Ethernet Turns 40 159
alancronin writes "Four decades ago the Ethernet protocol made its debut as a way to connect machines in close proximity, today it is the networking layer two protocol of choice for local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs) and everything in between. For many people Ethernet is merely the RJ45 jack on the back of a laptop, but its relative ubiquity and simplicity belie what Ethernet has done for the networking industry and in turn for consumers and enterprises. Ethernet has in the space of 40 years gone from a technology that many in the industry viewed as something not fit for high bandwidth, dependable communications to the default data link protocol."
good Ole Days (Score:5, Informative)
When I started using it we had coax cables in daisy chain with 50 Ohm terminators at each end. I never forget spending all day trying to find out why the network was acting flaky, when just for kicks I changed the terminators and it worked. One of them was an open circuit. Go figure... We also had the 3Com 3C501 Ethernet cards the size of a bus (ok a full high/length AT card) which cost $500 each at the time. Ahh the good ole days...
Re:LANPARTY! (Score:5, Informative)
Many people who went to LAN parties were also not college students and not living in dorms an. Before high speed internet was a "thing" you had to be on the LAN to get optimal multiplayer. Personally for my LAN culture died off when pings fell below 100ms over the internet instead of the 500-1000ms over 56K
Re:LANPARTY! (Score:4, Informative)
LAN parties never made much sense to me.
Were you that overly-excited guy going from door to door in the dorms, announcing, "We're having a LAN party! Unplug your computer and bring it down to the 4th floor lounge!" To which I replied, "why don't I just stay here... I'm already connected."
Some of us figured out how to LAN before they taught us how in college... And even before building-wide Ethernet was the norm for homes, offices, dorms, etc, and LONG before internet access with sub-250ms latency was available to anyone outside of a university or major corporation. So yes, there were motivations to LAN before you got to college and decided the best way to spend your time was alone in your dorm room. Bro.