1000BASE-SX Application Overview

by

1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX
1000BASE-SX: 1,000 Mb/s serial transmission at a 770 to 860 nm near infrared (NIR) light wavelength over 2 multimode optical fibers, with reach up to at least 500 m

1000BASE-SX supports short wavelength serial transmission over duplex (2‑fiber) multimode optical fiber cabling. The application’s nominal symbol rate is 1.25 GBd per lane and the supported distance varies according to the type of multimode cable used. Network equipment interface connections include duplex optical fiber connectors and a standard socket into which physical (PHY) layer transceiver modules may be plugged.

  • Connector type: SC, LC
  • Transceiver module: SFP
  • Defined in clause 38 of the IEEE 802.3 Standard for Ethernet
  • Initially published as IEEE Std 802.3z™: Media Access Control Parameters, Physical Layers, Repeater and Management Parameters for 1,000 Mb/s Operation in 1998

Optical Fiber Cabling (Channel) Characteristics:

1000BASE-SX
Parameter OM3 OM4 OM5 Unit
Operating wavelength: 770 to 860 nm
Specification wavelength: 850 nm
Operating range1: 2 to 1,000 0.5 to 1,100 m
Insertion loss (max)1: 4,5 4.8 dB
1 OM3, OM4, and OM5 had not been standardized when 1000BASE‑SX was developed. Calculated operating range and insertion loss budget assume two standards‑compliant connector pairs in a channel and are provided for system planning purposes only.

Key Application Capabilities:

  • Defines a 1,000 Mb/s PHY for operation over at least 500 m of MMF
  • Supports full-duplex operation only
  • Preserves the Ethernet frame format utilizing the Ethernet MAC
  • Preserves minimum and maximum FrameSize of current 802.3 Standard for Ethernet

Related Applications:

The IEEE P802.3z Task Force also specified the following 1000 Mb/s Ethernet applications:

Application Operating    Wavelength Media Operating Range1
1000BASE-LX 1270 to 1355 nm Multimode2 up to 600 m3
1000BASE-LX 1270 to 1355 nm Single-mode up to 5 km
1 Supported distance varies according to the type of optical fiber cable used.
2 Use of mode conditioning launch cords is not required for OM3, OM4, or OM5.
3 OM3, OM4, and OM5 had not been standardized when 1000BASE-LX was developed. Calculated operating range assumes two standards compliant connector pairs in a channel and is provided for system planning purposes only.

Back to TIA FOTC IEEE 802.3 Multimode Optical Fiber Ethernet Standards Explorer