Fast Ethernet Vs Gigabit Ethernet – Which Ethernet standard is better for large homes?
Two of the most commonly mistaken terms in networking are Fast ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet. The following is comprehensive review of their differences and how they compare in terms of speed.
Ethernet is a group of networking technologies used to connect computers on the same local area network (LAN). Over time, the speed of ethernet has been increasing steadily to what we have today, 10 GbE. But before this latest Ethernet standards, there was the fast ethernet which basically provides up to 100 Mbps. Gigabit Ethernet came after this with a maximum speed 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps, as the name suggests.
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History of Ethernet
To understand the concept of Ethernet better, it is key that we take a look at the history of the brand. Ethernet was first released in 1980 and has a maximum throughput speed of 10 Mbps. During that time, this was the fastest internet speed available and worked perfectly. As time went by and the speed of internet grew, there was need for a faster interface.
In 1995, Ethernet interface was upgraded to what we now call Fast Ethernet or 10/100. This means that it allowed maximum bandwidth of 100 Mbps to be transferred through it. But that didn’t last long because just three years later, demand for faster internet grew and Ethernet also had to grow with it. Gigabit Ethernet was released in 1998 and was named the same or 10/100/1000 meaning speed was increased to 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps.
Since then, there has not been much of an improvement. There are however faster interfaces such as 10 Gbps but this hasn’t hit the mainstream market yet. Terabit Ethernet is also in production and is expected to provide astounding speeds of 1000 Gbps.
Fast Ethernet or 10/100
The first mainstream Ethernet interface to hit the market was released in 1995 and was simple referred to as Fast Ethernet. This interface provided a maximum throughput speed of 100 Mbps which was quite something in those days. Fast ethernet uses 100BASE-T, 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX with the BASE T being the most popular today. Its length is limited to 100 meters. The BASE TX is the predominant version of Fast Ethernet where each network supports up to 100m of cabling distance. Lastly, fast ethernet works on both full and half duplex which is a great plus.
Netgear C7000
- Save monthly rental fees: Model C7000 replaces your cable modem and Wi-Fi router, saving you up to 168...
- Speeds by carrier: Xfinity (up to 800Mbps), Cox (up to 500Mbps), Spectrum (up to 400Mbps).
The Nighthawk C7000 is high quality modem router with all the modern features needed for excellent connectivity. To start us off, the device supports all major cable internet providers such as Comcast Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum and more. It is however not compatible with Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, DSL and fiber internet providers. On top of this, the device offers very high download and upload speedsof up to 500 Mbps and 100 Mbps respectively. With MUMIMO, the speed is kept constant even when multiple devices are connected. Like the previous model, the modem covers a wide area of about 1800 sq. feet. This is excellent for most moderately sized homes. In addition, there are multiple ports for wired conections including four LAN Ethernet ports, a WAN port, a coaxial port and two USB ports. These is what makes the C7000 such a great purchase.
Gigabit Ethernet or 10/100/1000
Today, the most common Ethernet standard is the gigabit ethernet or 1 GbE. It was released in 1998 to increase the bandwidth of previous versions such as Fast Ethernet. It was not widely used until in 2010 when internet demands rose significantly higher. Here, a router is able to reach maximum speeds of 1 Gbps. In fact, when compared to its predecessor in terms of performance, 90% of speed is lost when using Fast Ethernet. The great thing about the gigabit Ethernet however is the fact that it is backward compatible with older versions. So if you have an old device such as desktop, it can still be connected to a Gigabit Ethernet port on a router and work efficiently. Speed will however be limited immensely.
Gigabit Ethernet uses a frame format of 803.2 and runs on half or full duplex mode. With this, the maximum length accommodated is 70 km which is quite a lot. This is the main reason it is used by universities and other institutions. Like the previous version, there are also different types of 1GbE such as 1000Base CX that offered up to 25 m, 1000BaseKX and 1000BaseSX which is basically optical fiber Ethernet standard. The following router is built with gigabit Ethernet ports
TP-Link Archer AX6000
- High Speed WiFi 6 Interent Router: AX6000 Dual Band Wi-Fi speed boosted by 1024QAM deliver wireless speed...
- Highly efficient: OFDMA increases average throughput by 4x in high density scenarios, compared with an...
The TP Link brand is known for having the best wireless home routers in the market. It is a high end premium device that was released in early 2019. This may be the reason it has some of the best design and body work we’ve seen on a TP Link router. Just by looking at it, its premium touch can be seen and felt. It is a hexagonal flat box shape with an antenna attached on each corner. This brings it to a total of eight antennas, each able to transmit speeds of up to 400 Mbps. In addition, the X design on the top coupled with the gold logo at the centre looks like something from the future.
But the main reason we picked this router is the performance. First, it comes with the recent Wi-Fi 6 technology. A speed test revealed that the router provides a throughput speed of 138 Mbps which is superb. When it comes to ports, the Archer AX6000 does not miss. There are eight gigabit Ethernet ports, a 2.5 GB WAN port and a power port all located on the back of the unit. On the left side, we have a USB 3.0 type A port and type C port. Other excellent features include: beamforming, MUMIMO, parental control through the TP Link Tether App, WPA/WPA2 security among others. The following table highlights the differences between these two routers.
Model |
Netgear C7000 |
TP-Link Archer AX6000 |
Type |
modem router |
Router |
Ports |
1 WAN, 3 LAN (Router), 1 coaxial |
7 (four LAN, one WAN, two USB) |
Antennas |
4 fixed |
8 fixed |
Special features |
MUMIMO, adaptive QoS and Traffice Analyzer |
MUMIMO, adaptive QoS and Traffice Analyzer |
Size |
7.9 inches across |
2.4 by 10.3 by 10.3 inches |
Color |
Black |
Black |
Throughput speed |
7 Gbps |
6 Gbps |
Availability |
Conclusion
In conclusion, gigabit Ethernet interfaces are much better than the older Fast Ethernet devices. This is because they offer faster speeds, range and are more readily available than their older counterparts.
