Ethernet Pause

Ethernet Pause

The Pause feature allows Ethernet MACs that support it to send data pacing ‘Pause’ messages to each other. Pause is negotiated at the physical layer, and the pacing messages are transmitted and interpreted by the MAC layer.


On Switch Ports:

Pause Advertising

This configuration item enables or disables the autonegotiation advertising of Pause functionality for the given port. When disabled, the port neither participates in Pause negotiations nor heeds received Pause mesages.

Pause Status

This status variable indicates when data transfer has stopped because a ‘Pause’ pacing message was sent.


On Media Converter Ports:

Pause Advertising

Support for Pause is negotiated at the physical level and passed up to the MAC. While the MAC’s Pause messages themselves can pass over the fiber link that this pair of media converters introduces, the TP physical layer negotiations to enable Pause can not. Therefore, if both end station MACs support Pause and wish to use it, the Pause negotiation must be re-generated by the media converters on both ends. By setting this configuration option to enabled(1), you are indicating to the local twisted pair station that the twisted pair station on the other side of the other media converter supports Pause and wishes to use it. This variable must be set consistently on both of the paired media converters.


Please also read this important note regarding certain differences between Media Converters and Switches.