What Is IEEE 802.3?

The IEEE 802.3 working group has been working since 1973 to define Ethernet-based networks and their standards, and they've done a pretty good job. The IEEE 802.3 is a set of standards by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) that define Ethernet-based networks and the name of the working group assigned to develop these standards. In addition to defining Ethernet-based networks and how they can be implemented, IEEE 802.3 also represents the physical layer of an Ethernet network—what it looks like on a cable. It specifies electrical characteristics such as voltage levels and cabling types, as well as protocol rules for how devices can communicate with each other via these cables. The MAC part of this is essential because it makes sure your computer can talk to other computers on the same network, making sure that they all know how to communicate. The MAC uses two addresses: one that identifies the device and another that specifies its location on the network. Ethernet is a standard for local area networks (LANs) that defines an Ethernet network's physical and networking characteristics. It was first introduced in 1980 and has become the world's most widely used LAN technology. The 802.3 standard was a big deal when it was released in 1985. It set the groundwork for all future Ethernet standards and is an essential building block in modern networking. What does 802.3 mean? It stands for "IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee." Why are there so many versions of this standard? As we're constantly trying to improve it! Over a dozen versions of 802.3 are available. Each is designated with letters (like 802.3a) concatenated after the number (like 3). Several non-standards have become de facto standards while not officially being approved by IEEE-802.