The Collision Problem That Crippled Ethernet (And How We Solved It)

Ever wonder how computers actually talk to each other over a wire? In this episode of ScienceLive, we break it all down — starting with the earliest Ethernet networks running over coaxial cable, through the switch to Cat5 cabling, and into the fundamental building block of all network communication: the packet.

You’ll learn what packets are, how they carry your data across a network, and why early Ethernet had a serious flaw — data collisions that could bring an entire network to its knees. We explain why collisions happen and what they mean for the data you’re trying to send.

Then comes the part we’re most excited about: how my team and I discovered a solution to stop packet collisions entirely, leading to the invention of WideBand networking. In this episode we give you the teaser — next week, we’ll teach you exactly how it works.

This lesson is for anyone who wants to truly understand computer networking from the ground up — how Ethernet came about, how it works, and where it’s headed.

About DrB

Dr. Roger Billings is a visionary innovator whose work has touched the lives of millions of students and transformed the landscape of education. Widely known as “DrB” to the countless kids who benefit from his groundbreaking Acellus learning system, Dr. Billings has dedicated his life to advancing education through technology. As part of DrB’s lifelong commitment to supporting education, Science LIVE was launched as a way to “give back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.


Read more about DrB » 
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »

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5,043 Comments

  1. Hunter

    Thank you for another great science live! I learn a lot of factual information from each live every Wednesday.

    Reply
  2. Kalila

    I am 100% exited for the new scholer ship program

    Reply
  3. Mckinley

    I think its cool that you want to become a investor

    Reply
  4. Pingala

    And another wonderful science LIVE!!! I can’t wait for the next on.

    Reply
  5. Trevor

    I love science live!!

    Reply
  6. Samuel

    This week’s Science Live seems interesting.

    Reply
  7. Lincoln

    I liked that Our 51 soccer or baseball game or whatever it was

    Reply
  8. Shiloh

    What’s a network?

    Reply
  9. Isabell

    Solving problems is fun!

    Reply
  10. Natalia

    Can you make a Latin course

    Reply
  11. Gunner

    This is awesome. I like learning about this kind of stuff.

    Reply
  12. Jason

    Very interested in what is spoken about, thanks for another science live!

    Reply
  13. Archer

    So glad the Artemis crew is home safe!

    Reply
  14. Mario

    I loved this Science Live episode!

    Reply
  15. Aaron

    Amazing job, keep it up!

    Reply
  16. Michael

    I love this weeks video learning about all the stuff that went into Ethernet was fun.
    And learning about your adventures in the past.
    Keep up the great work Michael. S.

    Reply
  17. Bailey

    i liked learning about ethernet because i just recently got ethernet

    Reply
  18. Colten

    Great episode! This episode was really funny.

    Reply
  19. Josie

    I’ts fun to watch the science live because i love to learn science.

    Reply
  20. Emaline

    This is the best video so far

    Reply
  21. Avery

    This was very interesting! I liked that there will be a new scholarship program!

    Reply
  22. Sydney

    Thank you for doing this every weeK!

    Reply
  23. Laynee

    Science Live never fails to be interesting!!

    Reply
  24. Joshua

    The science behind ethernet is interesting.

    Reply
  25. Anitra

    How long did the creation process of the ethernet take?

    Reply
  26. Aubree

    Thank you for the video.

    Reply
  27. Zoyie

    I love these science live!

    Reply
  28. Emmet

    im gonng to try my best in the Science Fair

    Reply
  29. Hayden

    i love science!!!!

    Reply
  30. Zoe

    This video was so interesting!

    Reply
  31. Olivia

    The history of the Ethernet is so complex and interesting! I would love to learn more!

    Reply
  32. Lee-ann

    Science live is fun!

    Reply
  33. Caleb

    i love r51

    Reply
  34. Jacob

    This was a funny episode!

    Reply
  35. Connor

    I saw r51 at the pirates at cubs game just kidding

    Reply
  36. Leland

    This is very cool video I like learning stuff about these science videos

    Reply
  37. Kayla

    great video! This one was so fun.

