What is the maximum speed of Ethernet as defined by the Fast Ethernet standard?

The maximum speed of Ethernet as defined by the Fast Ethernet standard is 100 Mbps. Fast Ethernet was established to enhance traditional Ethernet's capability, which operated at 10 Mbps. The Fast Ethernet standard, formally known as IEEE 802.3u, specifies a data rate of 100 Mbps, significantly increasing the speed at which data can be transmitted over local area networks. This advancement was pivotal in meeting the demands for higher bandwidth and better performance in networking environments.

In contrast, the other speeds reflected in the options refer to different Ethernet standards that evolved after Fast Ethernet. For instance, 1 Gbps corresponds to Gigabit Ethernet, which is an even higher standard for data transmission. 10 Gbps represents 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and 10 Mbps reflects the original Ethernet standard. Thus, the choice of 100 Mbps accurately captures the essence of Fast Ethernet's specifications.