What is GBIC? Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Initial Published: April 15, 2017

GBIC is an old topic, but many network industry technicians and newcomers don’t know the details. In this article, we will discuss and tell you everything about it. We will cover the following topics.

What is GBIC?

GBIC stands for Gigabit Interface Converter, sometimes also called GBIC converter. It is a hot-pluggable optical transceiver that converts serial electric signals to optical ones. The transceiver fits into the GBIC port on the Ethernet switch, router, NIC, or firewall. 

Compared with the first-generation 1×9 transceiver, this one provides hot-pluggable features, which allow IT technicians to insert and remove it without powering off the switch. Therefore, users may easily remove and replace the GBIC module if needed. The most significant benefit is that it directly reduces the need to rely on specialized personnel, as a user with little guidance can quickly and correctly replace a broken module or replace it with another suitable model.

Let’s look at its history. In 1995, the SFF Committee presented and defined the GBIC form factor. Then, they launched the MSA specifications called SFF-8053 (or INF-8053) and updated the specification in later years. The latest version Rev 5.5, was released on September 27, 2000.

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FURTHER READING

• GBIC vs SFP vs SFP+ vs XFP, What is the difference?
• GBIC vs SFP vs Mini GBIC, What is the difference?

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GBIC Connector vs GBIC Port vs GBIC Transceiver vs GBIC Interface: Are they the same?

In the real world, many IT professionals may hear about different terms like GBIC connector, GBIC port, transceiver, interface, etc. 

Are they the same thing? How are they different? Now, let us classify their differences.

#1: GBIC Port

GBIC port refers to the small physical interface on the gigabit switch or other networking devices. This port only accepts the GBIC form factor transceiver, like fiber and copper types. 

It is one or one group cage soldered on the switch motherboard. Because without any optoelectronic devices, it only functions as a connector, allowing the optical transceiver to communicate with the switch system.

#2: GBIC Connector

The term “GBIC connector” typically refers to the back electrical interface on the transceiver. Unlike the optical connector, it is located at the backside of GBIC. All fiber transceivers are equipped with a duplex or simplex SC connector, which allows the SC fiber cable to be plugged in directly.

However, some users may use the term “GBIC port” interchangeably. We don’t believe this is wrong, as no specific standards or agreements are defining the terminology. As a result, different individuals may interpret these terms in various ways.

Instead, the copper transceiver provides an RJ45 female connector. It is for the existing copper cabling networks based on Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6.

#3: GBIC Transceiver

The GBIC transceiver, or GBIC module, is a hot-pluggable device that converts electrical signals into optical signals for long-distance transmission. It is designed to be plugged into the GBIC port of switches to extend the transmission distance for networking devices.

Although GBICs were historically famous as one of the earliest hot-pluggable transceivers, they were quickly replaced by smaller and smarter SFPs.

#4: GBIC Interface

GBIC interface is not a standard term but typically refers to the GBIC port or connector. Users should understand its actual meaning.

How many GBICs are there?

In this section, we refer to the GBICs as GBIC modules. Based on different benchmarks, we can divide GBICs into many types.

By Datarate

• 100BASE GBIC: support fast Ethernet and SDH/SONET OC3
• 622M GBIC: support SDH/SONET OC12
• 1G (1000BASE) GBIC: supports 1G fiber channel and gigabit Ethernet.
• 2G GBIC: support 2G fiber channel and 2.5G SDH/SONET

By Cable Type

• RJ45 GBIC: features RJ45 female connector, suitable for connecting with an ethernet cable 
• Multimode GBIC: ideal for the multimode fiber cable (OM1/OM2/OM3)
• Singlemode GBIC: ideal for the singlemode fiber cable (OS1/OS2)

By Distance

• GBIC Copper: stands for copper, commonly with 1000BASE-T speed, and transmits the signal over Cat 5 cable
• GBIC SX: stands for short reach, typical link of 550m on OM2 fiber
• GBIC LX: stands for long reach, typical link of 10km on OS2 fiber
• GBIC EX: stands for extend reach, typical link of 40km on OS2 fiber
• GBIC ZX: stands for extend long reach, a typical link of 70km on OS2 fiber

By application

• CWDM GBIC: It means Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing, which helps to maximize the fiber Utilization efficiency
• BiDi GBIC: Allow bi-directional transmission on one fiber, saving half of the cabling.
• Duplex Fiber: transmits over one fiber and receives over another fiber, suitable for the regular duplex fiber cabling network 
• DWDM GBIC: A dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing gigabit interface converter supports 96 transmission channels in a single fiber cable.

Current Status

In a word, it is outdated or obsolete.

GBIC defines a bigger size than the later SFP, requesting more space on the switch and other networking devices. This allows fewer switch ports and less bandwidth. As a result, SFP rapidly replaces it due to its crucial smaller size.

Finding vendors to provide these products will take a lot of work. They are history. Most new modern switches come with the SFP port, QSFP port, QSFP28 port, and even OSFP port, but not the older GBIC port.

Hence, switch to the new SFP and SFP+ modules, as they are much more popular and have the best pricing and choices on the market. 

FAQ

Q: GBIC transceiver vs. module, are they the same?

A: They are the same thing. Somebody called it a transceiver, while some others used to be called “module,” They are just different names, but essentially they refer to the same thing.

Q: GBIC vs. mini-GBIC, what is the difference?

A: Mini-GBIC, also called SFP, is smaller and allows higher port density. The main difference is the cage size. Because of its small size, SFP has now replaced GBIC. In fact, it isn’t easy to find a new switch that still offers a GBIC port.

Q: What is their color coding?

The latch color is defined based on the distance and fiber cable. The table below shows the color coding.

Type	Color
Multimode	Beige or Black
Singlemode	Blue

Q: Is GBIC still used?

A: No, you may find the GBIC port and transceiver in quite an old Ethernet switch. However, all the modern new switches will not use GBIC ports and modules; they will use smaller SFP, QSFP, or QSFP28 types.

Q: What replaced GBIC?

A: The simple answer is the SFP module. SFP supports hot-swappable and utilizes a much smaller size, higher density, and smarter DOM function.

Q: Are GBIC hot-swappable?

A: Yes, it is hot-swappable. You can plug in and out of the GBIC without turning the power off.

Q: Can we connect GBIC with SFP?

A: Sure, you can connect them, but ensure you use the same fiber cable, appropriate wavelength, and within the link budget. Most importantly, use an SC-LC patch cable to connect the fiber connectors.

Q: Do you provide compatible TP-Link GBIC?

A: Yes, our generic GBIC will work with the TP-Link switch. However, in most cases, users refer to “SFP” as “GBIC”, so please visit our store to check the compatible TP-Link GBIC.

Q: Do you provide compatible Cisco GBIC?

A: Yes, some users may still use the old Cisco switch with the GBIC port; check our store to see our compatible Cisco GBIC.

Q: Do you provide compatible Ubiquiti GBIC?

A: Currently, Ubiquiti is unable to provide a GBIC module. Some users may refer to “SFP” as “GBIC,” so the correct reference here is Ubiquiti SFP. Our generic SFP is compatible with all Ubiquiti switches.

Final Words

Knowing the GBIC definition, history, and types will help you choose the suitable networking gear. I hope this post classifies your confusion.

Do you have any other questions?

Are there any other topics missed?

Let me know by leaving your comments.

Read More:

• What is SFP Module? An Ultimate Guide?
• What is SFP Port? Everything You Need to Know
• GBIC vs SFP vs SFP+ vs XFP, what is the difference?
• GBIC vs SFP vs Mini GBIC: What is the difference?