|
Ethernet Products
The standards and technology that have just been discussed
help define the specific products that network managers use
to build Ethernet networks. The following text discusses the
key products needed to build an Ethernet LAN.
Transceivers
Transceivers 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, allowing
them to be connected directly to Ethernet without requiring
an external transceiver. Many Ethernet devices provide an
AUI connector to allow the user to connect to any media type
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. Thickwire (10BASE5) cables also use
transceivers to allow connections.
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 Type
Max Nodes Per Segment
Max Distance Per Segment
10BASE-T
10BASE2
10BASE5
10BASE-FL
2
30
100
2
100m
185m
500m
2000m
All
About Cabling
The
two most popular types of network cabling are twisted-pair
(also known as 10BaseT) and thin coax (also known as
10Base2). 10BaseT cabling looks like ordinary telephone
wire, except that it has 8 wires inside instead of 4. Thin
coax looks like the copper coaxial cabling that's often used
to connect a VCR to a TV set.
|