Ethernet in IoT Still Has a Role in the Wireless Era

When it comes to the Internet and cloud computing, Ethernet is the dominant wired networking technology with expanded capabilities for IoT deployments.

IoT products can connect via wired or wireless technologies, but many wireless products, including the IoT, still rely on wired infrastructure.

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The IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, along with other standards in the 802 family, provides a low-cost option that organizations can purchase from multiple vendors and rely on to work when they plug in. The popularity of the standard over the past 40 years can be attributed to adapting Ethernet to the needs of the target application space. With so many wired Ethernet standards, many IT professionals understand the network architecture for the application space they are targeting, such as automotive Ethernet, industrial Ethernet, data center Ethernet, or Power over Ethernet (PoE).

How is Ethernet used in IoT?

While there are certainly some IoT applications that require wireless networking (such as wearables), Ethernet has many options that can provide IT professionals with the perfect wired connection. The combination of data and power provides potential interconnect options that wireless networking cannot provide. Many IoT applications require lower data rate connections. As applications become more bandwidth-intensive, wired Ethernet can provide the necessary throughput. Some examples of how organizations are using Ethernet in IoT deployments include:

The combination of data and power offers potential connectivity options that wireless networks cannot provide.

• Wi-Fi-based IoT applications are based on a physical layer that supports Ethernet operation over UTP cables, connecting wireless access points through wired infrastructure.
• Over the past decade, the IEEE 802.3 working group has developed a series of Ethernet standards that will provide data connectivity ranging from 10Mbps to 10Gbps for use within a vehicle using a single twisted pair of wires.
• The new IEEE802.3cg standard can run on a single twisted pair, not just in cars. In process control networks, the new standard enables high-speed connections for field switches, sensors, and actuators without the need for a field gateway. Organizations can use this new Ethernet standard in devices to meet the intrinsic safety requirements required in hazardous areas.
• PoE currently powers IP phones and wireless access points. However, it is expanding to IoT devices that require both power and data, such as security cameras or kiosks. The new IEEE802.3bt PoE standard can deliver up to 90W of power over the UTP cable discussed earlier. PoE is also essential for wireless access points and supporting Wi-Fi. PoE will be very popular in smart LED lighting and can help power lighting communication technology developed by IEEE802.11.

How did Ethernet develop?

May 22, 1973 is considered the birthday of Ethernet. On this day, Bob Metcalfe, the father of Ethernet, wrote a famous memo describing his invention of Ethernet for interconnecting personal computers, with the first Ethernet rate of 2.94Mbps. The first Ethernet standard was released in 1983. Since then, thousands of people have developed Ethernet standards to handle various physical media, such as copper wires connecting integrated circuits and optical modules, single-pair and four-pair UTP, twinax. Cable, multimode fiber and single-mode fiber, with speeds up to 400Gbps.

Perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing IT professionals is keeping up with the continued evolution of Ethernet. New Ethernet capabilities are constantly being developed.