TRENDnet TE100-S86FX Manual - Page 20

Ethernet Technologies Fast Ethernet Switch More than 80 percent of all Local Area networks are installed with Ethernet. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) define the standard of Ethernet as IEEE 802.3. The IEEE 802.3 provides rules for configuring Ethernet LANs, specifies how elements should interact with one another, and different types of media that can be used, as well as data rate (10Mbps) of Ethernet. Ethernet supports just about all kinds of popular network protocols. It is one of the most ideal networking technologies today. Fast Ethernet For networks that need higher transmission speeds, IEEE has also established the standard 802.3u, which raises the Ethernet speed limit from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps. This allows a network device to transmit data through media such as category 5 UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cable or fiber optic cable at the rate of 100 Mbps instead of 10 Mbps. A number of other high-speed LAN technologies are also available for high bandwidth and good client server response time. However, Fast Ethernet offers the best solution that provides smooth migration from 10Base-T technology to 100 Base-TX. It requires only minimal changes with existing cabling infrastructure. Fast Ethernet and its successors have been said to be the most cost effective and high-performance networking solutions of the future. 20 Fast Ethernet Switch User's Guide