How My Training As An Inventioneer Altered Ethernet
Everyone said it was impossible. Engineers laughed and called it ‘The Billings Folly’ — as a joke. Then the entire internet adopted it, and now the whole world uses it.
Dr. Roger Billings tells the inside story of how full duplex gigabit Ethernet was invented, rejected at IEEE standards meetings, and eventually became the global standard behind modern internet, streaming video, and AI.
Discover the inventions that made it possible — the concentrator, the equalizer circuit, and the balanced hybrid circuit — and hear what happened when Ron Crane, the father of Ethernet himself, stepped in to defend it.
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 »
I am sad to have missed this live, but happy I can still get to watch it.
Hello from Tennessee.
ethernet sounds so interesting!
i like science like
Hello from nabraska love the stream
Learning about the Ethernet is really interesting! It sucks that they didn’t believe in Mr. Billings at first, but at least the full duplex became the standard!
I love seeing another great video!!!
This has been a great science live so far!!!! Acellus has helped me understand some of the classes I’ve struggled with and helped me get even better at the ones I was good at!!!! Thank you
What causes internet to be slow?
Dr. B is so smart and cool!
Why did they use the same structure when developing the 10 gigabyte version?
The fact that they wouldn’t even let Dr Billings explain how it worked and kept saying that it was impossible is crazy to me, also I loved the part where they explained how it works
ethernet is intertesing to learn about
Great live this week!
It is not to slow
Dr.B is so cool I cant wait to learn more from him
how long have you guys been doing scince live?
Hi from Illinois everyone
this is more interesting than i thought.
Dr. Billings is so smart. Hello from Ohio.
I love science live!
Great Video Tonight!!
hi from texas
I love these lives!!!
Hi I am from Texas!
Hello from Las Vegas
I LOVE the humor, but I love the knowledge I gain every episode I watch. Thank you Dr. Roger Billings! Thank you so much for hosting live and teaching us every Wednesday night!
Hello from Kansas!
Hello from mississippi
This is crazy! How can it be that fast!!!
R 51!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello from Oklahoma!
Thanks for the science live.
Hi from Nebraska
Wow Dr Billings it’s great to learn about your contribution to the invention and success to what the internet is today.
Hi from nc !!!!
my dad loves this history of the ethernet.
I think they thought your method was so advanced for them that they didn’t want to give credit to something so genius.
loved the video!!
i love science live!!!!
hello, im from puerto rico. ethernet sounds crazy cool!
Wow from Puerto Rico that is cool
Hi, Tyler!!! Science ROCKS! 🤩
Woah I never knew science live actually replys to comments till now!
Rodger Billing’s smarts and creativity keeps him involved in so many jobs. I lost count the many times he has been in engineering jobs.
Live was great
I like learning about networking.
Hello from KY!
I didn’t know a nanosecond is a billionth of a second, wow!
It’s amazing how electricity can be used to transmit words in pictures
The Proteges always explain complicated things so well.
Hi from Conneticut
When was Ethernet made?
Love the live!
Great live, I’m loving the ethernet series so far! Looking forward to next week.
This was great!
Thank you Dr. Billings, for not giving up.
Computer and tech advances so fast, interesting to learn about
hello from Kansas.
The ethernet is cool!
How long has Ethernet been around?
Dr. Rodger billings is amazing.
Hello from Washington!
I’m very interested in the 100 gig board. Super neat!
Thank you Dr.Billings!
Hi from WY
What’s going on! Howdy from Texas
hi from IL love these vids !!!!!!!!
hellooo from CA
hi from wa
Hello from Virginia!
I’m interested in what Dr. Pajet’s opinion.
I love science live!!
Science live is very cool!
I’m interested in her opinion
Wow! Love what you’ve been doing with this ethernet series!
How would Ethernet have changed if Dr. Billings had pursued a different career?
I’m so glad it was successful!!!
How many people use the Ethernet
Of course, we want Lady Pajet’s opinion!
