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Older Ethernet Standards

Although prices for Fast (100 Mbps) Ethernet have decreased dramatically, 10BASE-T Ethernet can still be found in existing small networks. Even older types of Ethernet—10BASE5 (thicknet) and 10BASE2 (thinnet)—still exist in legacy installations. This appendix gives you an overview of the three older standards so that you will be familiar with their limitations should you ever encounter them.

All three Ethernet standards discussed in this appendix are rated at a maximum of 10 Mbps. Both 10BASE5 and 10BASE2 use the original bus topology; 10BASE-T, which can use a hub or a switch, is a true bus when using a hub (although the bus wiring is hidden in the hub) but is little different from Fast Ethernet (except in speed) ...

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