Media converters offer an inexpensive alternative to repeaters.
They don't retime the signal or add the signal propagation delays like full repeaters, so they don't increase the repeater hop count of existing networks. You can use media converters in many applications, but you can't use them to replace a repeater in cases where you've reached the maximum cable distance or the maximum number of devices on a network segment. Media converters are available in standalone models that convert between two different media types and in chassis-based models that connect many different media types in a single housing. Rent an apartment Standalone converters convert between two media. But, like a small apartment, they can be outgrown.