what does this symbol mean?
IEC 60417 Three small squares joined by lines to one below

Network port symbol

Network port. Linked boxes mark a wired network (Ethernet) port.

How to read it

The linked boxes mark the socket for a wired network cable. Apple’s guide to the ports on a Mac shows the Ethernet port as the one for networks and devices that connect with an Ethernet (RJ45) cable, and Windows has an Ethernet icon in Microsoft’s Segoe Fluent icon set. Gizmodo reported in 2010 that the symbol was designed by David Hill at IBM as one of a set for the local area network connections of the time, and that each block stands for a computer or terminal, arranged on purpose so that none ranks above another.

Also searched as: ethernet symbol, LAN symbol.

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Sources

Last reviewed September 26, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research

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