The ethernet MAC protocol is based on CSMA/CD, which defines an algorithm for fair collision handling:
If the NIC detects a collision, it sends a jam signal and enters binary exponential backoff:
After the mth consecutive collision, the NIC chooses K at random from {0,1,2,3, ..., 2^m - 1}
NIC waits K * 512 bit times, then returns to the sending step:
If NIC senses channel idle, starts frame transmission.
If NIC senses channel is busy, waits until channel idle, then transmits.
My question is, is it possible to produce a NIC which implements the protocol unfairly? If so, would there be any reason to do it?
i.e. always waiting 0 bit times before attempting re-transmission in all cases, thus giving the client higher priority for transmission when there are contending connections.
For ethernet connections, which are usually point-to-point, it seems a host would have little reason to assert transmission priority, but I want to know if I'm missing something.
Regards,