Ethernet over USB refers to the use of Ethernet standard with USB technology. It can describe USB dongles that provide an external Ethernet network port or allow USB cables to act as physical support for small networks based on the Ethernet protocol.
The phrase “Ethernet over USB” can refer to several ways that the Ethernet standard for computer networks can interact with the Universal Serial Bus (USB) technology commonly used to connect accessories and peripherals to computers and consumer electronics. Often the term describes USB dongles that connect to a computer and provide an external Ethernet network port. It can also describe a technique that allows USB cables to act as physical support for small networks based on the Ethernet protocol.
Ethernet and USB are both connectivity technologies that have been widely used in computers and consumer electronics since the late 1990s. Each technology consists of a physical medium that connects multiple computers or devices and a protocol that sets the rules for sending and receiving messages through physical connectors. Ethernet is used almost exclusively for wired networks, while USB connects computers with peripherals and other devices such as cameras, external hard drives, and portable media players. The two standards generally don’t interact, but as the term Ethernet over USB implies, there are situations where they can be used together.
In many cases, Ethernet over USB refers to external devices or dongles that plug into a USB port to provide a computer or other device with an Ethernet port. These dongles work like any other Ethernet port, except they connect to a computer through external media. They can be used on computers that have a bad network card, smaller laptops that forgo Ethernet in favor of wireless connectivity, or consumer electronic devices that lack built-in networking hardware. Many Ethernet over USB dongles are “plug-and-play,” meaning users don’t need to install additional driver software to use the device.
Ethernet over USB can also have a more literal meaning, thus referring to the use of the Ethernet protocol over physical USB cables and connectors. This can allow two devices to quickly network together using the cables that most computer users own. It’s also a useful way to provide a wired network connection to a device that lacks an Ethernet port such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). In both cases, a computer can act as a bridge, thus forwarding data from this USB mini-network to a more standard network port. Since this is not a standard use of either technology, it is usually necessary to install special software on both computers or devices that are networked in this way.
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