Ethernet

Ethernet is the name of the most popular standard for connecting together computers on a Local Area Network ( LAN). It is sometimes used to connect individual computers to the Internet , via a router , ADSL modem , or wireless device . However , if you connect a single computer to the INternet , you may not use Ethernet at all . The name comes from the physical concept of the ether , the medium which was once supposed to carry light waves through free space . The official standard is called IEEE 802.3.

THe most common Ethernet standard is called 100baseT. This defines a data rate of 100 megabits per second , running over twisted pair wires , with modular RJ-45 connectors on the end . The network topology is a star , with switches or hubs at the center of each star , and end nodes ( devices and additional switches) at the edges .