inter-packet gap

networking A time delay between successive data packets

mandated by the network standard for protocol reasons.

In Ethernet, the medium has to be "silent" (i.e., no data

transfer) for a few microseconds before a node can consider

the network idle and start to transmit. This is necessary for

fairness reasons. The delay time, which approximately equals

the signal propagation time on the cable, allows the "silence"

to reach the far end so that all nodes consider the net idle.

(1995-11-11)