Overview

Overview of
of IEEE
IEEE 802.3
802.3 and
and Ethernet
Ethernet
• Electrical functions
– The SQE test is used on IEEE 802.3 transceivers.
» Enables the controller to learn the status of an external transceiver.

– Jabber control used on IEEE 802.3 transceivers.

» Disables a transceiver that talks for longer than it should.

– Ethernet transceivers were only made with Ethernet V1.0.

» Virtually nonexistent today and not compatible with IEEE 802.3 transceivers.

• Packet format
– Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 use different packet formats, as shown on the next
few pages.

• Link control services

– Ethernet has only unacknowledged connectionless service.
– IEEE 802.3 can implement either connectionless or connection-oriented
protocols when used with IEEE 802.2.
The
The Preamble,
Preamble, Ethernet
Ethernet

MAC layer header OSI layer 3 - 7 headers and data MAC trailer

Destination Source Type

Preamble address Data field CRC-32
address field
Bit
Bit Order
Order and
and Transmission
Transmission for
for Ethernet
Ethernet
Multicast bit
Transmission
6 bytes Destination sequence
address

6 bytes Source
Destination address address
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5
M Type field 2 bytes
. . . .
Bit 7 Bit 0
Transmitted first
46 - 1500
Source address bytes
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5 Data
field
Bit 7 Bit 0 . . . .
Transmitted first

Frame
4 bytes Check
Sequence

LSB MSB
Bits within bytes are
transmitted left to right
The
The Ethernet
Ethernet Packet
Packet

MAC layer header OSI layers 3 - 7 headers and data MAC trailer

Destination
Preamble Source address Type field Data field CRC-32
address
IEEE
IEEE 802.3
802.3 Packet
Packet Format
Format

*
7 bytes 1 byte 6 bytes 6 bytes 2 bytes 1 byte 1 byte 1 or 2 bytes < 1496 bytes 4 bytes

Destination Source
Start of Service Service
Frame
Destination Source Length Access Access Control Data Pad FCS
Preamble address address field Point Point fields
Delimiter
(DSAP) (SSAP)

Optional IEEE 802.2 fields

Destination Address
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5
U I
L G
. . . .
Bit 7 Bit 0
Transmitted first

Source Address
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5
U
L U

Bit 7 Bit 0 ....

Transmitted first
Detail
Detail Comparison
Comparison of
of the
the Two
Two Formats
Formats
IEEE 802.3 CSMA/CD packet

7 bytes 1 byte 6 bytes 6 bytes 2 bytes 1 byte 1 byte 1 or 2 bytes < 1496 bytes 4 bytes

Destination Source
Start of Service Service
Destination Source Length Control
Preamble Frame Access Access Data Pad FCS
address address field Fields
Delimiter Point Point
(DSAP) (SSAP)

Optional IEEE 802.2 fields

Destination Address
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5
U I
L G
. . . .
Bit 7 Bit 0
Transmitted first
Source Address
Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 5
U
L U
Bit 7 Bit 0 ....
Transmitted first
Ethernet
Ethernet and
and IEEE
IEEE 802.3
802.3 Packets
Packets
IEEE 802.3 with IEEE 802.2 Ethernet V2.0
Preamble
7 bytes Preamble
Start of Frame Delimiter 8 bytes
1byte
802.3
Destination address Destination Address
2 or 6 bytes 6 bytes

Source address Source Address

2 or 6 bytes 6 bytes
Length 2 bytes Type Field
DSAP
1 byte 2 bytes

SSAP
1 byte
802.2
Data Field
Control 46 to 1500 bytes

Data

802.3 PAD
CRC CRC
4 bytes 4 bytes
Protocol
Protocol Implementation
Implementation of
of Ethernet
Ethernet
• Many different types of packets may traverse an Ethernet network.
– All will use either the IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet packet format.
– Packets differ based on network software protocols.
» AppleTalk and Novell NetWare generally use the IEEE 802.3 packet format.
» DECnet and TCP/IP generally use the Ethernet packet format.

