Patent ID: 8571063

Claim:
A method for networking, the method comprising: in an Ethernet PHY which communicates Ethernet physical layer signals over an Ethernet link comprising a plurality of twisted pairs: coarsely controlling a data rate on said Ethernet link by adjusting how many wires of said plurality of twisted pairs are utilized by said Ethernet PHY for communicating said Ethernet physical layer signals, wherein: said Ethernet PHY communicates said Ethernet physical layer signals over a first number of said wires of said plurality of twisted pairs before said adjusting; said Ethernet PHY communicates said Ethernet physical layer signals over a second number of said wires of said plurality of twisted pairs after said adjusting; and said first number is different than said second number; and finely controlling said data rate on said Ethernet link by adjusting inter-packet gap between packets communicated by said Ethernet PHY over said Ethernet link, wherein energy consumption is reduced through an increase of said inter-packet gap and energy consumption is increased through a decrease of said inter-packet gap.