Ethernet Standards (IEEE 802.3)
Common Ethernet physical layer standards.
IEEE 802.3 defines the physical layers of Ethernet. Each standard pairs a speed with a media type and a distance limit, and choosing the right one for a link is a matter of matching cable plant to requirement: twisted pair for structured copper cabling, multimode fiber for short reaches inside a building, and single-mode fiber for longer spans.
This table covers the standards you will encounter most: 1000BASE-T, 10GBASE-T, the SR and LR fiber variants of 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, and the first 400G standards.
| Standard | Name | Speed | Media | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 802.3ab | 1000BASE-T | 1 Gbps | Cat5e+ | 100 m |
| 802.3an | 10GBASE-T | 10 Gbps | Cat6a+ | 100 m |
| 802.3ae | 10GBASE-SR | 10 Gbps | OM3/OM4 MMF | 300/400 m |
| 802.3ae | 10GBASE-LR | 10 Gbps | OS2 SMF | 10 km |
| 802.3by | 25GBASE-SR | 25 Gbps | OM4 MMF | 100 m |
| 802.3ba | 40GBASE-SR4 | 40 Gbps | OM3/OM4 MMF | 100/150 m |
| 802.3bj | 100GBASE-SR4 | 100 Gbps | OM4 MMF | 100 m |
| 802.3cu | 100GBASE-FR1 | 100 Gbps | OS2 SMF | 2 km |
| 802.3bs | 400GBASE-SR16 | 400 Gbps | OM4 MMF | 100 m |
| 802.3ck | 100GBASE-CR1 | 100 Gbps | Copper DAC | 2 m |
Read More
Guides that go deeper on the same topic.
Patch Panel and Structured Cabling Documentation
A practical guide to patch panel and structured cabling documentation, covering TIA-606 labeling, what to record for every port and cable, and how to keep records accurate.
Network Topology Mapping Tools: A Guide for 2026
Compare network topology mapping tools — from auto-discovery platforms to manual diagramming — and see why the best map is generated from your documentation.
More Reference
Explore the other reference in the toolkit.
RFC 1918 Private IP Ranges
RFC 1918 defines the private IPv4 ranges 10.0.0.0/8, 172.16.0.0/12, and 192.168.0.0/16. See each range, host count, and common use.
Common TCP & UDP Ports
Reference list of common TCP and UDP ports: SSH, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, NTP, DHCP, SNMP, RDP, and more, with protocols and descriptions.
Fiber Connector Types
Reference guide to fiber optic connector types: LC, SC, ST, FC, MPO/MTP, and E2000 with polish, return loss, and typical use.
RFC References for Network Engineers
Quick reference list of the essential networking RFCs every infrastructure engineer should know, from RFC 1918 to BGP, DHCP, DNS, and NTP.
Reserved & Special-Use IP Addresses
Reference table of special-use IPv4 ranges: loopback, link-local (APIPA), CGNAT, TEST-NET documentation ranges, multicast, and broadcast.
TIA-606 Cable Color Codes & Labeling Standard
TIA-606 labeling standard and cable color codes for structured cabling: blue for horizontal cabling, orange for demarcation, purple for common equipment, identifier formats, and admin classes.
Transceiver Form Factors
Reference table of optical transceiver form factors: SFP, SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, QSFP28, QSFP-DD, CFP2, XFP, and CXP with speeds and distances.
WiFi Standards (IEEE 802.11)
Reference table of WiFi standards and generations: 802.11b through 802.11be (Wi-Fi 1 to Wi-Fi 7) with maximum speeds, frequencies, and release years.
Power Connectors & Receptacles
Reference table of data center power connectors: NEMA 5-15P, L6-30P, IEC C13/C14, C19/C20, IEC 60309, Schuko, and BS 1363 with amp and voltage ratings.
Device Naming Conventions
Standard network device naming convention: use a <site>-<role>-<number> pattern. See examples for switches, firewalls, servers, and stack members.
Interface & Port Naming
How to standardize network interface names across vendors: Cisco IOS, Juniper Junos, and NX-OS/AOS-CX conventions with examples.
VLAN & Subnet Naming
Best practices for VLAN naming: descriptive names like SRV-PROD and GUEST-WIFI paired with documented VLAN IDs and subnets.
VLAN ID Ranges & Reserved IDs
Reference table of VLAN ID ranges: the standard range 2-1001, the extended range 1006-4094, reserved IDs (0, 1002-1005, 4095), and the default VLAN 1.