Ethernet and T1
Ethernet and T1 are two terms that are commonly heard in close proximity to each other. Although these technologies can be used together in some cases, they are not one and the same. The main difference between Ethernet and T1 is where they are being used.
Ethernet is a networking technology that is used to interconnect multiple digital devices like computers in order to facilitate the transfer of information across them. In contrast, T1 is a telecommunications technology that is used to carry information across long distances.
T1 is capable of carrying both voice and data information, unlike Ethernet, which is only capable of carrying data. But in our world today, voice can be transformed into data and allowed to pass through Ethernets via VoIP technologies.
Although they may no longer be any difference to the end user, how the results are achieved are still very different.
One of the reasons why Ethernet and T1 are often used together is because of range. Ethernet has a very limited range, in contrast to T1. Because of this, T1 is often used by companies to expand their Ethernet far beyond its range.
For example, if you have two Ethernets that are two far from each other, you can use T1 channels to bridge that gap. The signals need to be converted from one to the other and vice versa but the data will still remain intact.
The drawback to T1’s range is its reduced speed. Ethernets nowadays can have speeds that range from 100Mbps to over 10Gbps. Compared to this, the 1.5Mbps maximum bandwidth of T1 seems laughably slow. But for most important applications, like in business where traffic is relatively low, this is often good enough or even excessive.
T1 is still a widely used technology for interconnecting offices and provide a channel for the information. But as technology develops, many alternatives are now appearing; most of them use the Internet and just create a secure channel where the information can flow without being intercepted or altered. Because of this, the use of T1 lines has gradually reduced in favor of much faster Internet connection lines.
Summary:
- Ethernet is a networking technology while T1 is a telecommunications technology
- T1 carries voice and data while Ethernet only carries data
- Ethernet sometimes uses T1 to span long distances
- Ethernet is capable of much higher speeds than T1 is capable of