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Media Converters
Technology Overviews

Media Convertors

You can interconnect twisted pair, fibre and coax.


Media converters interconnect different cable types-twisted pair, fibre, and Thin or thick coax-within a network. They are usually used to connect newer 10BASE-T equipment to existing BNC/ThinNet or fibre networks. They can also be used in pairs to insert a fibre segment into a 10BASE-T network to increase distances and enhance noise immunity in harsh environments.


Media converters offer an inexpensive solution to repeaters. They don't retime the signal or add the signal propagation delays associated with full repeaters, so they don't increase the repeater hop count of existing networks. You can use media converters in many applications, but you can't use them to replace a true repeater in cases where you've reached the maximum cable distance or the maximum number of devices on a coax segment.


Media converters are available in standalone models that convert between two different media types and in chassis-based models that connect many different media types in a single housing.


These converters are perfect for converting between just two media. But, like a small apartment, they can be easy to outgrow. Consider your current and future application before selecting a media converter. Standalone converters are available in various configurations, including 10BASE-T
to mutimode or single-mode fibre, 10BASE-T to Thin coax (ThinNet), 10BASE-T to thick coax or standard Ethernet, 10BASE-T to 10BASE-T, and Thin coax to fibre. 100BASE-T models for high-speed Ethernet are also available.


Chassis-based or modular media converters are normally rackmountable and have slots that house media converter modules. Like a well-planned house, these media converters give you room to grow. These are used when many Ethernet segments of different media types need to be connected together in a central location. Modules are available for the same conversions performed by the standalone converters and they can be mixed within the same chassis.


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