Unit 5

Ethernet

Overview

This topic discusses how switch perform the forwarding of data.

Learning Outcomes
The students should:

a. Explain the operation of Ethernet.

b. Explain how a switch operates.
c. Explain how the address resolution protocol enables communication on a network.

Course Materials

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O3VNtNRCpM
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi2nhVmN46U
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUzauyfKAL0&t=33s


Lesson 1

Ethernet

 One of the most widely used LAN technologies

 Operates in data link layer and the physical layer
 Family of networking technologies that are defined in the IEEE 802.2 and 802.3 standards
 Support data bandwidths of 10, 100, 1000, 10000, 40000 and 100 000 Mbps

Ethernet Standards

 Define layer 2 protocols and layer 1 technologies

 Two separate sublayer of data link layer to operate – LLC and the MAC sublayers

Ethernet II Frame Fields

 Minimum Ethernet frame size is 64 bytes (Collision frame or runt)

 Maximum Ethernet frame size is 1518 bytes (Jumbo or baby giant)

Ethernet II Frame Structure and Field Size

8 bytes 6 bytes 6 bytes 2 46 to 1500 bytes 4 bytes

bytes
Preamble Destination Source Address Type Data Frame Check Sequence
Address

Frame Processing
  The NIC views information to see if the destination MAC address in the frame matches the device physical
MAC address stored in RAM.
 If there is no match, the device discards the frame.
 If there is a match, the NIC passes the frame up the OSI layers, where the decapsulation process takes
place.

MAC Address

 This address does not change

 Similar to the name of a person
 Known as physical address because physically assigned to the host NIC

IP Address

 Similar to the address of a person

 Based on where the host is actually located
 Known as a logical address because assigned logically
 Assigned to each host by a network administrator

Both the physical MAC and logical IP addresses are required for a computer to communicate just like both the name
and address of a person are required to send a letter.

Lesson 2

LAN Switches

Layer 2 LAN Switch

 Connects end devices to a central intermediate device on most Ethernet networks

 Performs switching and filtering based only on the MAC address
 Builds a MAC address table that it uses to make forwarding decisions.
 Depends on routers to pass data between IP subnetworks

Switch MAC Address Table

1 The switch receives a broadcast frame from PC1 on port 1.

2 The switch enters the source MAC address and the switch port that received the frame into the address table

3 Because the destination address is a broadcast, the switch floods the frame to all ports, except the port on which it
received the frame.

4 The destination device replies to the broadcast with a unicast frame addressed to PC 1.

5 The switch enters the source MAC address of PC 2 and the port number of the switch port that received the frame
into the address table. The destination address of the frame and its associated port is found in the MAC address
table.

6 The switch can now forward frames between source and destination devices without flooding, because it has
entries in the address table that identify the associated ports.

Switching
Half Duplex

 Unidirectional data flow

 Higher potential for collision
 Hub connectivity

Full Duplex

 Point to point only

 Attached to dedicated switched port
 Requires full duplex support on both ends
 Collision-free
 Collision detect circuit disabled

Frame Forwarding Methods on Cisco Switches

Store and Forward

A store and forward switch receives the entire frame, and computes the CRC. If the CRC is valid, the switch looks up
the destination address, which determines the outgoing interface. The frame is then forwarded out the correct port.

Cut-through

A cut-through switch forwards the frame before it is entirely received. At a minimum, the destination address of the
frame must be read before the frame can be forwarded.

Fast-forward switching – lowest level of latency immediately forwards a packet after reading the destination
address.

Fragment-free switching – switch store the first 64 bytes of the frame before forwarding, most network errors
and collisions occur during the first 64 bytes.

Memory Buffering on Switches

Port-based In port-based memory buffering, frames are stored in queues that are linked to specific
memory incoming and outgoing ports
Shared memory Shared memory buffering deposits all frames into a common memory buffer, which all the
ports on the switch share.

Lesson 3

Address Resolution Protocol

The address resolution protocol is a protocol used by the Internet Protocol (IP) specifically IPv4, to map IP network
addresses to the hardware addresses used by a data link protocol. The protocol operates below the network layer as
a part of the interface between the OSI network and OSI link layer. It is used when IPv4 is used over Ethernet.

The term address resolution refers to the process of finding an address of a computer in a network. The address is
"resolved" using a protocol in which a piece of information is sent by a client process executing on the local computer
to a server process executing on a remote computer. The information received by the server allows the server to
uniquely identify the network system for which the address was required and therefore to provide the required
address. The address resolution procedure is completed when the client receives a response from the server
containing the required address.
An Ethernet network uses two hardware addresses which identify the source and destination of each frame sent by
the Ethernet. The destination address (all 1's) may also identify a broadcast packet (to be sent to all connected
computers). The hardware address is also known as the Medium Access Control (MAC) address, in reference to the
standards which define Ethernet. Each computer network interface card is allocated a globally unique 6 byte link
address when the factory manufactures the card (stored in a PROM). This is the normal link source address used by
an interface. A computer sends all packets which it creates with its own hardware source link address, and receives
all packets which match the same hardware address in the destination field or one (or more) pre-selected
broadcast/multicast addresses.

The Ethernet address is a link layer address and is dependent on the interface card which is used. IP operates at the
network layer and is not concerned with the link addresses of individual nodes which are to be used. The address
resolution protocol is therefore used to translate between the two types of address. The arp client and server
processes operate on all computers using IP over Ethernet. The processes are normally implemented as part of the
software driver that drives the network interface card.