    Reply
  38. Jackson

    I didn’t know ethernet was a thing. That was interesting to learn about.

    Reply
  39. Jonathan

    I learned a whole lot. Thank you.

    Reply
  40. Cassandra

    R51 is always my favorite segment!

    Reply
  41. Wade

    What was the first electronic?

    Reply
  42. Jase

    wow I learned alot yall did a good job

    Reply
  43. Kayla

    This one was amazing!

    Reply
  44. Darrell

    Another great science live! Can’t wait for the next one.

    Reply
  45. Emme

    Thank you another great science live!!

    Reply
  46. Kane

    What is an ethernet cable?

    Reply
  47. Eva

    thanks for helping me learn me about science

    Reply
  48. Nathan

    Thank you for explaining the ethernet because I didn’t know much about it.

    Reply
  49. Nevaeh

    Hey from Demotte, IN! I’ve never heard about Ethernet before, so this was cool to learn about.

    Reply
  50. Brennen

    Its wonderful how they solved the problem with ethernet

    Reply
  51. Finley

    Learning about Ethernet was so interesting!

    Reply
  52. Layne

    I use ethernet in my day to day life.

    Reply
  53. Ayla

    I’m intrested in the new scolorship program

    Reply
  54. Everett

    What would’ve the world been like had it not been fixed?

    Reply
  55. Gabriella

    Cool ethereal very interesting I’m so glad you could fix the problem. Can’t wait for next time.

    Reply
  56. Paige

    Thank you Science Live another great episode😀😁

    Reply
  57. Macie.elms

    I loved the video

    Reply
  58. Gunner

    That is cool you’re going to review inventions and may invest in some.

    Reply
  59. Raimundo

    I liked Fifos and the Concentrator because is amazing how they work, and dr Billings meeting Ron Crane was a interesting story. I didn’t know about collisions! made think about how many things happens behind and we can not see.

    Reply
  60. Ryker

    These videos are so awesome!

    Reply
  61. Avyn

    Loved learning about ethernet

    Reply
  62. Lexi

    I learned a lot.

    Reply
  63. Otis

    That was pretty interesting.

    Reply
  64. Maddox

    I love watching R51 he is funny!

    Reply
  65. Royal

    i learned about a computer chip how people get they’re messages on theyre devie. Science far how theystopped collision from happening/ computers Roger Billings hatel story

    Reply
  66. Cloey

    WOW this was a really good live. ive learned so much this year.

    Reply
  67. Samantha

    I love ❤️ learning about the internet.
    Another amazing 😻 live

    Reply
  68. Scarlett

    hello from nc!!

    Reply
  69. Reagan

    Such an informative live! Can’t wait for next week!

    Reply
  70. Keon

    you guys are the best

    Reply
  71. Joslin

    i wonder where r51 went

    Reply
  72. Kennedy

    loved this weeks science live! Area 51 always makes me laugh.

    Reply
  73. Sofia

    Thank you for such an inspiring Episode. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  74. Cheyann

    Before I became an Acellus student, I used to watch Science Live with my big sister, who was a student. My favorite part was seeing how Pajet’s name would come up differently everytime. I was upset when they stopped, so I’m so happy y’all did it again! Also, this is random, but if you rearrange Caleb’s name you get cabel.

    Reply
  75. Austyn

    I love the science lives they teach so much!!!!

    Reply
  76. Dream

    I learned about the ethernet it helps compare chips and NASA going to send four people over the moon and come back safely and Roger Billings Hotel story and Roger Billings uses ethernet for his computers and also I like science

    Reply
  77. Marco

    R-51 is funny

    Reply
  78. Breanna

    This is a great video!!

    Reply
  79. Rylee

    this is such a cool video!!!

    Reply
  80. Vivian

    I would love to hear more about Inventors.

    Reply
  81. Adryaunna

    This was a wonderful live!

    Reply
  82. Marco

    It was cool learning about the ethernet.

    Reply
  83. Miranda

    amazing! I can’t wait for todays science live

    Reply
  84. Arianna

    This is so interesting to learn about, I definitely want to learn more!