• All protocols are slowly switching to the IEEE 802.3 packet format.
Ethernet
Ethernet
• An access method based on the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision
Detection (CSMA/CD) algorithm.
• Work started back in 1973 by Bob Metcalfe and David Boggs from Xerox Palo Alto
Research Center (PARC).
– He studied the Aloha network and "fixed" the mathematics.
• Experimental Ethernet implemented in 1975.
• Cooperative effort between Digital, Intel, and Xerox produced Ethernet Version 1.0
in 1980.
– This also became known as the Blue Book specification or DIX standard.
Ethernet V2.0 adopted in 1982.
• Ethernet was adopted with modifications by the standards committees IEEE 802.3
and ANSI 8802/3.
• Ethernet conforms only to the bottom two layers of the OSI model.
• Transmits information to other stations on the network through the use of packets.
• Ethernet allows for only connectionless communication.
Normal
Normal Ethernet
Ethernet Operation
Operation

B C

Address mismatch Address mismatch

packet discarded packet discarded

Send data Address match

to node D packet processed
Transmitted packet seen
by all stations on the LAN
A (broadcast medium) D

Data
Ethernet
Ethernet Collisions
Collisions

B C

Collision

Data transmission for A Data transmission for C

A
D
CSMA/CD
CSMA/CD -- A
A Simple
Simple Definition
Definition
• Ethernet uses the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection
algorithm.

– A network station wishing to transmit will first check the cable plant to ensure
that no other station is currently transmitting (CARRIER SENSE).
– The communications medium is one cable, therefore, it does allow multiple
stations access to it with all being able to transmit and receive on the same
cable (MULTIPLE ACCESS).
– Error detection is implemented throughout the use of a station "listening" while
it is transmitting its data.
» Many ways to detect when another station has erroneously started to
transmit.
Two or more stations transmitting causes a collision (COLLISION
DETECTION)
A jam signal is transmitted to network by the transmitting stations that
detected the collision, to ensure that all stations know of the collision.
All stations will "backoff" for a random time.
Detection and retransmission is accomplished in microseconds.
Ethernet
Ethernet Transmission
Transmission Flowchart
Flowchart
transmit packet

assemble packet

deferring
yes on?

no
start
transmission
send jam signal

transmission no collision yes

increment attempts
done detect?
?

yes too many

yes attempts
?
no

done done excessive compute and wait

transmit ok collision errors backoff time
Ethernet
Ethernet Reception
Reception Flowchart
Flowchart
receive packet

start receiving

no done
receiving
?

yes

packet yes
too small
?

no

valid no yes recognize no

CRC?
address? no
extra bits?

yes
yes

valid no
length done error length
done alignment error
?
yes

disassemble packet done receive ok

done packet_check error
Final
Final Ethernet
Ethernet Issues
Issues
• Ethernet is an access method that strictly adheres to the CSMA/CD algorithm.

• Ethernet is a multiprotocol solution.

• Ethernet is hardware, not software.

• Ethernet is a broadcast oriented network.

– All data packets are seen by all stations on the network.
– This should not be confused with a broadcast packet.

• Ethernet does not guarantee delivery of a data packet.

– It will detect an error in the packet via the CRC but Ethernet provides only
connectionless service.
– The upper layer protocols (layers 3 - 7) usually have some type of reliable
protocol built to take care of this issue.

• An Ethernet controller is allowed to "miss" packets when the controller is busy.

Ethernet
Ethernet Misconceptions
Misconceptions
• Ethernet is not necessarily less efficient than any other access method.
– Depends on the application that is using Ethernet.

• Collisions are important in Ethernet but it is inherent in the design.

• Not all upper layer networking software was designed to run over Ethernet.

• Smaller packets are not more efficient on Ethernet.

• The size of the cable does not affect the speed of Ethernet.

• Ethernet may transmit and receive at 10 Megabits per second but the actual data
throughput is much less.

• The design of the cabling system will affect performance.

• There are minimum or maximum packet size requirements.