Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet Know the Differences

1. Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet: Know The Differences | Versitron In 1990, Ethernet was introduced. Today, Computers in Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), and Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN) are connected through Ethernet. Ethernet is perceived as a low-cost network connectivity solution of all, because it allows businesses to expand their network without disturbing the existing workflow. It is used for connecting devices in building and it is not feasible for network spanning across different countries. It allows to connect devices through single cable. There are different types of ethernet, which are mainly differentiated based on their speeds. Of these, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet are quite popular and still in use. Fast Ethernet (FE): Introduced in 1995, Fast Ethernet has a transmission speed of 100 Mbps. Ethernet types include 100 Base-FX, 100 Base-T4, and 100 Base-TX. The “100” is common to all and it indicates the transmission speed of the network, i.e. 100 Mbps. Base refers to the baseband signaling. In this, T stands for twisted pair cable, and F stands for fiber – both referring to the type of cable used for signal carrying. The term 4 or X refers to the line code signal used. It supports Full duplex and half duplex modes. Gigabit Ethernet (GE): Introduced in 1999, Gigabit Ethernet has a transmission speed of 1000 Mbps. It is today one of the widely used Ethernet types. It supports full-duplex and half-duplex modes and is covered under the framework of 803.2. Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet: Know the Differences Both Ethernet types are widely used for creating network connections in LAN. Be it Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet – both types use fiber optic cables, twisted pair cables, fiber optic Ethernet switches, and so on. Having said that, not all types of cable support these types. For instance, the Cat5 or Category 5 cable supports 100-Base-T Ethernet and traditional Ethernet; the Cat5e or Category 5e cable supports GbE; and Cat6 or Category 6 cable supports 10GbE. Let’s try to figure out the differences. ➢Speed: Fast ethernet has a speed of 100 Mbps, whereas Gigabit Ethernet has a speed of 1000 Mbps, which is exactly 10 times faster than the Fast Ethernet. Fast Ethernet is suited for small business or home applications. Gigabit Ethernet is suited for applications that need high Internet speeds. ➢Round-trip Delay (RTD): This refers to the time duration taken by a web browser to send the signal and receive the acknowledgment from the server. Round-trip time or Round trip-delay is expressed in milliseconds. The Gigabit Ethernet has a delay of 4000-bit times, and the Fast Ethernet has a delay of 100-150 bit times. Fast Ethernet has slightly longer delay times than Gigabit Ethernet. ➢Device Requirement: The Fast Ethernet does not require specific devices, whereas Gigabit Ethernet requires specifically designed cables and Ethernet switches. Thus, it raises the cost of investment. ➢Configuration: As compared to fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet has higher configuration problems.

2. ➢Upgrades: Standard Ethernet to Fast Ethernet upgrade is quite easy and doesn’t require any major investments. Whereas, upgrade from Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet require major investment and involves several complexities. ➢Coverage: Fast Ethernet offers a coverage of 10 km and Gigabit Ethernet can cover up to 70 Kms. A Quick Comparison of Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet: Comparison Features Fast Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet Speed 100 Mbps 1Gbps Configuration Simple Slightly complicated Delays More delays Less delays Coverage Distance Can cover a distance up to 10km Can cover a farther distance up to 70km Round Trip Delay 100-500 bit times 4000 bit times Transmission Modes Full duplex and half duplex Full duplex and half duplex Relation Successor of 10-Base- A Successor of Fast Ethernet T Ethernet Layer Standards 100 Base-FX, 100 Base-T4, and 1000Base – SX, 1000Base-LX, 100 Base-TX 1000Base- CX, and 1000Base- T. Of these 1000 Base-SX and 1000-Base LX Device Requirements Requires no specific devices Requires specially designed cables and Ethernet switches Having known the differences between these two types of Ethernet, the selection becomes easy. Want to know more about Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet Switches, Fiber Optic Network Switches, Fiber Optic Media Converters, High Definition Transmitters and Receivers, call us on 302-894- 0699 or visit us on https://www.versitron.com/