Difference Between IEEE 802.3bg, 802.3bw & 802.3bp

Introduction : In the realm of Ethernet standards, IEEE 802.3bg, 802.3bw, and 802.3bp represent pivotal advancements, each tailored to meet specific networking needs across various industries. Understanding the distinctions among these standards is crucial for selecting the appropriate technology for your network infrastructure. This guide delves into the unique features, applications and performance characteristics of each standard.

802.3bg

• Purpose : Extends 40 gbE (40 Gigabit Ethernet) over single mode fiber
• Medium : Optical fiber (single mode)
• Approved year : 2011
• Distance : Up to 2 Km (40GBase-FR), Up to 10 Km (40Base-LR4)
• Encoding : Uses 64B/66B coding and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) of 4 optical channels (each 10.3125 Gb/s).
• Use case : Data centers and high performance computing where 40 GbE links are needed over long distances
• Standard variants : 40GBASE-FR / 40GBASE-LR4 (Single-lane 40 Gb/s over fiber)

802.3bw

• Purpose : Introduces 100 Mb/s Ethernet for automotive and industrial environments
• Medium : Single twisted pair copper cable (1 pair)
• Approved Year : 2015
• Distance : Up to 15 m (automotive) or 40 m (industrial)
• Encoding : PAM3 (3-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation)
• Powering : Can be combined with Power over Data Lines (PoDL) which is similar to PoE.
• Use case : In-vehicle networking (connecting ECUs, cameras, sensors).
• Standard : 100BASE-T1 (Automotive Ethernet, 100 Mb/s over single pair)

802.3bp

• Purpose : Brings 1 Gb/s (Gigabit) Ethernet over a single twisted pair.
• Medium : Single twisted pair copper cable
• Approved Year : 2016
• Distance: Up to 15 m (automotive) or 40 m (industrial).
• Encoding: PAM3 modulation with advanced echo cancellation and FEC (Forward Error Correction).
• Use case: High speed automotive applications e.g., ADAS sensors, cameras, radar, infotainment systems.
• Standard : 1000BASE-T1 (Gigabit Automotive Ethernet)

Key differences

Conclusion: IEEE 802.3bg, 802.3bw and 802.3bp each offer distinct advantages tailored to different networking scenarios. As mentioned, IEEE 802.3bg defines 40GBASE-FR and 40GBASE-LR4 which facilitates high speed optical fiber connections over long distances. IEEE 802.3bw introduces 100BASE-T1 which enables 100 Mbps Ethernet over single twisted pair. IEEE 802.3bp specifies 1000BASE-T1 which supports Gigabit Ethernet over single twisted pair.