It is pointed out that Ethernet or IEEE Std 802.3 CSMA/CD (carrier sense multiple access with collision detection) network technology has migrated from the research lab to the office to the factory floor. The factory floor challenges the integrity of this LAN (local area network) standard with high levels of noise, interference, and other environmental hazards. It is argued that, with careful planning, implementation, and documentation, Ethernet can succeed on the factory floor when using the right equipment for the application is used. In the present work, the different types of media for 802.3 network systems are compared to determine their applicability to the industrial environment. Emphasis is placed on the media characteristics, the equipment required, the topologies, and the installation considerations and costs for the available media types. Using the comparison results, different configurations of the network are examined to determine the advantages and disadvantages for each configuration, primarily noise susceptibility, reliability, and cost. >