History: multiport repeaters – HP 180 Degree Turn User Manual

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History: Multiport Repeaters

Demand for structured cabling (voice-grade

twisted-pair)

10BaseT (Cat3, Cat4, ...)

Multiport repeater ("Hub") created
Still one collision domain

("CSMA/CD in a box")

Later, Ethernet devices supporting structured cabling were created in order to
reuse the voice-grade twisted-pair cables already installed in buildings. 10BaseT
had been specified to support Cat3 cables (voice grade) or better, for example
Cat4 (and today Cat5, Cat6, and Cat7).
Hub devices were necessary to interconnect several stations. These hub devices
were basically multi-port repeaters, simulating the half-duplex coax-cable, which
is known as "CSMA/CD in a box". Logically, nothing has changed, we have still
one single collision and broadcast domain.
Note that the Ethernet topology became star-shaped.