braveins – push limits

The First Hub, Switch, and Router: Networking Then vs. Now In today’s digital age, network devices like switches , hubs , and routers are so common that they’re practically invisible. But who made the first ones? And how fast were they compared to the lightning speeds we use today? Let’s explore the origin of these devices, their speeds, and a comparison to today’s standards. 🔌 First Ethernet Hub Brand : 3Com Corporation Product : 3Com EtherLink Hub (mid to late 1980s) Speed : 10 Mbps (Ethernet) Ports : 4 to 16 ports Connection Type : Coaxial or Twisted Pair (10BASE-T or 10BASE2) 🔹 Hubs were basic signal repeaters . Every packet was broadcast to all ports, causing network collisions and limiting speed in busy environments. 🔁 First Network Switch Brand : Kalpana Inc. Product : Kalpana EtherSwitch (launched in 1990) Speed : 10 Mbps per port (early Ethernet switching) Ports : 8–12 ports Key Feature : First to implement packet switching , reducing collisions and impr...

From Coaxial to Fiber: The Evolution of Network Cables and Speeds As a network engineer or tech enthusiast, you probably know about coaxial cables , UTP , fiber optics , and wireless connections. But what was the first cable used to network computers—and how far have we come since then? 📡 Was Coaxial Cable the First Network Cable? Yes— coaxial cable (or coax ) was the first type of cable used for computer networking . Introduced in the 1970s , it was used in Ethernet Version 1 (10BASE5) , also called Thicknet . Later came 10BASE2 , or Thinnet , a thinner, more flexible version. 🔌 Original Coaxial Ethernet Specs (10BASE5 & 10BASE2) Cable Type Name Speed Max Length Connector 10BASE5 Thicknet 10 Mbps 500 meters N-type or AUI 10BASE2 Thinnet 10 Mbps 185 meters BNC Both used bus topology , meaning one long cable connecting all computers in line. A break in the cable often took down the whole network—a major downside by today's standards. 🧬 What Came A...