[PATCH net-next v20 02/14] net: ethtool: Introduce ETHTOOL_LINK_MEDIUM_* values
Russell King (Oracle)
linux at armlinux.org.uk
Thu Nov 27 10:02:28 PST 2025
On Thu, Nov 27, 2025 at 06:17:45PM +0100, Maxime Chevallier wrote:
> In an effort to have a better representation of Ethernet ports,
> introduce enumeration values representing the various ethernet Mediums.
>
> This is part of the 802.3 naming convention, for example :
>
> 1000 Base T 4
> | | | |
> | | | \_ pairs (4)
> | | \___ Medium (T == Twisted Copper Pairs)
> | \_______ Baseband transmission
> \____________ Speed
>
> Other example :
>
> 10000 Base K X 4
> | | \_ lanes (4)
> | \___ encoding (BaseX is 8b/10b while BaseR is 66b/64b)
> \_____ Medium (K is backplane ethernet)
>
> In the case of representing a physical port, only the medium and number
> of pairs should be relevant. One exception would be 1000BaseX, which is
> currently also used as a medium in what appears to be any of
> 1000BaseSX, 1000BaseCX and 1000BaseLX. This was reflected in the mediums
> associated with the 1000BaseX linkmode.
There's more than just those three for 1000BASE-X:
SX
LX
CX
EX
BX10 - single fibre strand, single mode, 1310nm and 1490nm over
10km.
to name a few more. SFP modules don't have a way to indicate EX, but do
have a way to indicate 1000BASE-BX10 (BaseBX10 bit set with the rate
indicating 1000M.)
Also note that 100BASE-T encompasses 100BASE-TX (what we generally see
as fast ethernet), 100BASE-T4, etc. Should we be getting these
descriptions correct as we're introducing this level of detail?
--
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