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Ethernet

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A laptop connected to the internet using an Ethernet cable.

What is Ethernet?

Ethernet is a way to connect computers and other devices so they can talk to each other. It uses special wires or cables to send information. You might see these cables in homes, schools, and offices.

How Does Ethernet Work?

Ethernet breaks information into tiny pieces called frames. Each frame has details about where the information comes from and where it is going. This helps make sure the information arrives safely.

Why Do We Use Ethernet?

Ethernet is used everywhere because it works well and is easy to set up. It can send information very fast, even up to 800 Gbit/s! It also works with wireless networks like Wi‑Fi, so you can use the Internet both with cables and without.

A Little History

The idea for Ethernet started in the late 1960s at the University of Hawaii. In 1972, Robert Metcalfe and David Boggs made the first Ethernet network using a cable at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. It became an official standard in 1983, meaning anyone could use it. This made Ethernet very popular in offices and homes.

Different Kinds of Ethernet

Ethernet can use different types of wires. The most common kind uses thin wires with special plugs, like the ones on phone cords. There are also types that use glass wires, which are great for big networks. No matter which kind you use, computers still talk to each other the same way.

!A twisted-pair cable as commonly used for Ethernet

A twisted-pair cable as commonly used for Ethernet

Because Ethernet is common and easy to use, most computers have it built in. You usually don’t need an extra card to connect to a network.

Images

A close-up photo of an Ethernet connector used for network cables.
A close-up of an Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet network card, a computer part used to connect machines to the internet.
Historical networking equipment including Ethernet transceivers, cables, and a tool used for installing network taps.
Illustration of different types of network cards used for connecting computers.
Two network switches connected with CAT5 cables, showing how computers can be linked together in a network.
A close-up view of an SMSC 91C110 ethernet chip used in embedded systems.
A diagram showing the layout of an Ethernet network topology.
A photo of an Ethernet hub switch, showing its ports and design.

Related articles

Internet

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Ethernet, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.