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 β 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 β 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 β 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 β how Ethernet came about, how it works, and where it’s headed.

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



It’s cool how you helped out with Ethernet that much.
There is not a single live that is not fun and enjoyable. Keep going!
I love watching these so much
Watching from Louisiana.
This science live was a little complicated but thought the vampire tap was interesting!
I love science live!
This was a good science live
I cant wait for next Wednesday! I love the lives!
Love Science live
This is neat. Austin, Illinois
I LOVE YALL
i REALLY! love how you are always talking about hydrogen, Because I love hydrogen.
This was a good episode.
Very Interesting! Thanks for a great video!
I’m still in awe over everything that Dr. Billings is involved in. Such a creative, motivated, and intellectual individual. I think we take for granted how fast we are able to get things over the internet. I can’t even imagine what it was like before.
Loved the video this week!!
Those inventions are very cool.
I can’t wait for more to come out!
These videos are amazing
The Ethernet is so amazing! I love learning new things from Science Live.
This was very cool
I canβt believe Ethernet cables can send so much information. The internet is such a crazy thing to think how data can be sent to so many different computers.
Yet another masterful Science Live as always, especially when they taught about Ethernet!
This is awsome implying this can help shape the future.
i love science, it’s my favorite subject! thank you!
You are an insperation
I love acellus Thank you for your great classes.
This was SO interesting!
This episode was so interesting!
Its very interesting to know that they solved the
problem by making smaller packets come to the hub to replace it with something smarter.
Thank you acellus!!
It was interesting to learn how Dr. Roger Billings solved the βcollisionβ problem in networking. Great Episode.
Thanks for the live can’t wait for the next!
I liked learning about Ethernet
I like the idea of a scholarship program.
I’m going to look into the scholarship program because two of our family members attend school at Acellus.
I’m really glad ethernet works faster and better now
So glad yall have found a solution!
For the hydrogen all you need to use is a vacuum chamber that should minimize the weight but it should be able to keep it like in a container I think
watching from Murfreesboro TN
The information about the Handshake between computers sending and receiving information was very valuable. The ethernet cable is also so valuable. How the problems were solved is interesting, knowing that a twisted cable was used that Alexander Bell used and created is also interesting.
So thatβs how we send data or files and talk to each other using an Ethernet, to talk back and forth.
Again, another great episode!
these videos are the best!
Loved this episode and the part with Tobias! as usual
Loved learning about Ethernet. my dads job is a network engineer so now i understand better what he does.
This is so cool to me!!!!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us in every single episode! I have been loving my Acellus journey!
I love Dr. Pajet Monet she is so lovely.
The history was super informative
Ethernet is really interesting to learn about
I love science expecialy when its fun!!
I love that Dr. Billings would invest in an idea that he likes. Loved this episode.
this is awesome
Hi from Connecticut
This was a great video! I can’t wait to watch the next one!
Thank you for this science live! I loved learning about how you solved collisions. Also, I hope R-51 doesn’t get into too much trouble…
Did you know that if you put an egg in vinegar it becomes bouncy?
It is so awesome that the director of Acellus is a famous inventioneer\ scientist!!
Brilliant to solve the collision issue!
Woah this is really cool and interesting
I really liked learning about the history of the internet!
I love that everytime I tune in I learn something new, I really think there isnβt one video I watched that I already knew the answers too XD. Great video!!
Watching from Ohio!!!!
I love Science Live!
I really enjoyed the video about Ethernet so fantastic!
Switching saved Ethernet by turning a chaotic shouting match into an organized conversation.
This is all so interesting to learn about! Iβm so glad you make these videos for us!
This week on Science Live, Dr. John really helped me understand FIFO and how the networks on a computer donβt collide. I never knew there were so many things happening in a computer all at once! Technology and Science are so awesome!
Learning about Ethernet and the way computers talk to each other is so amazing. The packet and the MAC address helped me to understand how this works. Thanks Science Live!
My favorite is always watching the breakthrough moments in Science with Tobias. He always connects so many interesting ideas in science and history in fun and fascinating ways.
It was really interesting learning how data collisions affected early networks and how they were solved!
Science News about Nasa and the Artemis mission is so cool. Its amazing that the astronauts will plan a mission to the moon in 2028.
That is wonderful you are going to review the inventions and potentially invest in them. Thank you for helping shape the future!
Science live is awesome.
Computers and technology have come a long way. The future of technology is going to be very interesting.
Ethernet is so cool how it works
I could play that dino game all day though
I just love R-51! He makes every video so much funnier.
This was one of my favorite videos so far!! Thank you Roger Billings!
I love acellus
I enjoy learning about ethernet
Never knew ethernet was so cool!
I really enjoyed listening about the plane mission.
Hello from Virginia!
