CSMA/CD
In order to manage collisions Ethernet uses a protocol
called Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD). CSMA/CD is
a type of contention protocol that defines how to respond when a collision is
detected, or when two devices attempt to transmit packages simultaneously.
Ethernet allows each device to send messages at any time without having to wait
for network permission; thus, there is a high possibility that devices may try
to send messages at the same time.
After detecting a collision, each device that was
transmitting a packet delays a random amount of time before re-transmitting the
packet. If another collision occurs, the device waits twice as long before
trying to re-transmit.
Ethernet Products
The standards and technology just discussed will
help define the specific products that network managers use to build Ethernet
networks. The following presents the key products needed to build an Ethernet
LAN.
Transceivers
Transceivers are also referred to as Medium Access
Units (MAUs). They are used to connect nodes to the various Ethernet media.
Most computers and network interface cards contain a built-in 10BASE-T or
10BASE2 transceiver which allows them to be connected directly to Ethernet
without the need for an external transceiver.
Many Ethernet devices provide an attachment unit
interface (AUI) connector to allow the user to connect to any type of medium
via an external transceiver. The AUI connector consists of a 15-pin D-shell
type connector, female on the computer side, male on the transceiver side.
For Fast Ethernet networks, a new interface called
the MII (Media Independent Interface) was developed to offer a flexible way to
support 100 Mbps connections. The MII is a popular way to connect 100BASE-FX
links to copper-based Fast Ethernet devices.
Network Interface Cards
Network Interface Cards, commonly referred to as
NICs, are used to connect a PC to a network. The NIC provides a physical
connection between the networking cable and the computer’s internal bus.
Different computers have different bus architectures. PCI bus slots are most
commonly found on 486/Pentium PCs and ISA expansion slots are commonly found on
386 and older PCs. NICs come in three basic varieties: 8-bit, 16-bit, and
32-bit. The larger the number of bits that can be transferred to the NIC, the
faster the NIC can transfer data to the network cable. Most NICs are designed
for a particular type of network, protocol, and medium, though some can serve
multiple networks.
Many NIC adapters comply with plug-and-play
specifications. On these systems, NICs are automatically configured without
user intervention, while on non-plug-and-play systems, configuration is done
manually through a set-up program and/or DIP switches.
Cards are available to support almost all
networking standards. Fast Ethernet NICs are often 10/100 capable, and will
automatically set to the appropriate speed. Gigabit Ethernet NICs are
10/100/1000 capable with auto negotiation depending on the user’s Ethernet
speed. Full duplex networking is another option where a dedicated connection to
a switch allows a NIC to operate at twice the speed.
Hubs/Repeaters
Hubs/repeaters are used to connect together two or
more Ethernet segments of any type of medium. In larger designs, signal quality
begins to deteriorate as segments exceed their maximum length. Hubs provide the
signal amplification required to allow a segment to be extended a greater
distance. A hub repeats any incoming signal to all ports.
Ethernet hubs are necessary in star topologies such
as 10BASE-T. A multi-port twisted pair hub allows several point-to-point
segments to be joined into one network. One end of the point-to-point link is
attached to the hub and the other is attached to the computer. If the hub is
attached to a backbone, then all computers at the end of the twisted pair
segments can communicate with all the hosts on the backbone. The number and
type of hubs in any one-collision domain is limited by the Ethernet rules.
These repeater rules are discussed in more detail later.
A very important fact to note about hubs is that
they only allow users to share Ethernet. A network of hubs/repeaters is termed
a “shared Ethernet,” meaning that all members of the network are contending for
transmission of data onto a single network (collision domain). A hub/repeater
propagates all electrical signals including the invalid ones. Therefore, if a
collision or electrical interference occurs on one segment, repeaters make it
appear on all others as well. This means that individual members of a shared
network will only get a percentage of the available network bandwidth.
Basically, the number and type of hubs in any one
collision domain for 10Mbps Ethernet is limited by the following rules:
Network Type
|
Max Nodes Per Segment
|
Max Distance Per Segment
|
10BASE-T
|
2
|
100m
|
10BASE-FL
|
2
|
2000m
|
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