Technology can be fairly daunting to understand, especially when the names and terms applied to it sound overly complicated. This report aims to break down the terms most commonly used when referring to 'Ethernet' and provide straightforward explanations and overviews.
Lan & Wan
Lan stands for Local Area Network. This is the name given when a group of computers that are in close presence have network connectivity. It means that the users of the computers can share resources with each other without having to resort to email or using a Usb stick to replacement them. A Lan can also be used to join together to a printer or to share internet access between computers.
A Wan is a Wide Area Network. Unlike a Lan, where the computers have to be fairly close to each other, with a Wan the computers can be on the other side of the globe. A Wan is made up of some major Lans related together - a router then connects the Lans to a Wan. The biggest and most important example of a Wan would be the Internet.
Protocol
A protocol is a accepted or a rule that applies to the way computers and the technology related with them work. As so many habitancy over the world have fully different computer systems it makes sense to have protocols that 'govern' how computers transmit, replacement and use data. If we did not use protocols the majority of computers would not be able to present with each other. A protocol that you may have come over is 'Http' - this protocol determines how data and facts are interpreted and displayed as web pages in a browser.
Kbps/Mbps/Gbps
These abbreviations refer to the speed of a network association that is measured in 'bits per second'. Kbps stands for 'kilobits per second' - a kilobit is a thousand bits. Mbps is the abbreviation for 'megabits per second' where a megabit is one thousand kilobits. The top speeds will be measured in gbps or 'gigabits per second'. A gigabit is one thousand megabits.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a way of connecting computers to form a Lan. It uses protocols to control the way the data is handled and transmitted. It is the most widely used Lan technology today and can be used by roughly every computer. It was designed by Robert Metcalfe at the Xerox Corporation's Palo Alto study Centre (or Parc) in the 1970s. It was named for the light transmitting 'ether' that was believed to carry light throughout the universe.
This Lan technology uses wires and originally could go up to speeds of 10mbps. Thanks to contemporary technology we can now access gigabit speeds. This is called 'fast Ethernet'. Using Ethernet connections means that established Lans can progress when new devices join together without having to modify or convert the existing network or the computers already related to it.
Network Adapter
If you want to join together your computer to a network you must have a network card (built-in to your computer) or network adapter (external) installed in order to do so. Having a network adapter or card installed means that your computer can present with the network router and join together to a network or to the internet. Network adapters can be used for wired and wireless networks.
Ethernet Card
An Ethernet card, therefore, is a type of network card. It is called an Ethernet card because it supports Ethernet connections. Originally Ethernet cards could only go up to 10Mbps but now have been industrialized to hold the faster contemporary Ethernet speeds.
Ethernet Port
An Ethernet Port is the place on your computer that you plug an Ethernet cable into. Sometimes they are called 'jacks' or 'sockets'. Ethernet is so total that the majority of computers nowadays have a built-in Ethernet port. The port is related to the internal Ethernet card which in turn will allow your computer to present with the network router. Many other electronics now have built-in Ethernet ports, for example, games consoles and some televisions.
Ethernet Switch
An Ethernet switch is the device that 'manages' the network. It makes sure that the data from one computer goes where it needs to go. Many habitancy have explained an Ethernet switch in terms of a policeman directing traffic or a telephone operator taking calls and connecting them. The Ethernet switch also makes sure that all the computers and devices on the network can run at full capacity without impacting or slowing down any of the other machines that are connected. It manages the traffic flow and sends it where it needs to go.