Ethernet is a form of cable that is used to connect computers to a network. It is designed to allow large streams of data to pass from a server to one or more workstations throughout a home or an office. You can find Ethernet cables anywhere computer accessories are sold. Standard Ethernet cables allow 10 megabits of data per second to be transferred between computers that are on the same network. There are high speed Ethernet cables that will allow as much as 100 megabits of data per second to be transferred for companies that need that sort of speed. Developed by Xerox in the 1970s, Ethernet has become the standard way to connect computers throughout a network.
When a computer is hooked up to the network through an Ethernet cable, it will have access to everything that is allowed to be seen remotely from the server. Ethernet cables allow internet connections to be shared by two or more computers from the same modem, which makes it less expensive to create several internet connections in a home or office environment. It is possible to create several Ethernet connection ports from a single wall socket by using an Ethernet adapter that has several ports attached.
The way Ethernet stations communicate is by sending packets of information from one station to another. Each station has its own unique address on the network. The computer that is connected to the Ethernet station is equipped with a special chip that will recognize the address that each packet of information was sent to. If the address on the information is not the same as the address for the station that is connected to the computer, the computer will not accept the information. Many recent computers are being designed with Ethernet capability built directly into the motherboards, which eliminates the need for the special networking chips that were required previously.
The most important part of Ethernet technology is its ability to switch or route information in the proper direction. When you have several computers using the same internet connection, the Ethernet creates a priority chain for the information. Programs that use larger amounts of bandwidth will receive top priority, while those that use less will operate at a different frequency. The switches that are built into an Ethernet system keep track of each computer on the network and how much bandwidth each computer uses on a regular basis.
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