Local area network

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The whole idea of a Local Area Network is relatively recent, as it wasn't until May 22nd, 1973 at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that the world's very first LAN was set up. Bob Metcalf and David Boggs were the computer scientists involved in this research, and by using an ethernet cable they were able to transfer there first packet of data between two computers on this very day. Both Metcalf and Boggs spent the next several years working on the idea of a LAN, and by 1976 they were able to connect and transfer information between over 100 computers. This is where our modern idea of a local area network was started. This relatively simple idea was the foundation of how many businesses are set up to this day, as they can easily transmit data between any computer in a building. [1]
The whole idea of a Local Area Network is relatively recent, as it wasn't until May 22nd, 1973 at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that the world's very first LAN was set up. Bob Metcalf and David Boggs were the computer scientists involved in this research, and by using an ethernet cable they were able to transfer there first packet of data between two computers on this very day. Both Metcalf and Boggs spent the next several years working on the idea of a LAN, and by 1976 they were able to connect and transfer information between over 100 computers. This is where our modern idea of a local area network was started. This relatively simple idea was the foundation of how many businesses are set up to this day, as they can easily transmit data between any computer in a building. [1]
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However, as great of an idea as Metcalf and Boggs had created the rest of the 1970's went by without any mainstream or commercial use. A LAN idea was still kept within the Xerox laboratories. It wasn't until 1979 that Gordon Bell of Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) contacted Metcalf with the idea of bringing a product to the public that used ethernet cables to create LAN's. It was decided that DEC would design and build the hardware while Intel was responsible for supplying the computer chips used in the network interface cards. [1]
+
However, as great of an idea as Metcalf and Boggs had created the rest of the 1970's went by without any mainstream or commercial use. A LAN idea was still kept within the Xerox laboratories. It wasn't until 1979 that Gordon Bell of Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) contacted Metcalf with the idea of bringing a product to the public that used ethernet cables to create LAN's. It was decided that DEC would design and build the hardware while Intel was responsible for supplying the computer chips used in the network interface cards. [3]
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This seemed like a great idea, unfortunately they were worried about becoming a monopoly, so instead of keeping this idea to themselves, they instead decided to create an open industry standard for ethernet. The three companys; Intel, DEX, and Xerox worked in partnership with the Institute of Electronics, and Electrial Engineers (IEEE) on this project.
+
This seemed like a great idea, unfortunately they were worried about becoming a monopoly, so instead of keeping this idea to themselves, they instead decided to create an open industry standard for ethernet. The three companys; Intel, DEX, and Xerox worked in partnership with the Institute of Electronics, and Electrial Engineers (IEEE) on this project. [1]
 +
By 1981, after Metcalf founded 3Com Corp, the very first ethernet hardware was shipping to the general public. By 1982 the first ethernet hardware for a home computer was created for the Apple Box, while a year later the very first ethernet internal card, known as the EtherLink ISA was created for the IBM PC. This internal card used very small ethernet cables, which is still predominantly used today. [1]
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 +
 +
 +
In 1983, the IEEE published the Ethernet standard, 802.3. Xerox turned over all its Ethernet patents to the nonprofit IEEE, which in turn will license any company to build Ethernet hardware for a fee of $1000. This was yet another act of corporate generosity which helped make Ethernet the most widely used local area networking technology.
 +
    In 1989, the Ethernet standard won international approval with the decision of the International Organization for Standards (ISO) to adopt it as standard number 88023.
 +
    Why all this history? The important thing with Ethernet is that it became a world-wide recognized standard in 1989. That means if you set up an Ethernet LAN in your home, you can be certain that much of what you learn from it will work on Ethernet LANs anywhere else on the planet. Also, if you ever invent something truly wonderful, please remember this story and make your invention freely available to the world, just as Metcalf and Boggs did. You may use a packet sniffer or network sniffer to capture ethernet traffic.
== How Do They Work ==
== How Do They Work ==
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== References ==
== References ==
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[1] http://bugclub.org/beginners/history/EthernetHistory.html
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[2] http://www.old-computers.com/history/detail.asp?n=23&t=5
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[3] http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa111598.htm

Revision as of 17:30, 8 April 2009

Local Area Networks is a very important topic, as almost anyone who has used a computer has most likely used a local area network (LAN) whether they are aware of it or not. LAN's can be found almost everywhere whether it be in schools, at the work place, or possibily in one's own house. Because of this fact, it is quite interesting to learn just how a LAN works, when they are used, and just how the whole idea was started.


Contents

History

The whole idea of a Local Area Network is relatively recent, as it wasn't until May 22nd, 1973 at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) that the world's very first LAN was set up. Bob Metcalf and David Boggs were the computer scientists involved in this research, and by using an ethernet cable they were able to transfer there first packet of data between two computers on this very day. Both Metcalf and Boggs spent the next several years working on the idea of a LAN, and by 1976 they were able to connect and transfer information between over 100 computers. This is where our modern idea of a local area network was started. This relatively simple idea was the foundation of how many businesses are set up to this day, as they can easily transmit data between any computer in a building. [1]

However, as great of an idea as Metcalf and Boggs had created the rest of the 1970's went by without any mainstream or commercial use. A LAN idea was still kept within the Xerox laboratories. It wasn't until 1979 that Gordon Bell of Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) contacted Metcalf with the idea of bringing a product to the public that used ethernet cables to create LAN's. It was decided that DEC would design and build the hardware while Intel was responsible for supplying the computer chips used in the network interface cards. [3]

This seemed like a great idea, unfortunately they were worried about becoming a monopoly, so instead of keeping this idea to themselves, they instead decided to create an open industry standard for ethernet. The three companys; Intel, DEX, and Xerox worked in partnership with the Institute of Electronics, and Electrial Engineers (IEEE) on this project. [1]

By 1981, after Metcalf founded 3Com Corp, the very first ethernet hardware was shipping to the general public. By 1982 the first ethernet hardware for a home computer was created for the Apple Box, while a year later the very first ethernet internal card, known as the EtherLink ISA was created for the IBM PC. This internal card used very small ethernet cables, which is still predominantly used today. [1] 


In 1983, the IEEE published the Ethernet standard, 802.3. Xerox turned over all its Ethernet patents to the nonprofit IEEE, which in turn will license any company to build Ethernet hardware for a fee of $1000. This was yet another act of corporate generosity which helped make Ethernet the most widely used local area networking technology. 
   In 1989, the Ethernet standard won international approval with the decision of the International Organization for Standards (ISO) to adopt it as standard number 88023. 
   Why all this history? The important thing with Ethernet is that it became a world-wide recognized standard in 1989. That means if you set up an Ethernet LAN in your home, you can be certain that much of what you learn from it will work on Ethernet LANs anywhere else on the planet. Also, if you ever invent something truly wonderful, please remember this story and make your invention freely available to the world, just as Metcalf and Boggs did. You may use a packet sniffer or network sniffer to capture ethernet traffic.

How Do They Work

Why Are They Useful?

Examples Of How They Are Used

References

[1] http://bugclub.org/beginners/history/EthernetHistory.html

[2] http://www.old-computers.com/history/detail.asp?n=23&t=5

[3] http://inventors.about.com/library/weekly/aa111598.htm


See Also

External Links

--Pettan 12:48, 8 April 2009 (EDT)

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