Fast Ethernet Overview

Ethernet, or 10Base-T, is a standard for physically connecting computers into a local area network. It is a communications protocol that lets those computers share data. The most commonly installed Ethernet systems are 100Base-T and provide transmission speeds up to 100 Mbit/s.

Fast Ethernet is a local area network (LAN) transmission standard that provides a data rate of 100 Mbit/s (referred to as “100Base-T”). Workstations with existing 10 Mbit/s (10Base-T) Ethernet cards can be connected to a Fast Ethernet network. The 100 Mbit/s is a shared data rate; input to each workstation is constrained by the 10 Mbit/s card.

To be a part of the LAN, every computer on the network needs a network interface card (NIC), which provides the link between Ethernet and the computer. HP 100Base-T NICs come with PCI-X bus interfaces and formerly with HSC, HP-PB, and EISA bus interfaces. All NICs can talk to one another.

Features

• very common — a defacto industry standard

• less expensive than some other network technologies

• multiple sources (manufacturers)

• tried and true technology

• the best suited for business

• a system that works well with all modern operating systems