Summary

Despite its historical contending nature, it still continues to grow. Ethernet is everywhere. If only Bob Metcalfe would have known the future when he decided on the name. Understanding it and leveraging off of the existing Ethernet makes it easier to configure and troubleshoot. Ethernet has always been appropriate for sporadic, occasionally heavy traffic at high-peak data rates, but Ethernet switching is really what has kept Ethernet alive. The full-duplex capabilities take the collisions out of Ethernet and can really drive up the throughput.

This chapter reviewed the evolution of Ethernet, including standards and detailed information at the Data Link and Physical Layers, to assist you with shooting Ethernet troubles. The next two chapters continue your Ethernet experience with Ethernet switching and VLANs.