Although the notion of 1Gbps Gigabit Ethernet was around ever since the 90’s, it started to become quite the craze only in the past decade. You might have an office network that has been stretched to its limits – in terms of memory, data transfer speed, and internet connectivity of the ever-increasing number of computers in the network. If so, then upgrading to a 1GBps network from your older 10/100MBps network may be the right thing for you. This article will break the ice for you and fill you in on some of the basic terminology and concepts you need to know before you get into the whole ‘Gigabit Ethernet’ fray.

Gigabit Router

A Gigabit Router is the first, and most essential, thing that you will require in your Megabyte-to-Gigabit metamorphosis. For ADSL connections (this typically means for all service providers in UK except Virgin Media (Cable)), you will need an ADSL Gigabit Router. For cable connections, you will need a Cable Gigabit Router.

Here are the best Gigabit routers for Cable – Belkin N1 Vision Router

Here are the best Gigabit routers for ADSL – Belkin N1 Vision Modem Router for ADSL

Gigabit switch

Gigabit routers will come with an integrated 4 port switch allowing you to connect multiple computers, but if not,  you can purchase or extend your currently available ports with a Gigabit Ethernet Switch. A Gigabit Switch can be used to connect an extended number of  devices which makes it the perfect tool for building a larger network capable of providing a fast connection. Keep in mind, to take advantage of the speeds, each computer has to have a Gigabit Network Card to connect to the Gigabit network you create. Most new computers will already be equipped with a Gigabit Network Card.

Cat6 Cable

Cat6 network cables have four copper wire pairs inside them – ensuring that data transfer speeds over these cables reach up to 1 GB with ease. This has to be contrasted with the Cat5e cables – although they will provide a significant thrust to the transfer speeds, they will not match up to even one tenth of the speed that Cat6 cables provide.

Gigabit Network Card

The first thing to do before buying a Gigabit Network Card is ensure that your laptop is compatible with the one that you finally choose. Gigabit Network Cards are relatively easy to set up, and are typically compatible with any PC that has an Express Card port. These network cards are essential if you want to switch over to Gigabit Ethernet – without them, you will never be able to avail that 1GB speed you’re looking for. Moreover, Gigabit Network Cards are not that expensive, and thus they will not burn a hole in your wallet while you are setting up your Gigabit Ethernet.

Four layer-standards are in place to ensure that your Ethernet is properly functional: the IEEE 802.3z, the IEEE 802.3ab, the 1000BASE-LX10 and the 1000BASE-BX10. Typical cables that are used to transfer data from node to node over the network are twisted pair, optical fiber, and copper. You might want to visit the Ethernet Alliance website to find out more about the intricacies of setting up an Ethernet in you office or home.

Upgrade your network to a gigabit network to take advantage of fast speeds on your internal LAN.