All stations on an Ethernet segment are connected to the same segment. Therefore, all signals are received by all the devices. When devices sent signals at the same time, a collision occurs. A scheme is need to detect and compensate for collisions.
- Collision domain - A group of devices connected to the same physical medium so that if two devices access the medium at the same time, a collision results. This is a Layer 1 domain.
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Broadcast domain - A group of devices on the network that receive on another’s broadcast messages. This is a layer 2 domain.
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Ethernet Hubs -Â Device that allow the concentration of many devices into a single segment. They have the following characteristics.
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Physical layer devices.
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Do no manipulate or view traffic.
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Do not create separate collision domains.
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Use carrier sense multiple access collision detect (CSMA/CD).
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When a collision occurs, both stations resent the signal after a random period.
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Collisions increase with the number of the stations.
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Regenerate the signal, allowing traffic to travel longer distances.
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