This is particularly true for most workstations and modern Macintosh computers. Additionally, thin ethernet is current in place in some academic and administrative buildings, but will be taken out of service in late 1999. Users in residence buildings have either 10base-T shared or switched connections. Thin Ethernet Thin ethernet is based on a coaxial cable that runs between one or more machines connected to a single outlet. To use thin ethernet, you will need to purchase a special media adapter to operate thin ethernet over the IBM cabling system as well as thin ethernet cables and junctions for each of the machines you intend to connect to the outlet.
Thin ethernet is generally our least reliable form of ethernet.
Virtually all modern machines and ethernet adapters support 10base-T ethernet and many support it exclusively. Although you can only connect a single machine directly to your outlet, it is possible for you to purchase a 10base-T hub to connect multiple devices to a single activated outlet. With shared 10base-T, all traffic coming from or going to any machine on your segment will be on your connection, thus lowering your maximum connection speed. With switched 10base-T, the 'switch' will only put traffic on your connection that you need to see. Extraneous traffic is eliminated.