# Ethernet and InfiniBand host requirements.

Editorial revision 2026-11-01 — engineering guidance, not a released model specification.

Keep protocol, lane mode and software together.

## Record the protocol explicitly

A connector shell or advertised aggregate capacity does not establish Ethernet or InfiniBand operation. Identify the protocol and rate required at every endpoint before comparing products.

## Check the port configuration

Record electrical lane count/rate, FEC, breakout mode and any auto-negotiation requirements from the specific platform's documentation. For a split assembly, identify each destination port independently.

## Keep the release context

Read the compatibility and operating notes for the actual host hardware and firmware. A setting documented for one adapter generation or release is not a universal instruction. Preserve that context with the configuration so a later software change can be evaluated.

In practice / Worked example

## Equal aggregate rate. Different optical lanes.

Complete both sides of the worksheet before treating two 200Gb/s labels as a match.

| Requirement | Endpoint A | Endpoint Z |
| Protocol / rate | Ethernet · 200Gb/s | Ethernet · 200Gb/s |
| Optical arrangement | 2 × 100G-PAM4 lanes | 4 × 50G-PAM4 lanes |
| Host electrical application | To be documented | To be documented |
| FEC / firmware / negotiation | To be documented | To be documented |
The optical arrangements differ; passive fiber does not convert signaling rates or combine lanes. NVIDIA documents a related limitation: its described 100G-PAM4 NDR optics cannot directly downshift to 50G-PAM4 HDR optics. Resolve the exact supported assembly or conversion from platform documentation. This illustrative worksheet establishes no WBN interoperability claim; electrical applications remain a separate check.

Source: NVIDIA · LinkX 100G-PAM4 overview ↗ Online reference checked 1 November 2026 · Backwards Compatibility

## Before you specify

- Protocol at A and every Z

- Port mode, lane arrangement and FEC

- Host hardware and software revision

## Sources & scope

General engineering guidance. External examples describe their own products and do not establish WBN availability or qualification.

- Firmware compatible products ↗ NVIDIA · ConnectX-6 · firmware 20.38.1002

- LinkX 100G-PAM4 product line overview ↗ NVIDIA · Online reference · accessed 1 Nov 2026

Source: NVIDIA · LinkX 100G-PAM4 overview ↗ — https://docs.nvidia.com/networking/display/400g100gpam4ovdev/LinkX-100G-PAM4-Product-Line-Overview
Source: Firmware compatible products ↗ — https://networking-docs.nvidia.com/connectx6fwrn/20381002/firmware-compatible-products
Source: LinkX 100G-PAM4 product line overview ↗ — https://docs.nvidia.com/networking/display/400g100gpam4ovdev/LinkX-100G-PAM4-Product-Line-Overview