A CMOS transceiver analog front-end for gigabit ethernet over CAT-5 cables

As Fast Ethernet (100Base-T) proliferates and becomes the leading standard in local area networks (LAN), demand for gigabit ethernet increases rapidly. Although fiber-optic gigabit transceivers (1000FX) are available, the high cost of fiber modules and fiber cables limits deployment of 1000FX transceivers to switch uplinks and backbone connections. An integrated CMOS transceiver for gigabit ethernet over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) category-5 (CAT-5) cables significantly reduces cost while providing high data bandwidth at relatively low power consumption. A full-duplex transmission allows up to 2 Gb/s data throughput. Furthermore, compatibility with existing cabling infrastructure allows rapid deployment of 1000Base-T transceivers on desktop and laptop PCs.