Types of Ethernet Physical Layer Standards

Ethernet refers to an entire family of standards. Some standards define the specifics of how to send data over a particular type of cabling, and at a particular speed of data transfer. Other standards define protocols, or rules, that the Ethernet nodes must follow to be a part of an Ethernet LAN. All these Ethernet standards come from the IEEE and include the number 802.3 as the beginning part of the standard name.

Ethernet supports different types of Ethernet links given its long history over the last 50 or so years. It's range starts from 10 megabits per seconds (Mbps) up to 400 gigabits per seconds (Gbps). Cable standards also differ as far as the types and length of the cables.

IEEE defines Ethernet physical layer standards using a couple of naming conventions. The formal name begins with 802.3 followed by some suffix letters. The IEEE also uses more meaningful shortcut names that identify the speed, as well as a clue about whether the cabling is UTP or fibre.

10BASE-T: Operates at 10 Mbps using UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable, typically Cat 3 or higher. It uses two pairs of wires. Maximum distance is 100 meters.   

100BASE-TX: Operates at 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet) using two pairs of wires in Cat 5 or higher UTP or STP cable. Maximum distance is 100 meters.   

1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet): Operates at 1 Gbps using all four pairs of wires in Cat 5e or higher UTP or STP cable. Maximum distance is 100 meters.   

10GBASE-T (10 Gigabit Ethernet): Operates at 10 Gbps using all four pairs of wires in Cat 6a or higher UTP or STP cable. Maximum distance is 100 meters.