Current Ethernet Technologies
Refer to Figure 29-1 and notice the different 802.3 standards. Each new physical layer standard from the IEEE requires many differences at the physical layer. However, each of these physical layer standards uses the same 802.3 header, and each uses the upper LLC sublayer as well. Table 29-1 lists today’s most commonly used IEEE Ethernet physical layer standards.
Table 29-1 Today’s Most Common Types of Ethernet
Common Name |
Speed |
Alternative Name |
Name of IEEE Standard |
Cable Type,Maximum Length |
Ethernet |
10Mbps |
10BASE-T |
802.3 |
Copper, 100 m |
Fast Ethernet |
100Mbps |
100BASE-TX |
802.3u |
Copper, 100 m |
Gigabit Ethernet |
1000Mbps |
1000BASE-LX |
802.3z |
802.3z |
Gigabit Ethernet |
1000Mbps |
1000BASE-T |
802.3ab |
Copper, 100 m |
10GigE (Gigabit Ethernet) |
10Gbps |
10GBASE-T |
802.3an |
Copper, 100 m |