Ethernet

A homeowner says they are upgrading their home internet connection and plan to skip fiber in favor of cellular broadband. They are asking for recommendations on an LTE or 5G modem with a SIM slot and an ethernet port, plus a new router to pair with it, and are inviting tips from others who have made a similar setup work.

The Ethernet specification was first drafted on this day in 1980 by Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel, and Xerox, establishing the networking standard years before the public internet existed. Commenters are marking the milestone by noting how the technology has endured, with Ethernet ports still considered a desirable feature on desktop PCs alongside long-lasting connectors like the 3.5mm audio jack.

Tech observers are marking 45 years since Digital Equipment Corporation published the first Ethernet specification, a milestone that laid the groundwork for the modern internet. Posts celebrating the anniversary also note the irony that the networking standard's birthday coincides with today's rush toward so-called superintelligence and AI, prompting reflection on how far the technology has come since the early networking era.

On this day in 1980, version 1.0 of the Ethernet specification was published by Digital Equipment Corporation, Intel and Xerox, laying the groundwork for the wired networking standard still used worldwide. Tech commentators are marking the anniversary, noting how the DEC-Intel-Xerox collaboration grew into the dominant local area network technology connecting billions of devices today.

Microchip Technology has announced new chips expanding its 10BASE-T1S ethernet portfolio. 10BASE-T1S is a single-pair ethernet standard aimed at short-distance connections in automotive, industrial and embedded systems, allowing sensors and controllers to be networked over simple twisted wiring. The addition broadens Microchip's connectivity offering as demand grows for simpler, lower-cost wired networking in vehicles and factory equipment. Details on pricing and availability were not included in the initial coverage.

Microchip Technology has introduced new 10BASE-T1S chips aimed at zonal vehicle designs, a wiring approach that groups car electronics into zones rather than using traditional point-to-point cabling. The single-pair Ethernet components are intended to help automakers cut cabling weight and simplify in-vehicle networks, part of a broader industry shift toward software-defined, zonal electrical architectures.