👉 Ethernet is a widely adopted networking technology that forms the backbone of local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). It operates on the IEEE 802.3 standard, defining physical and data link layer specifications for network communication. At its core, Ethernet uses a bus topology where all devices connect to a single cable called the medium access control (MAC) link. Data is transmitted in frames, which include a header with source and destination addresses, payload data, and a trailer for error detection. Ethernet supports various speeds, from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps, and employs collision detection and avoidance mechanisms like Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) to manage data transmission and minimize network congestion. The technology has evolved through different generations, including 802.3a to 802.3ac, with each iteration enhancing speed, reliability, and efficiency, making Ethernet the dominant standard for wired networking.
