Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD)

Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) is a network protocol that helps devices share a communication channel efficiently. Devices listen to the network to check if it’s free before transmitting data. If the channel is busy, they wait. Once clear, they send their data. During transmission, devices continue to listen for any collisions—simultaneous signals from other devices. If a collision occurs, they stop transmitting, wait a random time, and then try again. This process helps prevent two devices from interfering with each other, ensuring data is sent accurately and efficiently over shared networks like Ethernet.