Hello from Charlotte! It is a pleasure to attend such a grand and luxurious school such as Acellus Academy. Before I came into Acellus, I struggled drastically with my studies, often falling behind in my class and receiving bad marks on assignments. After nine draining years of school, my family offered to enroll me into Acellus, as an alternative to the traditional public school setting. At first, I was on the fence about online school, as when the pandemic occured, I couldn’t get that one-on-one instruction that I needed. However, I gave in and gave Acellus a chance. Best believe those feelings of anxiousness and worry quickly subsided when I learned at my own pace, got more sleep, and didn’t have to deal with all of the extra distractions that I previously put up with.
My brother is about to graduate, and I am about to start my senior year of high school. This time I’ve been spending at Acellus has not come short of amazing.
Once again. thank you Dr. Roger Billings for creating this blessing for many families in need of a better education.
Love, Kayla
Another awesome science live! staying tuned in!
Loved hearing the history of the Ethernet
I really enjoyed this episode. I didn’t know much about the ethernet. Very interesting!
Wow! this was so interesting canβt wait for the next onee!
Hi from El Paso Texas.
Acellus offers such good teaching solution.
I am learning so much!
Liked this episode!
It is so fun to learn more about Ethernet. I have personally used a Ethernet cable with a internet router box and it most definitely made the internet a lot faster and more responsive.
Thank you for the information about the National Cyber school. We will definitely look into that!
The scholarship program looks cool
I had no idea NASA shot another rocket into space. So cool!
I like R-51
Thank you for another Science Live Doctor Billings!
We watched the landing of the spaceship. It was so exciting!
A great episode! Ethernet is really amazing!
I use ethernet all the time, thank you for investing into a problem that i didnt even realize existed
I wish you could solve traffic on the highway like Ethernet collisions.
The Ethernet is very fascinating, especially the information surrounding it.
Great information on the history of the Ethernet!
SO excited for this live!! Im looking forward to next week’s as well!!
I never knew what the Ethernet was. Just knew about the internet
Science live is awesome and I always count myself lucky to be able to be a part of the tuition program.
Its amazing how your able to decode stuff like this
I really liked how you solved the problem with the E-thernet
I liked how Funny R-51 is.
I love the whole thing about Ethernet.
R51xD CANT WAIT
Awesome information!! Acellus is the greatest learning tool I’ve ever had.
Gasp! its just like that question ” if two trains were headed…” YOU ANSWERD IT!
R51 is so funny, I can’t wait to see him next time on Science Live
The Ethernet I think is what really helps with modern day printers as an example printing from multiple devices at once.
This is one my favorite Roger billings video’s yet!
“Find the problems in life and fix them, and when you do-you will be an inventioneer!” I love that!
Love that people are solving problems for things that make daily life easier. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Inventors are amazing. They think of things others don’t
I’ve never heard of Ethernet until I watched this video. Super cool!!
I am enjoying watching the science lives. They are really interesting.
Helping pay for schooling for Acellus is really helpful for many students
Neat story.
Ethernet is a hard thing to learn, but you guys made it easier for me. Thank you
I learned that when too many signals try and use Ethernet at the same time, they can collide and cause problems.
Amazing Science Live! I loved it!
This was so amazing!!
landon from texas i found this really intresting and i really learned a lot!
Thank you, it was fun learning about the ethernet cables.
another great class
this was very insightful
I looked it up google says last time a human landed on the moon was December 1972
loved the live!
Awesome episode!
this is really cool bill
Itβs awesome you may be investing in future inventions! A good way to make sure science progresses
And the scholarship looks interesting
I liked learning about the Ethernet.
I cant wait for the science fair! I might join next year to help acellus!
I watch with my family and we thought it was funny you showed the dino game. We play it.
Is there anything coming in 2027?
I enjoyed this episode.
It was cool to see how Ethernet works!
This new scholarship ideas sounds interesting and the Ethernet is amazing to learn about!
I love Science Live! So many new things to learn, can’t wait for the next one!
That is so wonderful I love the videos w
These videos are so interesting!
It is exciting that NASA is planning a mission to the moon for 2028! I think it is cool how FIFO works and how the chips inside were made to work. Did they win the game R-51? Get back to Science Live R-51! π π π
Ethernet is so fascinating! Great episode!
These lecture was so awesome.
Canβt wait for the next science live !
I love science live!
love the show so funny
We were just talking about the launch to space.
National Cyber School would help my family!
Love the ethernet. Great video science live!
Looking forward to watching today!
Wow its a good thing collisions are not a thing anymore! loved this live
This was an amazing video thank you
Thank you for another science live.
I wish traffic could be solved like the Ethernet.
I have never heard of Ethernet collisions before.
The ethernet was fun!
Awesome inventions! Congrats to everyone
Great Science Live!
It is awesome how Dr. Billings was able to solve the collision problem with the ethernet. R-51 go to NASA and fly off to space with the astronauts and make a stop at Pajet’s Planet! π π
Thank you for this week! Canβt wait to log in next week!
This was a very interesting episode
BTW I seen the the Artmis 2 launch which was pretty cool and amazing at the same time! o:
awsome video cant wait for next weeks
I really liked learning about the Ethernet.
what is the collision problem?
excited for this week
I am so glad I got the chance to learn about Ethernet!