Ethernet Gaskets - I need to be educated

It's to prevent memory leaks.

(Most PCs continuously leak memory via the network interface. They get slower and slower the longer they run, as the amount of remaining memory is reduced).

:) I feel the need for a wikipedia entry

Here's a picture:

My best guess is that it keeps the frames from getting lost in the ether. It could be that some of them wind up slipping through the net.

Hoe that helps, G.