Networking Terms

ok. i need to know what these mean:
10BaseT
10/100
Half Duplex
i understand most a lot about networking so u dont have to treat me dumb. im just buying a new hub and was wondering so i can buy the right one. i know these all half to do with ur connection speed.

10BaseT is a network standard, as is 100BaseT. 10/100 is just a way of saying that the network device works at both 10BaseT and 100BaseT depending upon the speed of the other device you are connecting. For example if you have a 10BaseT hub and a 100BaseT network card your network will run ok, but only at 10BaseT speeds. Half duplex means that the device cannot send and receive at the same time. If you are buying anything new it is more than likely 10/100 and is full duplex, so it will probably not even matter.

Edit: Full duplex means that it can both send and receive at the same time.

then theres Gigabit

To further explain what horkam started, 10BaseT's maximum transfer speed is 10 Mbps (mega bits per second) transfer rate. 100BaseT's maximum transfer rate is 100Mbps. 10/100 indicates that the NIC card is capable of both transfer speeds, hence backwards compatible. The Gigabit that *plum* refers to is capable of speeds up to 1000Mbps (or 1 Gigabit) which is currently only available on fiber optic networks (to the best of my knowledge). Full duplex, indicates two-way simultaneous transfers at the given speed whereas half duplex indicates one way comunications, in other words, one side must transfer and "shut up" before the other side can.

Does that help make it clearer?

nah its available on wired networks using standard cat 5e cable, it comes on most new motherboards and is just as easy to set up as 10/100, but it does require you to buy an expensive switch that supports it.

ATNO/TW, Gigabit is available over copper and is actually becoming quite affordable for the home user.

Gigabit comes on most new motherboards as standard so you dont have to buy a expensive NIC card.

Most new motherboards come equipped for Gigabit, that's true, but as ATNO stated, Gigabit SERVICE is still only available with Fiber. In other words, if you have a Gigabit capable motherboard, and you use Cable or DSL to connect to the internet, You are connecting at 100Mbps, not 1000Mbps (Gigabit).

Half Duplex means only one client on the cable can talk at one time, full duplex means both clients can talk at the same time.

10BaseT Means 10Mbps transfer Speed and the Base Means the standard like IEEE802.3 which is the standard for ethernet and the T means it uses Twisted Pair Cable usually 4 pairs of wires and using RJ45 connectors.

10/100 just means it's dual speed as most have already said usually in network cards it means it can handle 10 and 100Mbit

True for the internet, but just over a lan for e.g. lan parties, you can use normal cat 5e cables and a gigabit switch, i think that what horkam ment.

True dat.

risingsun, if you live in an area of the country (North East) where there is a store called Ocean State Job Lot you might be able to find a book called the Networking Encylopedia or something like that. I mention Ocean State Job Lot because you can get it for like 4 bucks where as it would $50 in Barnes and Noble. That is a very handy refrence book when doing any sort of networking it has really detailed and accruate explainations of a lot of stuff.