    Reply
  85. Lea

    These videos are always so interesting!

    Reply
  86. Angel

    I knew hubs had a lot of collisions but I never realized how much of a problem they were. Would have been interesting to hear more about the issues with hubs sending packets to all computers on the network and how that was fixed.

    Reply
  87. Jeremiah

    Another amazing week!!!!

    Reply
  88. Benjamin

    Funny that you mentioned ethernet because I just got a new router and had to hook up the ethernet cable to my computer.

    Reply
  89. Julia

    Thank you for Science Live!

    Reply
  90. Wesley

    i love watching science live

    Reply
  91. Amanda

    Thank you Science LIVE!

    Reply
  92. Nguyen

    Happy Wednesday!!!

    Reply
  93. Peyton

    Ethernet is just one of the most amazing things to learn about, I love computers so much.

    Reply
  94. Nicolas

    My dad works with Ethernet all the time!

    Reply
  95. Thabo

    Such a wonderful video.

    Reply
  96. Addison

    This was awesome to learn. Can’t wait for the next live!

    Reply
  97. Zoey

    Science live is very interesting every week!

    Reply
  98. Joycelynn

    How does the vampire cable work?

    Reply
  99. Amaris

    I liked learning about Ethernet.

    Reply
  100. Declan

    thank you for the amazing video. As always.

    Reply
  101. Dexter

    this video was so fun thank you

    Reply
  102. Honor

    I have been following the Aretmis 2 launch. Cool science live this week!

    Reply
  103. Raelynn

    So cool to learn about how wires have a lot to do with how a computer communicates to make it faster on the internet.

    Reply
  104. Finn

    I really enjoyed listening in to this lesson, because i never knew that when the ethernet first came out, you could have collisions with data, just like cars on the road. I also liked the way they explained how a message is pieced together like a bunch of building blocks, needing the MAC, the Return MAC, etc.
    Thanks you! ( And sorry for being late this time )

    Reply
  105. Zelina

    I really enjoyed learning about Ethernet! Science Live is awesome!

    Reply
  106. Macartny

    Another great Science Live!

    Reply
  107. Brendan

    the Ethernet is so cool

    Reply
  108. Sophia

    This is so amazing another intresting live!

    Reply
  109. Gali

    Wow that was so interesting to learn

    Reply
  110. Brodey

    It cool that Ethernet cords are faster than Wi-Fi.

    Reply
  111. Anlynn

    WE LOVE SCIENCEEEEE

    Reply
  112. Daniel

    these live sciences really make me entertained or should I say keep me entertained even when my morning is going bad

    Reply
  113. Anlynn

    I LOVE ALL OF THESE :3

    Reply
  114. Austin

    When does artimus II plan on landing on the moon??

    Reply
  115. Jadon

    I love learning about computers.

    Reply
  116. Julius

    We are so excited for the new scholarship program, especially since we have three kids doing Acellus. We LOVE Acellus.

    Reply
  117. Austin

    When does artimus II plan on landing on the moon?

    Reply
  118. Je'kobe

    How do computers know when a collision happens, and what do they do to fix it?

    Reply
  119. Briana

    I just love how much new things I learn from Science Live!!!!!

    Reply
  120. Jackson

    hello from north carolina

    Reply
  121. Alayna

    This was a cool video! Cant wait for the next one!

    Reply
  122. Jerry

    Thank you for the help

    Reply
  123. Roderick

    It was a very interesting science live. I’m looking forward to the science fair.

    Reply
  124. Xander

    Can’t wait for next week’s video!

    Reply
  125. Delilah

    Great video! really awsome.

    Reply
  126. Rocco

    I agree with the person who commented to solve highway traffic like ethernet collisions were solved.

    Reply
  127. Mary

    The Erthernet was cool!

    Reply
  128. Augustus

    The vampire thing is clever but spooky

    Reply
  129. Maximus

    It is amazing that Dr. Roger Billings created National Acellus Cyber School to help families with tuition.

    Reply
  130. Emma

    hi tis is soo exciting cant wait to see what hapens next

    Reply
  131. Caleb

    What a great live!

