What is ARCNET?
[[File:Amiga A560 Arcnet Adapter - IMGP1436.JPG|thumb|An Arcnet adapter for an AMIGA computer. The small card next to it is the size of a credit card]] '''Attached Resource Computer NETwork''' (abbreviated '''ARCNET''' or '''ARCnet''') is a [[communications protocol]] for [[local area network]]s. ARCNET was the first widely available [[Computer network|networking]] system for [[microcomputer]]s; it became popular in the 1980s for office automation tasks. It was later applied to [[embedded system]]s where certain features of the protocol are especially useful. It was first used in 1977. Arcnet uses a star-like topology, which is much easier to build and maintain than the bus topologies of other protocols developed later, such as[[Ethernet]]. Original arcnet used [[coaxial cable]]s, and a token-passing mechanism, much like [[token ring]]. At about 20 MBit/s maximum speed, ARCnet is much slower than other network protocols, such as ethernet. Because of its token-passing mechanisms, there are no collisions between packets. This makes it suitable for certain industrial applications, as well as for ohme automation, where it is still used. [[Category:Computer networking]]