Hi from Colorado
Im so excited for this live!
You guys are so funny! I love how educational these lives are! Can’t wait for the next one!
Hello from Texas
Hi from IL
I would like to know her opinipn…
Hey from TX
I’m interested !*
The protégés segment today was really fun, thanks science live
loved the live like always
Now look at how fast we can go simply by improving the method and its usage! Definitely fascinating!
Ethernet is so cool
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
how difficult was it when you tried to disable collisions in networks?
I didn’t know you could tie a cable into a lasso.
hi from tx!
Hi from MI!
very interesting
Yeah I’m interested in her opinion
That’s a lot of wires.
I love Science Live! It’s my favorite!!
hi from colrado
science is cool
I love science live
Hello from Louisiana
hey from la
Great class
Hey! Happy science live!
I can’t wait for this live!
Hi, Henry! Happy Wednesday! Science is the best!!! 😄
I love these 🙂 -Georgia
I love learning about Ethernet!
I’m glad the Internet has gotten faster over the years!
What made physics be discovered?
Hello from KY!
Hello from Alabama
Hello from SC
If gigabytes of a second or so quick, how exactly do you measure how quick they’re going?
Since two computers usually take a few seconds for the data to transfer from one computer to another, will it take longer with little to no internet connection than with decent internet connection?
It somehow makes sense to me…
I love science live!
Proud of the great progress you made Dr. Billings!
A hi from FL having a pretty good time in school
Love seeing the Inventioneers demonstration about the Ethernet.
I like the design on Dr. Roger Billings jacket
watched from sc
technology is really insane it shows how much we get from it
Hello from Texas!!
What inspired the idea to make the internet streaming device???
Hi from Gainesville FL!
Hello Mr. Tobias, in your opinion—what exactly does the accomplishment of resolving problems which were found within (computer/device) networks mean for the future of technology?
Im Millie and I’m having pizza for dinner
this is exciting
Hi from Louisiana.
Is there any thing called a ultra bite?
Another great science live!
I didn’t know that ron crane was an engineer who invented Ethernet great video
If gigabytes of a second are so quick how exactly can you calculate how quick they’re going?
Thanks Dr John that was so cool to learn.
Hi from Texas *
Hello! From Texas!
Yess! New episodes
Hi , from Germantown Maryland!
Howdy from TN
I wonder why they thought he was faking when the invention was right in front of them 🧐
That’s so awesome!
Hello from Florida
Wonderful show
LETS GO SCINCE LIVEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, very exciting!
Do the proteges come up with what they say on the spot when making their videos? or do they read what they say off a script?
Great episode today!
this is all very cool I love learning
i love scinec live
what was the “collision problem” in early Ethernet, and how was it solved?
Hello everyone!!!
The 100 gig concentrator board is really neat. this is very awesome to learn about.. i am learning so many great things tonight. so neat how the perfect signal looks.
Thats so fast!!
I love the way yall explained it. I didn’t think that stuff like this came out in the seventy’s I figured it came out during the late 90s. I think it is pretty cool and I am so thankful.
Hello from Texas!
how low can you get the concentrator to respond
this is a quite interesting episode!
thanks for your efforts
hello from texas
How high do giga bite’s get?
Hi from Tx
What is a nano second?
Hi from West Virginia
Nano seconds are very small
Hello from GA
hey from texas
Hi from Texas!!!
hello from wi!
I like this episode.
The science lives are always so entertaining and exciting!
hi SCIEnee LIVE
i am signed in
I love science live it is my favorite!!!!
hello from texas
this video is very informational thank you
The streams are always so fun to watch
Science is so cool! Hello from NC!
this is cool
why is it called acellus
All the inventions he has made is so cool
Hello!! Thank you for this live, see you next time!
I love ACD2
Me too.
Good evening Mr.Roggers. That concentrator invention was ingenious. The fact that it could give and receive signals is cool.