| Distance Limitations for Gigabit Ethernet | ||
| Standard | Wire Category | Maximum Cable Length in Switch Media |
| 1000BASE-CX(not supported on any cisco device) | Copper Shielded twisted pair | 25 meters |
| 1000BASE-T | Copper EIA/TIA, Catgory 5,Unshielded twisted pair (4 pair) | 100 meters |
| 1000BASE-SX | Multimode fiber cable using a 62.5- or 50-micron fiber-optic core with a 780-nanometer laser | 260 meters with 62.5-micron fiber-optic core(multimode fiber) 550 meters with 50-micron fiber-optic core (multimode fiber) |
| 1000BASE-LX | Single-mode fiber cable with 9 micron core and 1300-nanometer laser | 3 Km(Cisco supports upto 10 Km) |
| 1000BASE-FX | Single-mode fiber cable with 9 micron core and 1550-nanometer laser | 70 to 100 Km depending on whether premium single mode fiber or dispersion-shifted single-mode fiber |
| Note: 1000BASE-LX and 1000BASE-ZX require minimum distances, and short distances may require attenuators to prevent burnout of the internel receivers.In the case of 1000BASE-ZX, 5-dB or 10-dB attenuators are necessary for fiber-optic cable spans of less than 15.5 miles (25km) | ||