    Reply
  132. Cameron

    The internet is great I like how you can do many stuff on it!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  133. Beverly

    Science Live was great! I definitely am going to try to watch it live this time!

    Reply
  134. Bentley

    the internet plays a important roll in the daily life

    Reply
  135. Itan

    When I first heard about ethernet I thought of internet because ethernet sounds just like internet.

    Reply
  136. Riley

    I think Ethernet is really interesting, and the astronauts that are participating in Ethernet are really brave.

    Reply
  137. Amaya

    I learned how back in the day. They started to use a box so no collusion happens.
    I can’t wait to see everyone’s science far project. R-51 is funny🤣. I love science live.

    Reply
  138. Olivia

    I can’t wait to see the next Science Live!!!!

    Reply
  139. Perrin

    Lesrning the history of the wthernet and the problems that needed to be solved was awesome. I also asked my mom if she would fold our toilet paper for that 5 star feel!

    Reply
  140. Maddie

    t was nice to learn about the ethernet and what it contributes to modern day society , great video

    Reply
  141. Carson

    watching from georgia !!

    Reply
  142. Maleah

    This was an interesting lesson! I am very grateful to have the opportunity to watch science live and learn all about science!

    Reply
  143. Allison

    Ethernet is so cool!

    Reply
  144. Michelle

    Hi here just checking in i really enjoyed watching and got to more learn about the Ethernet

    Reply
  145. Aubree

    Love watching Science LIVE.

    Reply
  146. Tyson

    i didnt know ethernet was so cool!

    Reply
  147. Amelia

    I love R-51. He’s so funny

    Reply
  148. Jin

    305th science live that’s over 6 years we need to celebrate that hope you see this so one the 330th science live we will all celebrate 6 whole years of science live thank you to the team and Roger Billings for everything!

    Reply
  149. Jesse

    Cant wait to get more information on the cyber school. Hope it comes to our community.

    Reply
  150. Cheyenne

    Great video! Love science live!

    Reply
  151. Stephany

    I think is very interesting the ethernet something normal in today’s day but a lot of years ago in not like that now we have Ethernet crazy right.

    Reply
  152. Moriah

    I love science live this is amazing!!!!!

    Reply
  153. William

    I want to learn more about science

    Reply
  154. Antonio

    Dr. Billings is a big baller

    Reply
  155. Landon

    I learn a lot from science live

    Reply
  156. Rosalie

    These videos are so fascinating.

    Reply
  157. Jack

    how do magnets work?

    Reply
  158. Reece

    keep up the fun show

    Reply
  159. Benjamin

    My favorite part about this video was all about the Ethernet, I think it was very interesting

    Reply
  160. Amilya

    can’t wait until next week!

    Reply
  161. Jeffrey

    learning about the Ethernet Network was really interesting and I didn’t
    Know it helped the internet.

    Reply
  162. Roman

    This science live was so inspirational!!!

    Reply
  163. Natalie

    Wow. I didn’t even know that Ethernet was a thing before I watched this, this is really cool! I’m also really looking forward to NASA’s next mission, Artemis II did a great job!

    Reply
  164. Kaylee

    Wow the whole Ethernet thing was so cool!!!

    Reply
  165. Kaladin

    i love science!!!!

    Reply
  166. Cedar

    How long did it take them to make the rocket from NASA?

    Reply
  167. Aliyah

    These lives are so amazing

    Reply
  168. Merek

    I can not watch any of the science live videos in “EPISODES”. the error message is
    The media could not be loaded, either because the server or network failed or because the format is not supported.
    this is what shows up when I try to watch one.

    thank you.

    Reply
  169. Madison

    So glad y’all are back! I love the new format for Science Live!

    Reply
  170. Ayasha

    I watched the whole video

    Reply
  171. Samuel

    can’t wait for the next Artemis mission.

    Reply
  172. Lucas

    i like science

    Reply
  173. Lauren

    This was a fun epesode. I really enjoyed learning about this!

    Reply
  174. Alexis

    Love the live♥️

    Reply
  175. Connor

    Yet again, another amazing science live!

    Reply

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