Auto-negotiation regulates the speed and duplex of each port based on the capability of both devices. Flow-control allows transmission from a 100Mbps node to a 10Mbps node without loss of data. Auto-negotiation and flow-control may need to be disabled when networking with legacy equipment. Disabling the auto-negotiation is accomplished by fixing the speed or duplex of a port.
Ethernet Switching Technology supplied higher performance at costs lower than other solutions. Wider bandwidth, no congestion, and reduction in traffic is why switching is replacing expensive routers and inefficient hubs as the ultimate networking solution. Switching brought a whole new way of thinking to networking.
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