Also known as: IEEE 802.3
Ethernet is the dominant family of wired local-area networking standards, defining the cabling, signaling, and frame format that carry data between computers on a LAN.1
Overview
Standardized as IEEE 802.3, Ethernet packages data into frames tagged with source and destination MAC addresses and sends them over twisted-pair copper (terminated in the familiar 8-pin RJ45 plug) or over fiber-optic cable for longer runs and higher speeds. Speeds have climbed from the original 10 Mb/s through Fast and Gigabit Ethernet to 10, 100, and 400 Gb/s. Devices attach through a NIC and connect to a switch; the same cabling can also carry power via Power over Ethernet.
What it’s for
Ethernet is the default for fixed, performance-sensitive connections where a cable is practical — servers, desktops, and infrastructure — while Wi-Fi handles mobility. A wired Ethernet link gives a GopherTrunk capture node a stable, low-jitter path to stream decoded calls to a server, avoiding the contention and interference of a shared radio channel.