Ethernet Standards

Question 1

100 Mbit/s Ethernet

Answer 1

• 100BASE-TX
  
  • “Fast Ethernet”
  • Category 5 or better twisted pair copper - two pair
  • 100 meters maximum length

Question 2

1000 Mbit/s (1 Gbit/s) Ethernet

Answer 2

• 1000BASE-T
  
  • Category 5 or better twisted pair copper - four pair
  • 100 meters maximum length

• 1000BASE-SX
• Gigabit Ethernet using NIR (near infrared) light
wavelength
• Usually over multi-mode fiber
• 220 meters to 500 meters, depending on fiber type

• 1000BASE-LX
  
  • Gigabit Ethernet using long wavelength laser
  • Multi-mode fiber to 550 meters
  • Single-mode fiber to 5 kilometers

Question 3

10 Gbit/s Ethernet

Answer 3

• 10GBASE-T
  
  • 2006 standard
  • Frequency use of 500 MHz
    
    • Well above the 125 MHz for gigabit Ethernet
• Twisted pair copper cables
  
  • Cat 6 – 55 meters
  • Cat 6A (augmented) – 100 meters
  • Cat 7 - 100 meters