The Signamax 10/100 to 100FX Media Converters with USB Power Option provides a built-in 10/100 switch that enables the fiber cable connection to operate at 100 Mbps, while remaining completely 100BaseFX standard-compliant for the fiber optic connection. The fiber connection can also operate in full duplex mode whether the RJ-45 port is connected to a full duplex switch or a half duplex legacy hub. The built-in switch and its store-and forward switching architecture performs the network segmentation that allows the maximum fiber distance extension. An USB power connector on the rear panel provides additional power options where AC power outlets are unavailable. The Link Fault Signaling provides a means of propagating a link drop on either port of the media converter to the other port, enabling a connected managed switch to see the link drop and respond to it using Spanning Tree Protocol or another recovery scheme. This intelligence maximizes the power of managed switches, and enables fail-safe design solutions for complex networks.