.3 and the Ethernet are the same network standards. Both of these use the same type of frames with a difference of type and frame length field. The Ethernet uses a 2-byte-long field containing the type of frame, while the same field in an IEEE 802.3 frame contains the frame length. Both of the standards can coexist on the same network. Both of these standards are commonly called Ethernet.

Ethernet uses CSMA/CD as the access method. Different types of cables can be used with Ethernet. Depending on the type of cable used and the transmission speed, this type of network falls into one of the following standards.

10BASE-2 Ethernet

Ethernet standard names show information about the standard itself. The 10BASE-2 Ethernet is based on baseband signaling, where a single frequency is used as carrier to transmit data. The data transmission rate is 10 Mbits per second. The maximum length of a single cable segment in this network is 185 meters . However, up to four repeaters (maximum five segments) can be used to extend the length of 10BASE-2 networks. A 50-ohm thin coaxial cable is used, which is terminated at both ends with 50-ohm end terminators. The terminators are used to stop reflection of signals from cable ends. This is also called thin Ethernet.

10BASE-5 Ethernet

The maximum length of a single cable segment in 10BASE-5 networks is 500 meters with a thick 50-ohm cable. This type of network is called thick Ethernet. It is also based on the baseband 10 Mbits per second CSMA/CD access method. 10BASE-2 and 10BASE-5 networks are based on bus topology.

10BASE-T Ethernet

This is again a baseband Ethernet network specification. Twisted pair cable is used for interconnection. Maximum segment length is 100 meters, and the data transmission speed is 10 Mbits per second.

100BASE-T Fast Ethernet

This is similar to 10BASE-T networks. The data transmission speed is 100 Mbits per second and the maximum cable segment length is 100 meters.

100VG-AnyLAN Local Area Network

This is a 100 Mbits per second specification that supports both Ethernet and token ring frames.

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