Networking with Ethernet

Paul Wacker Control Engineering January 1, 2001

Developed in the 1970s, Ethernet has become one of the most widely used Local Area Networks (LANs).
Ethernets commercial success and the explosive growth of related web technologies have made
Ethernet an attractive option for industrial users.
The simplest LAN is composed of three basic elements: devices (computers and peripherals) which are
commonly referred to as nodes, Network Interface Cards (NICs) for connecting nodes to the network, and
the media (wires or cable) which connect the devices that make up a LAN. LANs also require networking
software, which is included in operating systems like Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT/2000, Apple Mac OS
and Unix variants.
Network
Type

Speed

10
Mbps
10
10BASE5
Mbps
10
10BASE-T
Mbps
10BASE10
FL
Mbps
100BASE- 100
TX
Mbps
100BASE- 100
FX
Mbps
10BASE2

Topol
ogy

Media

Nodes Per
Segment

Distance Per
Segment

Bus

Thin coax (RG-58AU)

30

185m (606 ft)

Bus

Thick coax

100

500m (1640 ft)

Star

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) - CAT3 or better 2

100m (328 ft)

Star

Fiber optic

2,000m (6,561 ft)

Star

Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) - CAT5 or better 2

100m (328 ft)

Star

Fiber optic

2,000m (6,561 ft)

Media are basic

Selecting appropriate media (or cable) is the essential starting point. There are four types of media: thick
coaxial cable (coax) for 10BASE5 networks, thin coax for 10BASE2, unshielded twisted pair (UTP) for
10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX, and fiber-optic cable for 10BASE-FL and 100BASE-FX networks.
Thick coax was the original cabling scheme for Ethernet networks. It was soon replaced by thin coax,
which was less expensive and easier to work with. The most popular wiring schemes (10BASE-T,
100BASE-TX) use UTP cable. This cable is similar to telephone cable, and is available in a variety of
grades, with each higher grade offering better performance. Level 5 (or CAT5) is commonly used for
10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX networks. In installations where environmental hazards (lightning), long
cable runs, and electromagnetic interference are issues, fiber-optic cable can be used.
The transmission speed of Ethernet (10BASE2, 10BASE5, 10BASE-T, 10BASE-FL) is 10 Megabits per
second (Mbps). Fast Ethernet (100 BASE-TX, 100BASE-FX) raises the speed to 100Mbps. Emerging
Gigabit Ethernet networks operate at 1Gbps (1,000 Mbps).
The physical arrangement of the network is referred to as the network topology. Ethernet support two
basic configurations: bus and star.
A bus topology consists of nodes connected in series. This configuration often makes changes to the
network difficult, and a break in the cable will often cause the entire segment to be inoperable. Examples
of this topology include 10BASE2 and 10BASE5. 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX use a star topology, in
which UTP cables are terminated at a central location with a hub or switch. Its primary advantage
topology is reliabilitya break in the point-to-point cable connecting a node affects only that node. It also
enables easier network expansion, since nodes can be added without disruption to the network.
Protocols allow communication
Network protocols define how nodes identify one another on the network, the format of data sent between
nodes, and the procedures for handling lost or damaged data. Protocols are separate from the physical
network, thus allowing multiple protocols to coexist on the network. In recent years, TCP/IP has become
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the overwhelming favorite, since it is the foundation of the Internet, and it can be used on most operating
systems.
Hubs, switches, and routers are used to join network segments. Hubs, the simplest of these devices, work
by amplifying signals received on one port and by broadcasting it out the other ports. Switches expand
the capabilities of hubs by switching connections between nodes, reducing the 'shared network' to only
two nodes. Switching is automatic, resulting in full available bandwidth between any two nodes.
Another means of increasing network efficiency is to limit traffic between network segments. Routers can
logically segment networks, so that only traffic destined for a particular node can pass between network
segments.

Glossary
1. Ethernet
A local-area network (LAN) architecture developed by Xerox Corporation in cooperation with DEC and Intel in
1976. Ethernet uses a bus or star topology and supports data transfer rates of 10 Mbps. The Ethernet specification
served as the basis for the IEEE 802.3 standard, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Ethernet
uses the CSMA/CD access method to handle simultaneous demands. It is one of the most widely implemented LAN
standards.
A newer version of Ethernet, called 100Base-T (or Fast Ethernet), supports data transfer rates of 100 Mbps. And the
newest version, Gigabit Ethernet supports data rates of 1 gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second.

2. Bus Network
A network in which all nodes are connected to a single wire (the bus) that has two endpoints. Ethernet 10Base-2 and
10Base-5 networks, for example, are bus networks. Other common network types include star networks and ring
networks.
For network diagrams, see Network Topology Diagrams in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.

