I-Ethernettshintshaluhlobo lwetshintshaehambisa idatha esekelwe kwi-Ethernet, kunye ne-Ethernet yindlela yokwabelana ngemidiya yokuhambisa ibhasi. Ubume be-Ethernettshintsha: izibuko ngalinye le-Ethernettshintshaidityaniswe ngqo kumamkeli, kwaye ngokubanzi ikwimowudi ephindwe kabini. Itshintshainokudibanisa izibini ezininzi zamazibuko ngexesha elinye, ukuze iperi nganye yenginginya ezinxibelelana enye nenye zikwazi ukuthumela idata ngaphandle kongquzulwano. I-Ethernettshintshaikwalelona sicelo lidumileyo, kwaye ixabiso liphantsi. Ngoko ke, insimu yesicelo ibanzi kakhulu, kwaye ukutshintshwa kwe-Ethernet kunokubonwa kwii-LAN ezinkulu kunye ezincinci. Izitshixo ze-Ethernet zihlala zineqela ukuya kwishumi lamazibuko. Ngokwenyani, yibhulorho yenethiwekhi yamazibuko amaninzi. Ukongezelela, izinga layo lechweba lingahluka, kwaye imodi yayo yokusebenza nayo ingahluka, njengokubonelela nge-10M kunye ne-100M i-bandwidth, ukubonelela nge-half-duplex, i-duplex epheleleyo, kunye neendlela zokusebenza eziguquguqukayo. Umgaqo we-Ethernettshintsha: Ethernettshintshangumatshini kumaleko wekhonkco ledatha. I-Ethernet isebenzisa idilesi yendawo (idilesi ye-MAC), iibhithi ezingama-48, kunye neebhayithi ezi-6. Umgaqo wayo wokusebenza kukuba xa isakhelo sosasazo sifunyenwe, siya kuthumela kuwo onke amazibuko ngaphandle kwezibuko elifumanayo. Xa isakhelo se-unicast sifunyenwe, jonga idilesi yayo kwaye ihambelana netafile yedilesi ye-MAC. Ukuba kukho idilesi yendawo ekuyiwa kuyo, iya kuthunyelwa. Ukuba ayikho, iya kukhukuliswa ngamanzi (isasazwe). Emva kosasazo, ukuba akukho mamkeli onedilesi ye-MAC efana nedilesi ye-MAC yesakhelo, iya kulahlwa. Ukuba kukho umamkeli onedilesi ye-MAC efanayo, iya kongezwa ngokuzenzekelayo kwitafile yedilesi ye-MAC.
