👉 Ethernet math, rooted in the IEEE 802.3 standard, governs how data is transmitted and received over physical networks using a mathematical framework to ensure reliable communication. At its core, it relies on
bit timing
—the precise timing of data bits sent and received—to synchronize devices. Key concepts include
frame structures
(frames contain headers, data, and checksums),
time slots
(frames are transmitted in 4-byte time slots to avoid collisions), and
CSMA/CD
(Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection), which uses a mathematical timer to detect busy links and avoid retransmissions. Error detection, via
cyclic redundancy checks (CRCs)
, ensures data integrity by calculating checksums over frames. Additionally,
packet framing
(e.g., 48-bit Ethernet frames) and
link-layer protocols
(like MAC addresses) employ bitwise operations (AND, OR, XOR) for addressing and data encapsulation. These mathematical rules collectively enable deterministic, low-latency communication, balancing speed and reliability in modern networks.