3. Topology
The shape of a local-area network (LAN) or other communications system. Topologies are either physical or logical.
There are four principal topologies used in LANs.
bus topology: All devices are connected to a central cable, called the bus or backbone. Bus networks are
relatively inexpensive and easy to install for small networks. Ethernet systems use a bus topology.
ring topology : All devices are connected to one another in the shape of a closed loop, so that each device
is connected directly to two other devices, one on either side of it. Ring topologies are relatively expensive
and difficult to install, but they offer high bandwidth and can span large distances.
star topology: All devices are connected to a central hub. Star networks are relatively easy to install and
manage, but bottlenecks can occur because all data must pass through the hub.
tree topology: A tree topology combines characteristics of linear bus and star topologies. It consists of
groups of star-configured workstations connected to a linear bus backbone cable.
These topologies can also be mixed. For example, a bus-star network consists of a high-bandwidth bus, called the
backbone, which connects a collections of slower-bandwidth star segments.
For network diagrams, see Network Topology Diagrams in the Quick Reference section of Webopedia.

4. Serial
One by one. Serial data transfer refers to transmitting data one bit at a time. The opposite of serial is parallel, in
which several bits are transmitted concurrently.

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5. Serial port
A port, or interface, that can be used for serial communication, in which only 1 bit is transmitted at a time.
Most serial ports on personal computers conform to the RS-232C or RS-422 standards. A serial port is a generalpurpose interface that can be used for almost any type of device, including modems, mice, and printers (although
most printers are connected to a parallel port).

6. RS-232C
Short for recommended standard-232C, a standard interface approved by the Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
for connecting serial devices. In 1987, the EIA released a new version of the standard and changed the name to EIA232-D. And in 1991, the EIA teamed up with Telecommunications Industry association (TIA) and issued a new
version of the standard called EIA/TIA-232-E. Many people, however, still refer to the standard as RS-232C, or just
RS-232.
Almost all modems conform to the EIA-232 standard and most personal computers have an EIA-232 port for
connecting a modem or other device. In addition to modems, many display screens, mice, and serial printers are
designed to connect to a EIA-232 port. In EIA-232 parlance, the device that connects to the interface is called a
Data Communications Equipment (DCE) and the device to which it connects (e.g., the computer) is called a Data
Terminal Equipment (DTE).
The EIA-232 standard supports two types of connectors -- a 25-pin D-type connector (DB-25) and a 9-pin D-type
connector (DB-9). The type of serial communications used by PCs requires only 9 pins so either type of connector
will work equally well.
Although EIA-232 is still the most common standard for serial communication, the EIA has recently defined
successors to EIA-232 called RS-422 and RS-423. The new standards are backward compatible so that RS-232
devices can connect to an RS-422 port.

7. Media Access Method / Protocol

Since most media types are limited to half duplex signal (only one node can transmit at any time), a
media
access method is required to determine who gets to talk at any given time
Some common Media Access Methods are:
Master / Slave (Remote I/O, Reliance DCS,)
Token Passing (ArcNet, Data Highway Plus, RNET,)
Carrier Sense, Multiple Access, with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD or Ethernet)
Floating Master (Data Highway)

8. TCP/IP
Abbreviation for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, the suite of communications protocols used to
connect hosts on the Internet. TCP/IP uses several protocols, the two main ones being TCP and IP. TCP/IP is built
into the UNIX operating system and is used by the Internet, making it the de facto standard for transmitting data
over networks. Even network operating systems that have their own protocols, such as Netware, also support
TCP/IP.

9. Protocol
An agreed-upon format for transmitting data between two devices. The protocol determines the following:
the type of error checking to be used
data compression method, if any
how the sending device will indicate that it has finished sending a message
how the receiving device will indicate that it has received a message
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There are a variety of standard protocols from which programmers can choose. Each has particular advantages and
disadvantages; for example, some are simpler than others, some are more reliable, and some are faster.
From a user's point of view, the only interesting aspect about protocols is that your computer or device must support
the right ones if you want to communicate with other computers. The protocol can be implemented either in
hardware or in software.

10.

Network Topology

11.

Interface

This section provides a description of the more common network types.

Bus
Star
Token Ring

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A boundary across which two independent systems meet and act on or communicate with each other. In computer
technology, there are several types of interfaces.
user interface - the keyboard, mouse, menus of a computer system. The user interface allows the user to
communicate with the operating system. Also see GUI.
software interface - the languages and codes that the applications use to communicate with each other and
with the hardware.
hardware interface - the wires, plugs and sockets that hardware devices use to communicate with each
other.

12.

Gateway

A node on a network that serves as an entrance to another network. For example, when a user connects to the
Internet, that person essentially connects to a server that issues the Web pages to the user. These two devices are host
nodes, not gateways. In enterprises, the gateway is the computer that routes the traffic from a workstation to the
outside network that is serving the Web pages. In homes, the gateway is the ISP that connects the user to the internet

13.

Hub

A common connection point for devices in a network. Hubs are commonly used to connect segments of a LAN. A
hub contains multiple ports. When a packet arrives at one port, it is copied to the other ports so that all segments of
the LAN can see all packets.
A passive hub serves simply as a conduit for the data, enabling it to go from one device (or segment) to another. Socalled intelligent hubs include additional features that enables an administrator to monitor the traffic passing through
the hub and to configure each port in the hub. Intelligent hubs are also called manageable hubs.
A third type of hub, called a switching hub, actually reads the destination address of each packet and then forwards
the packet to the correct port.

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