To connect devices and transfer data, we need a certain sort of interface between the nodes. This is being achieved so far by two legendary data transferring medium called the Ethernet and the USB. The connection is established through cables and ports of USB and Ethernet. Both have proved themselves as one of the renowned creations through which the internet took a trip throughout the world.
Back in those days, the internet was not used for what it is used today. Internet was used to transport data and messages between the government and the military. Internet was at a very low speed, and it took hours for the message to reach the other side. Ethernet and USB have taken it to the next level.
Ethernet vs USB
The main difference between USB and Ethernet is their speeds. USB has a speed that ranges from 1.5 Mbps – 10 Gbps. In contrast, Ethernet has a speed that ranges from 100 Mbps – 10 Gbps. Apart from that, ethernet does not support power transfers data but, USB supports both power and data transfer.
Ethernet is a local area network or LAN which only acts over a short distance. Due to which there are 1000s of Ethernet connections all over the world. But, the internet is a Wide area network or WAN with enables connections across countries too. Which makes it unique, and there is no other internet.
Similarly, USB is a local area network in which USB cable assemblies are some of the most commonly used and practised cables feasibly. These are mostly used to connect computers to peripheral devices, including cameras, camcorders, printers, scanners, etc.
Comparison Table Between Ethernet and USB
| Parameters of comparison | Ethernet | USB |
| Protocol | Ethernet uses a Wired protocol – e.g. cat5/5e. | USB uses the Asynchronous Serial Protocol. |
| Type of ports/cables | Cat 5, Cat 6, Cat 6a and Cat 7 are all types of cable an Ethernet network can use to draw connections to the device. | Standard A and Standard B are two types of ports used to establish stable connections of USB. |
| Connection Pattern | The connection pattern is both bus and star topology. | The connection pattern is of star topology. |
| No. of Devices | Depending upon the cable, Ethernet can connect from 32-256 devices in one go. | USB can connect to 127 devices in one shot or in a single time period. |
| Type of network | Ethernet is a Local area network (acts over a certain distance). | USB has a greater radius than LAN and a lower radius of internet bandwidth of WAN. |
What is Ethernet?
Ethernet was renamed IEEE 802.3 in recent times. Ethernet is one of the methods to connect computers using switch or bridge as connectors. A hub is a simple device that connects multiple computers together and to the rest of the network, allowing communication to occur between all connected devices.
Ethernet uses cables such as Cat 5, Cat 6, Cat 6a and Cat 7 to establish a connection between the nodes. Cables can be glass or plastic typed (optical fibre and co-axial twisted pair cables). Its layer of connection can be further divided into two subparts such as,
- Physical layer and
- Datalink layer.
Ethernet uses LAN (local area network) to gain connections and forms a star topology.
The physical layer is all about cabling devices. It uses RJ-45 with both half Duplex and Full Duplex connections. For a connection internally, it uses NIC or Network Interface Card and uses the USB for external connection. It uses a switch and gateway to hold connections with nodes. Common and most used connectors include SFP connector and SC connector.
Cables used in an Ethernet connection are Cat 5, Cat 6, Cat 6a and Cat 7.
Cat 5 has a speed range of 100 Mbps, Cat 6 with a speed range of 1Gbps, Cat 6a with a range of 10 Gbps and Cat 7 with a range of 10 Gbps.
Datalink layer includes two key elements, namely:
- Logical link control and[LLC]
- Media access control[MAC]
Advantages of Ethernet:
Ethernet has an enormous speed of data transfer with a maximum of 10 Gbps. It is a widely accepted form of the data transfer port. It provides ease in installation and setup. It can be set in lower costs. And it supports network protocols.