Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Hardware Media
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Hardware Media
The Internet is composed of hosts connected by communication hardware
over which IP packets can be exchanged. Any hardware will suffice,
so long as it can transport IP. Internet links have been operated
using amateur radio transcievers, between high-voltage experimental
physics apparatus, and over parallel printer ports.
Almost anything will suffice, and the TCP/IP protocols strive
to make no assumptions about hardware details.
However, there is clearly a need for standardization
for communication over common hardware technologies, such
as Ethernet.
So, while not strictly part of the Internet protocol suite, many RFCs
document standard ways to transport IP packets over various
common hardware types.
RFC 1880
has a list of these Network-Specific Standard Protocols.
Ethernet and serial lines are sampled below;
others such as FDDI and Token Ring are not discussed here.
Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Hardware Media